SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarships and Financial Assistance Section
The Scholarships and Financial Assistance Section (SFAS) of the Office of Student Affairs provides opportunities for students to meet the costs of education through scholarships and other form of financial assistance. Pursuant to the policies and guidelines approved by the UP Board of Regents, the section administers programs like student loan, student assistantship, private scholarships and the UP Socialized Tuition System or STS.
GRANT OF FREE TUITION & OTHER SCHOOL FEES (RA 10931)
AN ACT PROMOTING UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO QUALITY TERTIARY EDUCATION BY PROVIDING FOR FREE TUITION AND OTHER SCHOOL FEES IN STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES
All Filipino students who are either currently enrolled at the time of the effectivity of the Act, or shall enroll at any time thereafter, and courses leading to a bachelor’s degree in any SUC and LUC shall be exempt from paying tuition and other school fees for units enrolled in.
Students will be eligible to receive these benefits provided they qualify under the admission and retention requirements of the SUC.
EXEMPTION TO FREE HIGHER EDUCATION
The following are not eligible to avail free higher education:
1. Students who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree or
comparable undergraduate degree from any public or private HEI;
2. Students who fail to comply with the admission and retention policies of the SUCs, provided that failure to comply with retention policies results in the students’ permanent disqualification from enrolling in any SUC or LUC;
3. Students who voluntarily opt out
4. Students who fail to complete their bachelor’s degree or comparable undergraduate degree within a year after the period prescribed in the program.
SOCIALIZED TUITION SYSTEM (STS)
Undergraduate students of the University of the Philippines (UP) receive financial support through the University’s Socialized Tuition System
(STS). The STS grants tuition and other school fee (TOSF) subsidy and, in some cases, monthly stipends to students in need of financial support.
The ST System was approved for implementation in 13 December 2013. The ST System is administered by the UP Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA), in partnership with the Student Affairs units in the different UP Constituent Universities (CUs). It is an essential tool to determine the form and amount of financial support to be granted to applicants. Student Affairs units also use the ST System to evaluate the support system of the student in order to determine other forms of student services that can help grantees in completing their degree requirements in UP.
Under the STS, the type of support is based on two-stage assessment of paying capacity of the household to which applicants belong. The first stage considers household income as well as the socio-economic characteristics of the household of the student. Should the applicant feel that they need more support, the student can submit an appeal in the second stage. In this stage, the student is encouraged to submit additional information about the present circumstances that would warrant additional financial assistance from UP.
With the implementation of Republic Act No. 10931, all eligible undergraduate students are granted full TOSF subsidy while enrolled in
UP. Although the Act addresses the issue on the affordability to enroll in the University, some students still face concerns on how to cover the daily cost of living while completing their degree program requirements. Student affairs personnel also recognize the value of a system to efficiently determine other forms of student services, which is provided by the ST System.
Applicants who are not eligible for the TOSF subsidy under RA 10931 and have requested for financial assistance
For students who were not eligible for TOSF subsidy under RA 10931 and have requested for financial assistance from the University, the ST System cluster assignments shall be followed. These are as follows:
| CLUSTERS NAME | HOUSEHOLD INCOME CLUSTERS | FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE |
|---|---|---|
|
ND |
More than PHP 1.3 Million Annually |
No tuition Discount |
|
PD 33/40 |
PHP 650,001 to PHP 1.3 Million annually |
33% Tuition Discount (UPD, UPLB, UPMla), 40% Tuition Discount (other CUs including UPD EPP) |
|
PD 60 |
PHP 325, 001 to PHP 650, 000 annually |
60% Tuition Discount |
|
PD 80 |
PHP 135, 001 to PHP 325,000 annually |
80% Tuition Discount |
|
FD |
PHP 80,001 to PHP 135,001 annually |
100% Tuition Discount + Free Other School Fees (except Student Fund) |
|
FDS |
PHP 80, 000 annually and below |
100% Tuition Discounyt + Free Other School Fees (except Student Fund) + 3,500 Monthly Stipend |
STUDENT LOAN PROGRAMS
Students who did not qualify for the Free Tuition Subsidy (RA 10931) may avail of the Student Loan Program. This Short-term Cash Loan Program is designed to help students who have encountered financial difficulty in sustaining their educational needs. The said program involves cash outlay to give the students the economic freedom in using the financial aid granted. They will be granted up to eighty percent (80%) of the total assessed fee with an interest of 3% per semester.
Guarantors of students applying for loan are the parents and/or guardian who are financially able to pay. The loan shall be paid within the semester in four equal monthly installments every first week of the month. Punctuality in payment places the debtor in good standing. (UP Revised Code: art. 429c – Art. 431 as amended at 1281st BOR Meeting: 26 July 2012; 1287th BOR Meeting: 12 April 2013; 1288th BOR Meeting: 20 June 2013)
STUDENT ASSISTANTSHIPS
Students may supplement their monthly allowance by working as student assistants. The wage rate is PHP60 per hour with a maximum of 60 working hours per month. Student assistantship (e.g. clerical and messengerial jobs) is open to all non-freshmen undergraduate students but priority is given to those with STS PD60, PD80, FD and FDS classification.
Research projects and similar academic activities may also hire student assistants. However, priority is given to those with required academic background and qualifications (e.g. BA Communication students for research projects in communication).
SCHOLARSHIPS
Students may apply for private or government scholarships which are announced regularly. Screening and selection is conducted by the UP Mindanao Committee on Scholarships and Financial Assistance (UPMiCSFA) and in some cases by the University Committee on Scholarships on Student Affairs (UCSFA).
A student is allowed to enjoy a maximum of two grants (government, private or STS), provided that:
1. That the combined living allowance of the two grants does not exceed PHP7,000. 00 per month.
2. For UP Government Scholarships, the student must be financially deserving. A student is financially deserving if his financial situation qualifies him/her for STS PD60 or lower.
Other Scholarships Programs
Sports Scholarship Program
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Government Scholarships Program
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Term Scholarship
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Entrance Scholarship
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Academic Scholarship Program
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Indigenous Community Development Scholarship Program
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Further queries and concerns, feel free to reach out. Leave us a message or directly send an email through the contact below.
Leave us a message
or Email us
Ms. Alma Marcelino
Scholarship and Financial Assistance Coordinator
Office of Student Affairs
University of the Philippines Mindanao
email: sfas_osa.upmindanao@up.edu.ph