Interest-Free Student Loan Scheme 2026 — 11th Intake, Full Eligibility, Institutes & Loan Amounts
Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education — Higher Education Division
📌 Quick Summary
🇱🇰 සිංහල සාරාංශය
2023, 2024 හෝ 2025 වර්ෂවල අ.පො.ස. උසස් පෙළ විභාගයට පෙනී සිටි සුදුසුකම් සපුරන ශ්රී ලාංකික සිසුන්ට රාජ්ය නොවන උසස් අධ්යාපන ආයතන (NSHEI) 16ක තෝරාගත් උපාධි පාඨමාලා සඳහා පොලී රහිත ශිෂ්ය ණය යෝජනා ක්රමයේ 11 වන බඳවා ගැනීම සඳහා අයදුම්පත් කැඳවනු ලැබේ.
📅 අයදුම්පත් කාලය: 2026.08.17 සිට 2026.09.27 මධ්යම රාත්රී දක්වා
💰 උපරිම ණය මුදල: රු. 1,500,000 දක්වා (පාඨමාලාව අනුව)
🇱🇰 தமிழ் சுருக்கம்
2023, 2024 அல்லது 2025 ஆம் ஆண்டுகளில் க.பொ.த. உயர்தரப் பரீட்சைக்குத் தோற்றிய தகுதியுடைய மாணவர்கள், 16 அரச சாரா உயர்கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில் (NSHEI) தெரிவு செய்யப்பட்ட பட்டப்படிப்புகளுக்கான வட்டியில்லா மாணவர் கடன் திட்டத்தின் 11ஆவது சேர்க்கைக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்கலாம்.
📅 விண்ணப்பக் காலம்: 17.08.2026 முதல் 27.09.2026 நள்ளிரவு வரை
💰 அதிகபட்ச கடன் தொகை: பாடநெறியைப் பொறுத்து ரூ. 1,500,000 வரை
💡 What is the Interest-Free Student Loan Scheme (IFSLS)?
The Interest-Free Student Loans Scheme (IFSLS) is a government-supported higher education loan scheme implemented by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education. The scheme provides interest-free financial assistance for selected degree programmes offered by approved Non-State Higher Education Institutes, chosen with consideration for market demand and professional value.
Under the scheme, the Government bears the interest on the loan throughout the 12-year loan period. The scheme is intended to help address the gap between the number of students who qualify for university entrance and the number who can actually be accommodated by the state university system.
✅ IFSLS 2026 – 11th Intake Eligibility
- Must have passed the G.C.E. A/L Examination in 2023, 2024 or 2025.
- Must have been notified as qualified for university entrance.
- Must have obtained at least three S passes in one sitting, with a maximum of three A/L attempts.
- Must have obtained at least 30 marks for the Common General Test (CGT) at a sitting within the three attempts.
- Must have obtained an S pass for General English at G.C.E. A/L, or an S pass for English Language at G.C.E. O/L.
- Must be 25 years of age or below as at 27 September 2026.
🎁 What Are the Benefits of IFSLS?
💰 Interest-Free Degree Loan
Students can obtain a government-supported loan to follow selected degree programmes at approved Non-State Higher Education Institutes.
🏛 Government Pays the Interest
The Government bears the interest throughout the 12-year loan period, subject to the conditions of the scheme.
💵 Optional Stipend Loan
Students can also obtain an additional interest-free stipend loan to help cover expenses during their studies. Maximum stipend loan: Rs. 300,000 for a four-year programme, Rs. 225,000 for a three-year programme.
🏫 Approved Institutes Under IFSLS 2026 (16 NSHEIs)
📚 Subject Streams Available
📖 Examples of Degree Programmes
| Subject Stream | Degree Programme | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering & Technology | BSc Engineering (Honours) in Civil Engineering | 4 Years |
| Engineering & Technology | Bachelor of Interior Design | 3 Years |
| Science | BSc Honours in Biomedical Science | 4 Years |
| ICT | BSc in Information Technology | 4 Years |
| ICT | Bachelor of Information Technology | 3 Years |
| Management & Commerce | Bachelor of Business Administration (Special) (Honours) | 4 Years |
| Management & Commerce | BSc in Applied Accounting (General) | 3 Years |
| Humanities & Social Sciences | Bachelor of Education Honours in English | 4 Years |
The scheme supports full-time degree programmes that are primarily three or four years in duration.
