Secretary for Education Dr Uke Kombra has clarified that the fee associated with the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT-P) only applies to certain Grade 12 students applying to higher education institutions.
“This fee does not apply to the national examinations that are conducted for Grades 8, 10 and 12,” he said.
Dr. Kombra confirmed that the fee is exclusively for the cost of administering the STAT-P test itself. It is not an application fee being collected by the Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (DHERST) or the Department of Education, nor does it affect the standard application process for the majority of students.
“It is very important that all students, parents, and schools understand this is a selective fee,” the Secretary said.
“The fee only applies to a minority of students who are seeking entry into specific university programs where the receiving institution has mandated the STAT-P test as part of its entry requirements.”
The vast majority of higher education institutions in Papua New Guinea do not require the STAT-P for entry. Consequently, the vast majority of Grade 12 students applying this year will not be required to pay this fee.
Students are strongly urged to rely on the official Application System for guidance. The system is designed to be clear and transparent and will explicitly indicate which university programs require the STAT-P test when students select their preferences. If a program does not list the STAT-P as a requirement, no associated fee will be charged to the student.