The Institute for Training and Development of Human Resources (IFARHU) in Panama will open applications for its 2026 General Scholarship Competition on January 12. Officials announced the program now requires a higher minimum grade point average for most applicants, allocating over $50 million to support students across the country.
Carlos Godoy, the director of IFARHU, confirmed the details. The application window will run for less than two weeks, closing on January 23, 2026. This annual competition provides critical financial aid for primary, secondary, and university-level students attending both public and private institutions.
New Academic Thresholds for Applicants
A key change this year involves stricter academic standards. Students applying from primary and secondary schools must now present a minimum grade point average of 4.5. This marks an increase from the previous requirement of 4.0. University students must maintain a minimum average of 2.0 to qualify for the financial support.
Godoy emphasized the institution’s goal of rewarding academic excellence with these adjusted criteria. The significant funding pool aims to assist thousands of Panameño students in pursuing their educational goals. Registration will be conducted primarily through the official IFARHU website.
“For hard-to-reach communities where internet representation is a limitation, we will enable traditional paper forms,” Godoy said. [Translated from Spanish] He added that these paper applications would later be digitized by the institute to ensure every aspiring student has a fair opportunity to participate.
This hybrid application process addresses the digital divide within the nation. It guarantees that students in remote areas without reliable online access are not excluded from the competition. The Institute for Training and Development of Human Resources manages one of the largest scholarship programs in Panama.
Streamlined Online Application Process
Prospective applicants are directed to complete their submissions at the IFARHU portal. The short, eleven-day registration period requires students to prepare their academic records promptly. Officials did not specify the exact number of scholarships to be awarded, focusing instead on the total monetary commitment.
This national scholarship initiative represents a cornerstone of Panama’s educational investment strategy. It directly supports families by covering tuition and other academic expenses. The increased GPA requirement signals a shift toward prioritizing higher academic achievement for award recipients.
Final selections and award announcements will follow the January application deadline. The institute has not yet released a timeline for notifying successful candidates.