Low-Income Youth: Study for Free in Military and Police Training Schools in Colombia
With Decree 1907 of November 10, 2023, low-income youth will be able to study for free in military and police training schools in Colombia.
This segment of the population will have free access to undergraduate programs in the training schools of the Armed Forces and the National Police.
The document, which came into effect upon its signing on November 10, expands the implementation of the state’s policy of free higher education.
To qualify for this new benefit, the decree notes that individuals must be in a vulnerable condition according to the classification of Sisben IV “or the targeting tool used by its bases.”
The decree also establishes “requirements, benefits, causes of benefit loss, sources of financing, and the competence to issue specific regulations, among other provisions.”
With the decree in force, the aim is to cover “100% of the academic tuition value for technical, professional, technological, and university professional training programs, excluding other academic credits.”
Study for Free in Military and Police Training Schools in Colombia
According to the decree, youth can now study for free in military and police training schools in Colombia, and the funding source to ensure tuition-free education is the resources from the General Budget of the Nation allocated to the Armed Forces and the National Police.
These funds will be allocated to the Education department of the National Army, National Navy, Colombian Air Force, and the Police National Education Directorate.
It also opens the door to seek other sources of financing “and/or programs of the national government, territorial entities, or through international cooperation programs,” with the clarification that “the main source is not replaced.”
The tuition value covered with the signing of the decree will be for “the number of periods of duration of the academic programs of initial technical professional, technological, and university professional training.”
On the other hand, it is clarified that “under no circumstances” will additional periods beyond those established by the academic program be financed for the benefiting individual, nor for periods that the student must repeat due to loss or another situation.
The requirements to study for free in military and police training schools in Colombia will be:
- Be Colombian.
- Be enrolled in one of the mentioned undergraduate programs (technical, technological, or university).
- Belong to the most socioeconomically vulnerable families with Sisben IV classification or the targeting tool in its place.
- Not have a university or postgraduate degree from any institution.
- Fulfill other admission requirements inherent to the military and police career.
Those who meet these requirements, as outlined in the decree, will benefit “solely from the coverage of 100% of the academic tuition value,” excluding other academic credits or supplementary charges.
The additional costs resulting from the education process will be borne by the beneficiary. The tuition value will be determined according to the internal regulations of the Armed Forces and the National Police.
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