A total of 4,000 students of public and private institutions of higher learning who scored first class, have yet to apply for exemption from repaying their education loans.

National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) chairman Datuk Ismail Mohamed Said said, they were given until June 31 to apply for the exemption.

"They can surf the PTPTN website or come to the nearest PTPTN office to apply for the exemption.

"Failure to do so by June 31, means they will have to repay the loans as stipulated under the loan agreement," he told reporters today, after handing over schooling special early aid at Sekolah Kebangsaan Penderas in Kuala Krau here.