💰 Maximum Loan Amount Under IFSLS
Four-Year Degree Programmes
| Subject Stream | Maximum Loan |
|---|---|
| Engineering | Rs. 1,500,000 |
| Science – Biological/Biomedical/Chemical | Rs. 1,200,000 |
| Physical Science, Bio Technology, Engineering Technology & ICT (BSc) | Rs. 1,000,000 |
| Management & Commerce | Rs. 900,000 |
| Humanities & Social Sciences / ICT (Bachelor of Computer Science) | Rs. 800,000 |
Three-Year Degree Programmes
| Subject Stream | Maximum Loan |
|---|---|
| Engineering & Technology / ICT (BSc) | Rs. 800,000 |
| Humanities & Social Sciences / Management & Commerce / ICT (Bachelor of Computer Science) | Rs. 600,000 |
In addition, eligible students may obtain the optional stipend loan mentioned above.
🏦 How Is the Loan Paid?
The full course-fee loan is not paid directly to the student. Instead, the bank pays the semester fee directly to the relevant Non-State Higher Education Institute at the beginning of each semester, based on the recommendation of the Ministry.
If a student obtains the optional stipend loan, the stipend is paid directly to the student quarterly at Rs. 18,750, equivalent to Rs. 6,250 per month.
📆 Loan Repayment Period
The total loan period is 12 years. Students receive a one-year grace period after completing their degree before repayment begins.
Four-year degree programmes: 7 years / 84 equal instalments for repayment.
Three-year degree programmes: 8 years / 96 equal instalments for repayment.
Generally, students do not have to repay the interest because the Government bears the interest during the loan period. However, students who discontinue their studies before completion may be required to repay the outstanding capital together with the interest borne by the Government up to the settlement date.
📋 Important Responsibilities of Selected Students
- Signing the required agreements with the Ministry and the bank.
- Providing the required guarantors.
- Obtaining at least a C pass for every compulsory subject.
- Maintaining at least 80% attendance.
- Repeating failed compulsory subjects and obtaining the required pass.
- Completing the degree within the specified three- or four-year period.
📅 IFSLS 2026 Application Closing Date
📅 Opening Date
17 August 2026
⏰ Closing Date
27 September 2026 – 12:00 midnight
Applications must be submitted through the official online IFSLS system.
📝 How to Apply for IFSLS 2026?
- Visit the official IFSLS online application system.
- Read the student handbook and application instructions carefully.
- Register using your NIC number and G.C.E. A/L index number.
- Select your preferred degree programmes and place your most preferred programme first.
- Check all information carefully.
- Click “Finalize” before the application deadline.
Applicants who cannot access the online application system may use facilities available at NODES, Provincial/Zonal ICT Centres or Nanasala Centres, where a processing fee may apply.
📑 Documents Required
Applicants should prepare the required documents for the interview and registration stages, including:
- Printed and signed online application
- School certification or relevant certification for private candidates
- National Identity Card or Passport
- Original G.C.E. A/L certificate
- Original G.C.E. O/L certificate
- Relevant Common General Test certificate, where applicable
- Original School Leaving Certificate
- Bridging course result sheet, where applicable
- Grama Niladari Certificate
- Original Birth Certificate
Applicants should carefully check the latest instructions before submitting documents.
🔎 What Happens After Applying?
Applications are considered based on factors including minimum qualifications, programme preferences, number of applicants and the seating capacity of the respective NSHEIs. The selection process is merit-based using the Z-score.
Qualified applicants will be called for online interviews, with notifications sent by email. The qualified applicants list is also published on the Ministry website. Selected students will receive information regarding their degree programme, selected institute, online registration and physical registration.
🚫 Who Is Not Eligible for IFSLS?
⚠️ Ineligibility Conditions
- Have sat the G.C.E. A/L examination more than three times.
- Are already selected or registered for a Bachelor’s degree at a state university based on the relevant A/L results.
- Are already registered for certain publicly funded higher education programmes.
- Are registered for certain HND, NDES or diploma programmes.
- Are already registered for an IFSLS-associated full-time degree.
- Are already engaged in full-time employment.
- Already hold a Bachelor’s degree or relevant qualification under the specified criteria.
- Are registered for a Bachelor’s degree under a Ministry of Education foreign scholarship programme.
- Provide false information or forged documents.
Applicants should carefully review the official eligibility and ineligibility conditions before applying.
📌 Final Reminder for Applicants
The Interest-Free Student Loan Scheme 2026 – 11th Intake provides an opportunity for eligible students to pursue selected degree programmes at approved Non-State Higher Education Institutes with government-supported interest-free financing. Students who completed the G.C.E. A/L Examination in 2023, 2024 or 2025 and meet the required qualifications should carefully review the available degree programmes, institutes, eligibility requirements and loan conditions before submitting an application.
📅 Application Period
17 Aug – 27 Sep 2026
🎂 Age Limit
25 or below as at 27 Sep 2026
💰 Max Course-Fee Loan
Up to Rs. 1,500,000
💵 Optional Stipend
Up to Rs. 300,000
📌 Source
Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education — Higher Education Division, Interest-Free Student Loan Scheme (IFSLS) 2026, 11th Intake. Official Website: studentloans.mohe.gov.lk
