DOST to grant scholarship to 9,776 incoming freshmen

A total of 9,776 incoming first-year college students were qualified for the Department of Science and Technology–Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) Undergraduate Science and Technology (S&T) Scholarship Program for the academic year 2023-2024.

DOST Chief, S&T Scholarship Division, DOST-SEI Peter Gerry P. Gavina, on Tuesday, said that 79,585 examinees took the national qualifying exam last March 18 to 19, 2023.

Of the total qualifiers, 5,561 were scholars under the Republic Act 7687 Scholarship Program, a scholarship for academically talented students of economically disadvantaged families, while 4,215 were qualified under the DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship Program.

“Meron pa po kaming tinitignan na 1,224 na potential qualifiers so ito pong potential qualifiers po na ito ay kinakailangang mag-sumite pa ng karagdagang dokumento para po ma-evaluate ng DOST-SEI and eventually ma-award po namin ang scholarship sa kanila,” Gavina said at the public briefing. 

(We are still looking at 1,224 potential qualifiers, so these potential qualifiers must submit additional documents to be evaluated by DOST-SEI, and eventually, we can award the scholarship to them.)

The scholars will be entitled to the DOST-SEI benefits for the duration of their S&T degree program, which include a monthly stipend of P7,000, tuition fee subsidy of up to P40,000 per academic year for those who will enroll in private universities and colleges, P10,000 learning materials and/or connectivity allowance, P10,000 thesis allowance, P1,000 MS/PE clothing allowance (one-time only), one economy-class roundtrip fare per year for those studying outside of their home province, graduation allowance, and group accident insurance.

However, Gavina mentioned that students under the DOST-SEI scholarship program must maintain a certain grade until graduation.

“Kung meron po silang mga pribilehiyo, meron din po silang obligasyon at kailangan din nilang mag-maintain ng grade na 2.5 o better, (yan ay) kung sila po ay enrolled sa mga universities o colleges outside University of the Philippines (UP) system. Kung sila po ay enrolled sa UP system, kinakailangan po nilang magmaintain ng grade na hindi bababa sa 2.75,” said Gavina.

(If they have privileges, they also have obligations, and they also have to maintain a grade of 2.3 or better (that is) if they are enrolled in universities or colleges outside the University of the Philippines (UP) system. If they are enrolled in the UP system, they must maintain a grade of at least 2.75)

He noted that DOST also holds other scholarship programs for third-year college students enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses.

DOST also offers scholarships for graduate and Ph.D. programs nationwide and even abroad.

“(Ito ay) hindi lang available locally pwede din ipadala (ang scholars) abroad. Maaring makipagugnayan sa office if balak mag graduate studies or PhD na hindi available sa Pinas pwedeng ipadala ng DOST sa ibang bansa,” he added.

(This is not only available locally, but the scholars can also be sent abroad. You can contact the office if you intend to do graduate studies or PhD that are not available in the Philippines, DOST can send them to other countries.)

The DOST-SEI is mandated to accelerate the development of S&T human resources in the country by administering undergraduate and graduate scholarships and advanced specialized training, promoting S&T culture, and developing innovative science education programs.

For more information about the DOST-SEI programs and projects, applicants can check through this website https://www.sei.dost.gov.ph. —VAL, GMA Integrated News