Lalith Athulathmudali Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund was incorporated under the Parliamentary Act No.66 of 1981. In terms of section 3 of the Act, its administration, management, and controls have been vested in the Board of Trustees.

Late Minister Hon. Lalith Athulathmudali founded the concept of “Mahapola “ in 1980 when he was the Minister of Trade and Naval Affairs through a trade fair with the objective of offering the benefit and knowledge of the open economy to rural communities.

Mahapola Higher Education Trust Fund has awarded 288,893 scholarships worth of Rs.13.3bn during the last 35 years for the students of all 15 universities, other higher education institutions and technical colleges since 1982 to 2017.

Currently, more than 17,000 scholarships are awarded annually for university students and students in technical colleges by the Mahapola trust fund.

The fund is offering institutional and financial assistance to higher education centers not come under the consolidated fund and scholarship to youth for their higher studies and its administrative affairs are being carried out by an independent Board of Trustees chaired by the Hon. Chief Justice.

Vision

To create a Scholarship Society Aims at Poverty Eradication

Mission

To award Scholarship for the Unprivileged Youth to Obtain Higher Education and to Create Equal Opportunities for Higher Education through the Improvement of Facilities

Aims & Objectives

Late Hon. Lalith Athulathmudali founded the concept of “Mahapola” with the vision of improving the technical skills of deserving youth who needs the financial support to continue their secondary and higher education.

  • To provide higher educational facilities to youth.
  • To provide assistance to deserving youth who have completed their secondary education satisfactorily, so as to enable them to complete their academic, industrial or technical education at a University or technical or higher education institute, as the case may be,

  •  To set up and assist in the setting up and management of vocational training institutes for enabling youth to develop their vocational skills and competence,

  •  To set up and assist in the management and conduct of schools,institutes,foundation and similar institutions engaged in the furtherance of education and

  •  To provide assistance for the development and improvement of skills and competence of lecturers, teachers and person engaged in the furtherance of education.