Since 2002, the Beca 18 [Scholarship 18] program has assisted in the professional development of nearly 5,000 young people who rendered voluntary Military service in Peru.
Since 2002, the “Beca 18″ [Scholarship 18] scholarship program has assisted in the professional development of nearly 5,000 young people who rendered voluntary military service in Peru.
The scholarship, created for discharged members of the Armed Forces, is designed for those who have completed 12-24 months of military service. Recipients may study at an institute of higher education, where the award covers not only the tuition but also their monthly expenses.
“Beca 18 (for members of the Armed Forces) was conceived as a means to compensate our Troops for the military service they have rendered to our nation, because in most cases, after leaving the military institute, they find that their development opportunities are more limited,” said Colonel Miguel Dávila Ayllón, director of education at the Ministry of Defense.
“If a young person is awarded a scholarship, it has a very satisfying effect on the individual and the community, and shows his friends and acquaintances a path to how they can achieve their personal and professional goals.”
The initiative’s goal is to have 10,000 young people studying at universities or technological institutes under the program by 2016. Of the 4,821 scholarship recipients, 2,909 served in the Army, 959 in the Navy, and 953 in the Air Force. Among these students, 510 are pursuing university degrees, while 4,311 are studying at training centers for a technical career.
The program began with 713 scholarship recipients in 2012. A year later, that number grew to 770, while in 2014 it rose to 1,757. This year, there are 1,581 scholarship recipients. The new round of awards will be released in May.
Educational opportunities for young people with military experience
The program provides scholarships for Peruvian nationals who have served in the Military, are no older than 24 years old, and have completed elementary and secondary school.
Scholarship recipients range in age from 19 to 22. “This allows us to ensure that the scholarships are being targeted at our youth, so that this group can quickly join the labor market,” Col. Dávila said.
Each scholarship provides a monthly stipend of $280 to $400, to cover the costs of food, school supplies, local commuting expenses and housing. Consequently, the scholarship provides educational opportunities to young people who have served in the Armed Forces regardless of their economic status.
“Beca 18 was created to assist mainly the extremely poor youths of the country, specifically those who had completed military service,” said Raúl Choque Larrauri, executive director of the National Scholarship and Educational Credit Program (PRONABEC), the institution that administers Beca 18.
The vast majority of young Peruvians who enlist in the Armed Forces come from low-income families, where they do not have sufficient financial resources to study at a prestigious institution.
“The program is inclusive. Over 90 percent come from the interior regions of Peru,” Choque said.
The young people who enter voluntary military service receive not only technical training but also become eligible for scholarships under the Beca 18 program to study at one of the 36 universities or 42 technological institutes that partner with the program.
Many of the Beca 18 scholarship recipients study technical trades, such as diesel mechanics, maintenance mechanics, industrial electricians, production mechanics, and heavy machinery maintenance mechanics. Courses related to construction, topography, and interior design are also popular among these students.
Jobs for Beca 18 graduates
Once Beca 18 scholarship recipients have completed their studies, they will be in a better position to obtain good jobs that pay well.
One of the goals of the program is to encourage the employment of the graduates in the provinces, where most of the scholarship recipients are from.
“Let us imagine a young man who’s been trained as an agricultural engineer who returns and applies new techniques to a parcel in his community to increase productivity. When the first results are harvested, his neighbors will want to duplicate the process,” said Peruvian economist Kurt Burneo.
The program has agreements with private businesses to encourage the employability of the scholarship recipients. Choque estimated that each graduate would be able to earn salaries of up to $1,333 per month.
Since 2002, the “Beca 18″ [Scholarship 18] scholarship program has assisted in the professional development of nearly 5,000 young people who rendered voluntary military service in Peru.
The scholarship, created for discharged members of the Armed Forces, is designed for those who have completed 12-24 months of military service. Recipients may study at an institute of higher education, where the award covers not only the tuition but also their monthly expenses.
