The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is a branch of government in the Education sector to promote and establish relevant and quality higher education and provide access to quality higher education and guarantee and protects academic freedom for continuing intellectual growth, advancement of learning, and research, development of responsible and effective leadership, education of high-level professionals, and enrichment of historical and cultural heritages.
To do so, CHED offers different scholarship programs for deserving and qualified students to continue and pursue their college or tertiary education. One of these scholarships is the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) which is one of the Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs) of CHED.
Also Read: How to Apply CHED Full and Half Merit Scholarship Program under StuFAPs
Students who meet the qualifications will receive Php 15,000 as financial assistance for their tertiary education. If you wish to know more about this scholarship program, please follow the guidelines as we provide an in-depth guide for interested student applicants.
What is the CHED StuFAPs Tulong Dunong Program?
One of the different scholarship programs of CHED is the Tulong Dunong Program (TDP) that is also known as CHED-TDP. This program aims to aid deserving and qualified students of the Philippines. This scholarship grant was jointly issued by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to aid the students with their educational expenses and tuition fees.
This scholarship grant is a huge help to Filipino students, especially the ones who cannot afford to go to college. This is an opportunity to finish their college degree for free education or lessen every Filipino student’s financial difficulty.
CHED – Tulong Dunong Program (CHED-TDP) Scholarship Grant
This scholarship grant is intended for the new grantees that are enrolled or will enroll in any curriculum level of CHED recognized programs of Private Higher Education Institutions (Private HEIs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) with Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC).
The Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC) is a recognition that the specific degree programs that are offered by the SUCs/LUCs are fully compliant with the policies, regulations, standards, and guidelines of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This is to ensure that the existing degree/programs they offer are quality assured.
Benefits
Grantees or student grantees are entitled to receive Fifteen Thousand Pesos (Php 15,000) per academic year to support the cost of their tertiary education. This includes school expenses or tuition fees and cost of living allowance..
Qualifications
To apply for the CHED-TDP scholarship grant, student applicants must meet first the following qualifications:
- Must be a Filipino citizen.
- Applicants must be High School graduates or College students with earned units in CHED recognized degree/programs of Private Higher Education Institutions (Private HEIs), SUCs or LUCs with COPC having at least a passing General Weighted Average (GWA), or a passer of Alternative Learning System (ALS) or a passer of the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT).
- Parents/guardians’ combined annual gross income shall not exceed Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 400,000).
Requirements
Academic Requirements:
- High School Report Card – for incoming freshmen students that are eligible for college.
- A duly Certified True Copy of Grades for the latest semester/term attended – for student applicants with Earned Units in college in CHED recognized Private HEIs and SUCs/LUCs with COPC.
- A duly Certified Copy of ALS Accreditation and Equivalency Certificate – for ALS passer.
- A duly Certified Copy of the PEPT Certificate of Advancing to the Next Level – for Philippine Educational Placement Test passer.
Income Requirements (whichever is applicable):
- The latest Income Tax Return (ITR) and a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Form 2316 are for fixed income earners’ parents/guardians if employed.
- A Certificate of Tax Exemption from the BIR for unemployed parents/guardians.
- A Certificate of Indigence from the Barangay.
- A Certificate of Indigence/Case Study from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
- For the children of OFW and Seafarers, the latest copy of the contract or proof of income.
How to Get CHED Tulong Dunong Scholarship Assistance
Here is the step-by-step guide when applying for the CHED-TDP scholarship grant.
Step 1: You have to go to the CHED’s Regional Office (CHEDRO) in your region or location and submit directly the CHED-TDP Application Form together with the other documents required.
You can go to the official CHEDRO website of your region to download the application form. For example, for Region 1 student applicants, you can access the application through the link here – https://chedro1.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FORM1-StuFAPs2017.pdf.
In any case, you will opt to submit an online application to CHEDRO’s official website in your region, and the attached documents must be in PDF format. The attached documents are subject to further verification against the original documents.
Applications may also be submitted through a courier. Effective from Academic Year 2019-2020 onwards, the deadline for submission of applications is September 30.
