Puerto Ricoโข Launches Scholarship to Attract &โข Retain Skilled Professionals
San Juan, puerto Rico – The Puerto Rican government is โinvesting in its โfuture workforce with the expanded โฃTeodoro Moscoso Scholarship, a program offering up to $40,000 to students pursuing critical fields. For the first time, the scholarship is open โฃto Puerto Rican students studying outside of โฃthe island, aiming to incentivize theirโ eventual return and contribution to the local economy.
The scholarship, administered by the Department of economic โDevelopment and Commerce (DDEC), targets students aged โ13-29 enrolled in technical/vocational programs, โคas well as university degrees in high-demand areas โคlike โคhealth, telecommunications, computer science, engineering,โ and construction โคtrades.
“Our goal is to strengthen Puerto Rico’s human capital,” โขexplained Secretary of โฃEconomic Development, Sebastiรกn Negrรณn Reichard. “We want to empower our young people to achieve their educational dreams, whether here on the island or abroad, โคwhile ensuring a commitmentโ to rebuilding and bolstering our local workforce.”
The scholarship offers two tiers of funding: โฃup to $10,000 โฃfor two years of technical or vocational study, and up to $40,000 โfor โfour years of undergraduate, master’s, or doctoral level education. Priority will be given to students pursuing careers where recruitment is challenging in Puerto Rico, as well as those demonstrating โขsignificant financial need.
Funding for the program has increased from โ$800,000 to $1.2 million, a change championed by Governor Jenniffer gonzรกlez and sourced โfrom the DDEC Economic Incentive Fund. Since 2021,the scholarship has already supported approximately 125 students,with 40-50 selected annually.
applicants must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.75 for universityโ studies andโ 3.50 for technical/vocational programs.Accomplished candidates willโข also need to provide a letter of admission, two letters of suggestion, and โparticipate in an interview.
Crucially, recipients studying outside of puertoโข Rico are required to return to the island to work after completing their education.
The application deadline is โคNovember 15th. Interestedโฃ students โคcan find more information and apply atโค https://www.desarrollo.pr.gov/beca-teodoro-moscoso.