CHED StuFAPs: How Government Grants-in-Aid and Scholarship Programs Work
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Scholarships & Funding, Study in Southeast Asia
CHED StuFAPs is the umbrella term for every government-funded scholarship, grant, and loan CHED coordinates through UniFAST, separate from DOST's science scholarships. The main tools are the Tertiary Education Subsidy grant, the Tulong Dunong Program loan, and merit scholarships like CMSP.
🎓 UniFAST (RA 10687, 2015) coordinates all CHED-linked student aid under one board
💵 TES pays a tiered rate for AY 2025-26: Priority 1 grantees get ₱20,000 a year at SUCs/LUCs or ₱27,000 a year at private HEIs, and remaining Priority 2 slots get ₱10,000 a year, split ₱5,000 per semester
📩 Tulong Dunong Program is a loan you repay after graduating, not a grant
🎓 Most CHED StuFAPs carry no return service obligation, unlike DOST-SEI
What CHED StuFAPs Means
StuFAPs stands for Student Financial Assistance Programs, the umbrella term for every government-funded scholarship, grant-in-aid, and student loan open to Filipino students in tertiary education. CHED runs these through the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) , created by Republic Act No. 10687 in 2015. Before UniFAST, financial aid programs sat in separate offices with different rules. The law put them under one coordinating board so a student applies through one system instead of chasing multiple agencies.
The CHED Chairperson also chairs the UniFAST Board, which includes DOST, DepEd, TESDA, DOLE, and NEDA. This shared structure explains why a DOST-SEI science scholarship and a CHED grant like TES can both reach the same student pool without duplicate paperwork, even though DOST-SEI runs its own separate application and exam outside UniFAST.
Scholarships, Grants-in-Aid and Loans Are Different Things
UniFAST groups its programs into three categories, and the label matters because it determines whether you owe money back. Scholarships like CMSP reward merit and renew each semester as long as you keep your grades up. Grants-in-aid like TES target financial need and do not need to be repaid. Student loans like the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) cover students who miss out on grant slots, and you repay the loan amount after you start working.
The Main Programs Under UniFAST
| Program | Type | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) | Grant-in-aid | Tiered cash subsidy toward tuition and school costs for AY 2025-26: ₱20,000 a year at SUCs/LUCs or ₱27,000 a year at private HEIs for Priority 1 grantees, ₱10,000 a year split into two ₱5,000 semester payouts for Priority 2 grantees |
| Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) | Student loan | Loan for students who apply for TES but do not get a slot |
| CHED Merit Scholarship Program (CMSP) | Merit scholarship | Tuition and allowance for top-performing incoming freshmen |
| Medical Technologists and Pharmacists Scholarship Program | Field scholarship | Support tied to specific health science degree programs |
Who Qualifies for TES
You need Filipino citizenship, enrollment in a CHED-recognized program at a state university or college (SUC), a CHED-recognized local university or college (LUC), or a private higher education institution, and no previous bachelor's degree. TES prioritizes students on the DSWD Listahanan or the 4Ps household list first, then opens remaining slots to other applicants under the household income cap set for that academic year. Apply through your own school's financial aid or scholarship office, since CHED does not process individual applications at its national office.
How This Differs From DOST-SEI
DOST-SEI operates outside UniFAST, run by the Department of Science and Technology instead of CHED. It targets science, engineering, mathematics, and related fields specifically, and every DOST-SEI award carries a return service obligation after graduation. Most CHED StuFAPs programs, including TES and CMSP, do not require return service. TDP is the exception among CHED-run programs, since it is a loan you repay in cash rather than in years of work.
Applying and Keeping Your Award
Apply at the start of each academic year through your school's registrar or scholarship office, which submits your data into the UniFAST system. Renewal depends on staying within your program's normal duration plus a one-year grace period and maintaining the academic standing your specific program sets. Report any change in household income or Listahanan status, since TES eligibility gets reviewed each renewal cycle.
Where the Money Comes From
UniFAST programs draw their funding from the national budget, appropriated each year through the General Appropriations Act. Congress sets the total UniFAST allocation annually, and the UniFAST Board then divides that amount across TES, TDP, CMSP, and the other StuFAPs programs based on projected enrollment and prior-year utilization. This is why award amounts like the TES subsidy can shift from one academic year to the next: a lower national allocation in a given year can mean smaller per-student amounts or fewer new slots, even though the program itself continues.
Common Questions
Can you hold TES and a CMSP scholarship at the same time? No, UniFAST programs are generally exclusive per student per year, so check with your scholarship office before applying to more than one.
Does TES cover private school tuition in full? No, even the higher Priority 1 rate of ₱27,000 a year rarely covers full private tuition, so most private HEI students combine TES with installment plans or family funding.
What happens if you transfer schools? You reapply through your new school's scholarship office, since TES and TDP awards do not automatically transfer between institutions.