“Beca 18 (for members of the Armed Forces) was conceived as a means to compensate our Troops for the military service they have rendered to our nation, because in most cases, after leaving the military institute, they find that their development opportunities are more limited,” said Colonel Miguel Dávila Ayllón, director of education at the Ministry of Defense.
“If a young person is awarded a scholarship, it has a very satisfying effect on the individual and the community, and shows his friends and acquaintances a path to how they can achieve their personal and professional goals.”
The initiative’s goal is to have 10,000 young people studying at universities or technological institutes under the program by 2016. Of the 4,821 scholarship recipients, 2,909 served in the Army, 959 in the Navy, and 953 in the Air Force. Among these students, 510 are pursuing university degrees, while 4,311 are studying at training centers for a technical career.
The program began with 713 scholarship recipients in 2012. A year later, that number grew to 770, while in 2014 it rose to 1,757. This year, there are 1,581 scholarship recipients. The new round of awards will be released in May.
Educational opportunities for young people with military experience
The program provides scholarships for Peruvian nationals who have served in the Military, are no older than 24 years old, and have completed elementary and secondary school.
Scholarship recipients range in age from 19 to 22. “This allows us to ensure that the scholarships are being targeted at our youth, so that this group can quickly join the labor market,” Col. Dávila said.
Each scholarship provides a monthly stipend of $280 to $400, to cover the costs of food, school supplies, local commuting expenses and housing. Consequently, the scholarship provides educational opportunities to young people who have served in the Armed Forces regardless of their economic status.
“Beca 18 was created to assist mainly the extremely poor youths of the country, specifically those who had completed military service,” said Raúl Choque Larrauri, executive director of the National Scholarship and Educational Credit Program (PRONABEC), the institution that administers Beca 18.
The vast majority of young Peruvians who enlist in the Armed Forces come from low-income families, where they do not have sufficient financial resources to study at a prestigious institution.
“The program is inclusive. Over 90 percent come from the interior regions of Peru,” Choque said.
The young people who enter voluntary military service receive not only technical training but also become eligible for scholarships under the Beca 18 program to study at one of the 36 universities or 42 technological institutes that partner with the program.
Many of the Beca 18 scholarship recipients study technical trades, such as diesel mechanics, maintenance mechanics, industrial electricians, production mechanics, and heavy machinery maintenance mechanics. Courses related to construction, topography, and interior design are also popular among these students.
Jobs for Beca 18 graduates
Once Beca 18 scholarship recipients have completed their studies, they will be in a better position to obtain good jobs that pay well.
One of the goals of the program is to encourage the employment of the graduates in the provinces, where most of the scholarship recipients are from.
“Let us imagine a young man who’s been trained as an agricultural engineer who returns and applies new techniques to a parcel in his community to increase productivity. When the first results are harvested, his neighbors will want to duplicate the process,” said Peruvian economist Kurt Burneo.
The program has agreements with private businesses to encourage the employability of the scholarship recipients. Choque estimated that each graduate would be able to earn salaries of up to $1,333 per month.
I think it’s good for them to be well organized. Photo Hi, I am 25 years old and married. Would there be any chance to join the Peruvian army…or to study with an 18 scholarship. Thank you for your reply. Blessings. I want to get in touch with you This Scholarship 18 Social Program is very good because it helps poor youth to become professionals and they will bring many future benefits to our country. I am broadcasting this news item, for our armed forces to use and then carry out their studies. I think the support they give now to our children is good. It is good that the government is concerned about our youth, this keeps crime from increasing and the government should also be concerned for our elderly and our children because they should come first. Scholarship 18 does not work for the students coming out of the schools, because they don’t receive the monthly stipend they’re supposed to get here in Lima for the past two months now. The bad officials wait for the money deposited by the entity to be delivered to those kids they leave it in the bank for two months to grab the interest the government money generates. It’s unpunished theft that the authorities should discipline them and kick them out onto the street. Those kids haven’t gotten anything from the government for the past two months, getting into debt for food and housing here in Lima. Is this fair? What’s going on in Peru, when the thieves do whatever they want and the law doesn’t punish them.