Government Launches 250 Scholarships for Therapy and Rehabilitation Fields

The Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development has unveiled a major scholarship program to build a stronger local workforce in therapeutic and rehabilitation services. The initiative offers 250 fully funded study opportunities both within the Maldives and abroad. The program allocates 120 scholarships for bachelor's degrees and 20 for master's degrees locally. An additional 30 bachelor's and 80 master's degree opportunities will be offered overseas. Speech therapy is the top priority, with 90 total slots available across all degree levels and locations. Other targeted fields include psychology, with 30 bachelor's and 20 master's scholarships; counseling and behaviour therapy, with 30 bachelor's slots; occupational therapy, with 30 bachelor's and 30 master's; and behaviour analysis, with 20 master's scholarships. Applications close on 20 April at 1:30 pm, with full details published in the official government gazette. This effort is part of a broader government strategy to improve nationwide access to mental health and therapy services, especially in underserved atolls. Currently, most of these services are delivered by foreign-trained professionals. Recent data highlights the need: over 220 children receive regular therapeutic support through the National Special Protection Agency (NSPA), and more than 70,000 individuals have accessed specialized mental health treatment in the past three years. The scholarship program aims to cultivate a robust local workforce capable of delivering high-quality, accessible care across the entire country.