TACLOBAN CITY – Some 371 students have qualified as new recipients of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) scholarship, the department’s regional office here announced on Tuesday.
Ramil Uy, DOST regional scholarship technical coordinator, said the list of qualifiers comes from the 7,000 students who aspired for the grant. The number of qualifiers for the 2023 junior-level science scholarship is higher than last year’s over 300 students.
“The 371 qualifiers once signed the scholarship contract will enjoy a P7,000 monthly living allowance, P10,000.00 annual book allowance, clothing allowance during their first year, and summer allowances if their curriculum will require them to have summer classes,” Uy said.
Other benefits for the scholars include a thesis allowance if their courses will require them to have a thesis. For those who will study in a private university, the scholarship will provide a total of P40,000 tuition for the whole academic year.
“I am proud that DOST has this scholarship program that pave the road for a brighter and secured future for young people taking science and technology courses. We have heard a lot of inspiring stories. Many of our graduates are successful in their career and some have already established their businesses,” Uy told reporters.
Of the 371 qualifiers, 237 of them are from Leyte province, 42 from Southern Leyte, 40 from Samar, 23 from Eastern Samar, 18 from Biliran, and 11 from Northern Samar.
Qualifiers are natural-born Filipinos who are regular second-year college students enrolled in DOST-Science Education Institute (SEI) priority science and technology course at identified university in the second semester of the academic year 2022-2023. The scholarship will be effective on the first semester of school year 2023-2024.
They have a general weighted average of at least 83 percent or its equivalent and with no conditional or failing mark since the first semester of their college years.
Included in the requirement are good moral character, good health, and have never applied for any DOST-SEI scholarship.
The science and technology (S&T) undergraduate scholarships program aims to stimulate and entice talented Filipino youths to pursue lifetime productive careers in S&T and ensure a steady, adequate supply of qualified S&T human resources that can steer the country towards national progress.
There are two types of DOST scholarship –the DOST-SEI Merit Scholarship Program and Republic Act No. 7687, also known as the “Science and Technology Scholarship Act of 1994”.
Merit scholarship is awarded to students with high aptitude in science and mathematics and are willing to pursue careers in the fields of science and technology.
RA 7687 provides for scholarships to talented and deserving students whose families’ socio-economic status does not exceed the set cut-off values of certain indicators.
Qualifiers must pursue priority fields of study in the basic sciences, engineering, other applied sciences, and science and mathematics teaching.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO/PNA)
