Press Release 9 of 2026 - FSC Robert A Mathavious Scholarship Grant Launched

FSC Robert A Mathavious Scholarship Grant Launched

Tortola, British Virgin Islands – 25 August 2026.  The BVI Financial Services Commission (the Commission) has launched the FSC Robert A Mathavious Scholarship Grant (the Grant), delivering on its December 2025 commitment to invest in the equipping of financial services professionals via a scholarship.  The Grant which has the stated objective of being a financial award which is designed to invest in the people who will help shape the future of the Virgin Islands financial services industry, is named in honour of Dr Robert A Mathavious, founding Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the BVI Financial Services Commission.  As such, the Grant will help to carry forward the legacy of Dr Mathavious considering his distinguished contribution to the development, regulation and advancement of financial services in the Virgin Islands. 

Funded by the Commission, the Grant will provide financial assistance to three (3) successful applicants annually, to pursue short courses and professional development programmes through the H Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) Robert Mathavious Institute for Financial Services (RMI). 

Echoing the words of the Grant’s namesake, Dr Robert A. Mathavious, who observed during a 2014 Meet the Regulator Forum that, “in order to speak with authority, we must educate ourselves more thoroughly,” the Commission’s current Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr Kenneth Baker underscored the continuing importance of professional development:

“The financial services industry cannot be viewed as static. It operates in an environment shaped by evolving challenges, emerging products and technologies, heightened regulatory expectations, and an increasingly complex cross-border landscape. To remain relevant, competitive and effective in such an environment, our people must continually equip themselves with current, internationally transferable knowledge, skills and qualifications.  Through this Grant, together with our broader industry capacity-building initiatives, the FSC is doing its part to invest in our people and strengthen the professional capability of the Virgin Islands financial services industry.”

Each Grant may provide financial assistance of up to US$5,000 toward the cost of pursuing an approved programme. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, having regard to the established eligibility requirements, assessment criteria and the merits of each application.  Virgin Islanders and Belongers who are currently employed within the Virgin Islands financial services industry, or who are seeking to enter and build a career within the industry, are invited to apply. The first recipients are expected to be announced in September 2026.

Each Grant may provide financial assistance of up to US$5,000 toward the cost of pursuing an approved programme. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, having regard to the established eligibility requirements, assessment criteria and the merits of each application.  Virgin Islanders and Belongers who are currently employed within the Virgin Islands financial services industry, or who are seeking to enter and build a career within the industry, are invited to apply. The first recipients are expected to be announced in September 2026.

Applicants are encouraged to pursue courses or programmes that respond to the current and emerging knowledge and skills needs of the industry, including Trust and Corporate Services; Investment Business and Investment Funds; Virtual Assets/FinTech; Compliance and AML/CFT; Risk Management; and Corporate Governance and Compliance.

Full eligibility requirements, funding conditions and other details are available in the Grant Guidelines which are posted on the Commission’s website HERE.

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the FSC's designated online application portal HERE, by Thursday, 3 September 2026.  Applicants are responsible for ensuring submission of their complete application and all required supporting documentation.

ABOUT US

The BVI Financial Services Commission is the autonomous regulatory authority responsible for the regulation, supervision, and inspection of all financial services in and from within the BVI.

Questions concerning this Press Release and the Grant may be directed to:

EXTERNAL RELATIONS UNIT
BVI Financial Services Commission
18 Pasea Estate Road, Tortola VG1110
British Virgin Islands
Tel: (284) 494-4190
Email: [email protected]