– –persons encouraged to register, capitalise on this opportunity

STARTING with the 2025/26 academic year, tuition at the University of Guyana (UG) is officially free and applications are now open for all, as the Government of Guyana rolls out its landmark free tertiary education policy—a major commitment fulfilled under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) manifesto.

The change, which took effect January 1, 2025, means no tuition fees for new or continuing students pursuing Diplomas, Bachelor degrees, Master degrees, or PhDs across UG’s campuses and online platforms.
The university’s application period runs until May 16, 2025, and prospective students are encouraged to apply early as the university is currently processing over 1,200 applications per week.
President, Dr Irfaan Ali, during a parliamentary address in October 2024, announced that beginning in the January 2025 semester, tuition fees at UG will be fully abolished.

The initiative is expected to benefit more than 11,000 students. To facilitate the rollout of free tertiary education, UG received a $13.1 billion allocation in the 2025 National Budget.
Additionally, through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), the government has awarded scholarships to nearly 30,000 Guyanese, enabling them to pursue online studies at various local and international universities.
As part of its phased initiative to provide free tertiary education, the government has written off approximately $203.7M in student loans for 346 UG graduates as of mid-2024.

Overall, the programme aims to cancel about $11 billion in student loans for over 12,000 Guyanese.
Information on all course/programme offerings, application processes, and other relevant details has been, and will continue to be, communicated via all the university’s official channels.
These official communication channels include the university’s website (https://uog.edu.gy), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/uniofguyana), and the Student Records Management System (SRMS). The university will also issue official notices, press statements, and advertisements via its media partners.

Importantly, students currently preparing for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) are encouraged to apply before receiving their results.
Some programmes offer provisional acceptance, and applicants can request the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to send their grades directly to UG to expedite processing.
UG, fondly referred to as the nation’s premier tertiary institution, now offers more than 180 programmes across over 80 disciplines, ranging from certificates and diplomas to associate degrees, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees.
The university delivers courses in face-to-face, online, and blended formats through its eight academic divisions and 10 research institutes and centres, including the internationally ranked Faculty of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the accredited College of Medical Sciences.