What is the PASS scholarship?
PASS is a need- and merit-based scholarship program for students who are residents of Apuk Padoc and who are pursuing an undergraduate or technical education. PASS offers approximately 40 to 60 scholarships annually, depending upon the number of qualified applicants each year. Scholarships range from $250 to $600 per year. The scholarships are for students enrolled in or seeking to enroll in accredited, diploma and undergraduate programs in South Sudan.
What are the highest priority educational areas for the PASS scholarship?
Priority disciplines include engineering/mathematics, health and medical sciences, urban/rural planning/development, demography/statistics, physical sciences, vocational programs, education, social work, psychology, entrepreneurship/business, agriculture, and technology.
What expenses does the PASS scholarship pay for?
PASS scholarships cover tuition, fees, books, and associated costs for a senior research project. Scholarships also pay for transportation to & from school, and room & board, for students who demonstrate financial need. PASS does not pay for medical or other personal expenses.
Who qualifies for a PASS scholarship?
PASS is need-and merit-based. This means that candidates who meet all academic requirements but are economically under-privileged to pay for their education will be prioritized. Since girls are generally underserved in South Sudan, they will also be given a priority. Specific requirements for admission include:
- Evidence of admission/application to an undergraduate program at an accredited institution in South Sudan
- A score of 75% or higher on high school national exit examination (for entering students only)
- Certified high school certificate or report slip
- Evidence of family’s socioeconomic instability
Can I get a PASS scholarship for more than one year?
Scholarships will be automatically renewed each year for students who earn at least a 2.8 GPA, or at least a 75% in their previous year of college or technical school.
How do I apply for a PASS scholarship?
Applications can be submitted electronically to the program office in Juba or mailed to the Office in Juba (The Sudd Institute, located in Thongpiny). Applications will be reviewed, and awards announced at least a month before the new school year commences. *CLICK HERE TO BEGIN YOUR APPLICATION*
What is the deadline for submitting applications for the 2021-2022 school year?
Applications must be submitted online by Friday, August 13, 2021 or postmarked by Friday, August 13, 2021.
Why was the PASS scholarship established?
Located in Akop payam (district), Apuk Padoc is a small community in Warrap State, South Sudan. Its population is estimated in the range of 70,000 to 100,000, a vast majority younger than the age of 30 years. Devastated by intractable conflicts, this community has been deprived of development opportunities for centuries, exemplified by limited access to basic services such as education and health. This reflects the fact that only 27% of the South Sudanese are literate. In terms of gender, 40% among males and 16% among females are literate, according to the 2008 national census. Literacy rate in Warrap State is 16%. In Apuk Padoc, this number drops to a single digit. The community has limited educational infrastructure, including permanent structures and well-trained administrators and teachers. These conditions demonstrate the need for programs that provide financial assistance for educational programs that will provide the community with a much needed trained labor force. PAS is one such program.
How is PASS funded?
PASS is a not-for-profit agency, soon to be registered under tax exemption laws both in the United States of America and South Sudan. Its major sources of funds include fundraising and donations/gifts. The funds will cover both scholarships and administration of the program.
How is the PASS scholarship program managed?
The program has offices in the U.S. and South Sudan. The Headquarters, in Juba, South Sudan, is administered by the Executive Director (ED), who reports to the Board of Directors. The ED is the chief operation officer and manager of the day-to-day activities of the program. Augustino Ting Mayai will serve as the ED for the first year of PASS.
Does PASS have a Board of Directors?
PASS operates under the oversight and direction of the PASS Board of Directors that includes members of the Apuk Padoc community, one chief, one educator and one elder, as well as the Executive Director. The Selection Committee has six members, three based in South Sudan led by August Ting Mayai, and three members in the United States led by Fran Roby. The Selection Committee members in South Sudan review the applications, then forwards them to the Selection Committee members in the U.S. for final selection.
Mission and vision
PASS’s mission is to empower the community through quality, higher education by providing merit- and need-based scholarships to Apuk Padoc students nationwide. PASS’s vision is a realization of an improved human capital formation/development for improved livelihoods in Apuk Padoc.