Places are on offer at Royal Thimphu College in the country's capital city with three for men and three for women.

All of the scholarships will cover tuition and boarding costs for three years.

Applicants need to meet the College's admissions criteria, however, and boast outstanding sporting achievement.

Preference will be given to athletes who have represented Bhutan at international level.

Bhutan has competed at every edition of the Summer Olympics since Los Angeles 1984 but are still awaiting their first medal.

The country sent a team of two to Rio 2016.

Karma Karma, who carried the nation's flag at the Opening Ceremony, lost in the round of 64 in the women's individual archery competition.

Shooter Kunzang Lenchu did not advance from the qualification round in the women's 10 metre air rifle.    

Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck, a member of Bhutan's Royal Family, is President of the BOC.

The organisation has signed a deal with the Kanagawa Prefectural Government in Japanese city Yokohama, for a pre-Tokyo 2020 training camp.