Segeplan to seek law ensuring scholarship fund continues after Arévalo government

Guatemala’s National Scholarship Fund could outlast Bernardo Arévalo’s government if Congress approves legislation that would turn it from an administration program into a state policy.

Carlos Mendoza, head of the Secretariat of Planning and Programming of the Presidency, said Segeplan would send the initiative to Congress in the coming weeks. He did not give a specific submission date. Working groups have already met with lawmakers, universities, research centers and specialists to support the proposal.

The plan was discussed during the opening of the 2026 National Scholarship Fair. Arévalo said institutionalizing the fund would help promote university careers in the short, medium and long term. He also said maintaining the policy would require additional resources, while giving Guatemalans without access to higher education a chance to continue their studies.

Segeplan authorities said the program currently has 1,019 scholarship recipients and more than Q106 million committed to financing different degree programs. They expect to add another 1,500 students in 2027, and the fund has an additional Q250 million available to expand coverage.

The National Scholarship Fund was created on March 11, 2025, as an initiative of Arévalo’s government. It supports Guatemalan students seeking to begin, continue or complete higher or technical education, both inside and outside the country.