BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – NATIONALS interested in pursuing higher education should brush up on their Spanish, as the Cuban Embassy is now accepting applications for its 2009 scholarship programme.

Since it began in the 1990s, dozens of students from St. Kitts and Nevis have travelled to Cuba to study various programmes free of cost.

Leonel Lizo, the Embassy’s First Secretary, revealed that eight scholarships are available in this year’s cycle. They are for one degree in Natural Sciences, two in Sports, Physical Education and Recreation and five degrees in Medicine.

Lizo further informed that in order to qualify for the programme, applicants must be 24 years old or younger and must be a high school graduate. Additionally, he/she should be a member of a low-income family, hold no criminal record and should neither be pregnant nor HIV positive.

Applications can be collected at the Human Resource Department in Government Headquarters and should be returned there once completed. The deadline for submission is Monday, June 1.

Speaking exclusively with SKNVibes, Dr. Garfield Alexander, a 1998 scholarship recipient, noted the “tremendous” influence the programme exerted on his life.

“It’s an experience that goes far beyond the education component of it. Going to Cuba introduces you to an environment that’s different politically, socially, culturally, and in so many other ways.

“The education I received was more than adequate and it soundly prepared me for my professional practice in medicine.”

The scholarship programme is a component of the ongoing collaboration between the governments of Cuba and the Federation. The partnership has spanned several decades and includes not only the scholarship programme, but also the Miracle Eye programme and various dental initiatives.