DOST scholarship at an all-time high with 8,994 new S&T scholars

25 March 2018

Thousands of aspiring scientists and engineers will enter college with a Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) scholarship stamp.

The country’s premier science scholarship program, back after a two-year hiatus due to the implementation of the K-12 Curriculum, announced 8,994 new qualifiers for its RA 7687 and Merit Scholarship programs.

Out of the total number of passers, 5,172 qualified as scholars under the RA 7687 Scholarship Program, scholarships for gifted students who belong to economically disadvantaged families; while 3,822 passed under the DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship Program (Click here to view the list of qualifiers).

It’s a record-breaking year for DOST-SEI as the number of qualified students reached the highest mark since the scholarship program started in 1958, surpassing 2015’s 5,303 qualifiers by 69.60 percent. The 2018 DOST-SEI Scholarships Examination, which was held on October 15, 2017 in 216 test centers nationwide, recorded the highest number of examinees with 46,434 students.

Municipalities and congressional districts covered by the DOST-SEI Scholarship Program also increased from 1,568 in 2015 to 1,609 this year representing 97 percent of the country's total number of municipalities and congressional districts.

These new S&T scholars, as well as the on-going scholars, will be enjoying the new stipend rate at P7,000/month across all disciplines. They are also entitled to tuition fee subsidy; book allowance; MS/PE clothing allowance; one economy-class roundtrip fare per year for those studying outside of their home province; and group accident insurance.

DOST Secretary Fortunato De La Peña said the increase in number of DOST scholars is not only favorable to the qualifiers and their families but also to our country where more S&T professionals are needed in addressing a number of national concerns.

“A few years from now, these students will become key players in the country’s development,” De La Peña said. “We hope that the DOST scholarship programs can help them pursue their dreams in the S&T field of their choice.”

The scholarship qualifiers must enrol in any of the University of The Philippines campus; or in state universities and colleges; or private higher education institutions recognized by the Commission on Higher Education as Centers of Excellence or Centers of Development; or with Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines Level III accreditation for the S&T priority programs they will enrol in. The list of priority S&T programs can be found in the SEI website.

Dr. Josette T. Biyo, DOST-SEI Director, said the scholarship programs are particularly structured for potential science and mathematics professionals. DOST scholarship will provide greater opportunity as they pursue their science degrees and careers.

DOST-SEI scholars are required to render service in the country preferably along their fields of specialization after graduation for a period equivalent to the number of years they enjoyed the scholarship as a return service. SEI maintains its resolve that this strategy allows the country’s industries to have “the best minds” to do their services and products.

“DOST scholarship has always been geared towards using S&T to serve the Filipino people,” Biyo said. “We hope our new qualifiers would take on that challenge as early as now.” (30)