Scholarships and Student Financial Aid in the Philippines: What Exists and How to Apply

Free Tuition at Public Institutions

The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (RA 10931), in force since academic year 2018-2019, waives tuition and other school fees for Filipino undergraduates at state universities and colleges (SUCs), CHED-recognized local universities and colleges (LUCs), and state-run technical-vocational institutions. You do not apply separately for it. Eligibility runs through your school's registrar and depends on maintaining minimum academic standing and staying within the normal number of years for your course. Students who fail a set number of units or exceed their program's residency limit lose the waiver and pay regular tuition.

Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES)

TES, run by CHED through the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), extends financial aid to students at private schools and to public-school students who need more than the tuition waiver covers. For academic year 2025-2026, TES pays ₱20,000 per academic year at state and local universities and colleges and ₱27,000 per academic year at private institutions, according to CHED's updated 2025 TES guidelines. Households must have combined annual gross income at or below ₱300,000 to qualify. Rates and income caps are revised most academic years, so confirm the current figures with your school's financial aid office or on the CHED UniFAST page before you apply.

UniFAST also runs the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP), a smaller grant aimed at students in areas with limited access to a state university or college. Ask your CHED regional office or your school's scholarship office which program fits your situation, since a student generally cannot claim both TES and TDP in the same term.

DOST-SEI Science and Technology Scholarships

The Department of Science and Technology, through its Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI), funds two undergraduate scholarship tracks for students pursuing four- or five-year degrees in basic sciences, applied sciences, engineering, or science and math education.

• RA 7687 Scholarship: need-based, for academically capable students from families under the poverty threshold who have lived in their municipality for at least four years.

• Merit Scholarship: awarded on academic aptitude in science and math, with no income requirement.

Both tracks cover tuition and other school fees plus a monthly stipend, and require scholars to render return service in a science or technology-related job in the Philippines after graduation. Applicants must rank in the top five percent of their non-STEM strand, or come from the STEM strand, in their senior high school graduating batch. Applications open to graduating senior high school students and run through the official DOST regional scholarship pages and the science-scholarships.ph portal. Check the current cycle's dates on your regional DOST-SEI office page , since the application window differs by year.

University and CHED Merit Scholarships

Most major universities run their own scholarship offices separate from the admissions office. UP, Ateneo, De La Salle, and UST all offer entrance scholarships based on admission test rank or high school grades, along with need-based grants and work-study slots that let students offset part of their fees through campus jobs. CHED also runs its own Scholarship Program for select priority courses and regions, administered through participating SUCs. Apply directly through your target university's financial aid office, ideally before or right after you submit your admission application, since many merit awards have earlier deadlines than regular enrollment.

Private and Corporate Scholarships

Corporate foundations linked to major Philippine companies, along with civic groups and alumni associations, fund scholarships tied to specific courses, schools, or regions. These typically require a separate application with transcripts, a certificate of indigency or income, and sometimes an interview. Ask your high school guidance office or your target university's scholarship office for a current list, since offerings and deadlines change every year and are usually announced separately from government programs.

Applying: Timing and Documents

• Start gathering documents (birth certificate, income certificate or ITR, barangay certificate of residency, report card or transcript) months before enrollment. Most scholarships need these upfront.

• Apply for government aid (free tuition waiver, TES, DOST-SEI) at the same time you enroll or shortly after, through your school's registrar or scholarship office.

• Apply for university merit scholarships when you apply for admission, not after you enroll, since ranking is often based on your entrance exam or application file.

• Keep your grades above the minimum retention average stated in your scholarship contract. Falling below it is the most common reason students lose an award mid-course.