Several changes have been made to the maintenance grants for students in higher education, Education Minister Justyne Caruana said. The grants are given to eligible students as a form of extra support in addition to the stipend. The changes include the removal of means testing to students in residential care; and the option for eligible full-time students to apply for such grants in their first year of studies, rather than applying annually. Students who pursue the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Medical Sciences (Intercalated Year) and students who continue their studies as third-year students in the medical course, shall be eligible to receive the maintenance grant. Grants will now also be given to students who are accepted for a repeat year or an extension year. Foreign students will also have the opportunity to apply for maintenance grants. “Through this initiative, our country will become more attractive for foreign students to choose Malta to further their studies”, the minister said.