Step 2: After applying, CHEDRO will evaluate the documents and will prepare a rank list for qualified applicants and grantees.
Step 3: Then, CHEDRO will notify qualified applicants by sending a Notice of Award (NOA), or they will notify the list of awardees through the HEIs.
Usually, students or grantees will receive the Notice of Award through their respective HEIs.
List of CHED Priority Courses for Tulong Dunong Program
Here is the list of the CHED-recognized programs or priority courses of Private Higher Education Institutions (Private HEIs), State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs).
A. Science
- Physics/Applied Physics
- Biochemistry
- Biology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Meteorology
- Doctor of Dental Medicine
- Criminology
- Forensic Sciences
- Industrial Security Administration
- Geology
- Human Biology
- Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
- Marine Biology
- Marine Science
- Environmental Science
- Disaster Risk Management/Climate Change
- Zoology
B. Technology
- Civil Technology
- Mechatronics Engineering Technology
- Electronics Technology
- Mechanical Technology
- Electrical Technology
- Industrial Technology
- Engineering Technology
- Cyber Security
- Information Technology
- Computer Science
- Information System
- Library and Information Science
- Entertainment and Multimedia Computing
- Automotive Technology
- Aviation Technology
C. Engineering
- Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
- Architecture
- Ceramic Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Civil Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronics Engineering/Electronics and Communications Engineering
- Food Engineering
- Geodetic Engineering
- Industrial Engineering
- Manufacturing/Production Engineering
- Marine Engineering
- Marine Transportation
- Materials Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechatronics Engineering
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Mining Engineering
- Petroleum Engineering
- Robotics Engineering
- Sanitary Engineering
- Structural Engineering
D. Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries
- Agriculture Technology
- Agriculture and its hybrid programs
- Agro-Forestry
- Animal Husbandry
- Animal Science
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
- Fisheries
- Food Technology/Science
- Forestry
- Horticulture
E. Mathematics
- Statistics/Applied Statistics
- Math/Applied Math
F. Other Priority Courses
- Business Administration with Specialization/Major/Track in Business Analytics
- Business Administration with Specialization/Major/Track in Business Processing Outsource
- Hospitality Management/Hotel and Restaurant Management
- Tourism/Travel Management
CHED Tulong Dunong Application Form
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has released the online application form for the CHED Tulong Dunong program for the School Year. If you wish to apply for this particular program, you can fill out the application form. You may download a copy of the CHED application form here – https://chedro1.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/FORM1-StuFAPs2017.pdf
Below is a sample of the scholarship application form:
Important Reminders
Here are some of the few reminders that student grantees must remember:
- Before applying for the CHED-TDP scholarship grant, they must pass the admission tests of the HEIs.
- They must also enroll in a CHED-recognized degree/programs of Private HEIs, SUCs, or LUCs with COPC. You can check the recognized degree/programs mentioned above.
- Students must maintain a GWA of at least a passing grade, regardless of the passing grade for each subject.
- They must also carry a regular load per term or semester as determined and approved by HEIs.
- To transfer school or shift to another course, student grantees must only transfer to duly authorized HEIs or may shift to CHED-recognized degrees/programs of Private HEIs, SUCs, or LUCs upon the written approval of CHEDRO.
Video: How the CHED Tulong Dunong Program Scholarship Grant Aid Filipino Students in their Studies
This video will give you an understanding of how much help does the CHED Tulong Dunong Program scholarship grant had helped many students in the Philippines to pursue their higher education. In this video, you will be able to hear it from one of the student grantees or beneficiaries of the CHED-TDP from Paul College of Leadership. If you are financially struggling and have doubts about whether to continue and pursue your tertiary education, this video may inspire you and become your hope to continue and live up to your dreams.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who is qualified for the CHED-TDP scholarship grant?
CHED-TDP scholarship grant is intended for qualified and deserving Filipino students. They may be High School graduates or College students with earned units in CHED recognized degree/programs of Private Higher Education Institutions (Private HEIs), SUCs or LUCs with COPC having at least a passing General Weighted Average (GWA), or a passer of Alternative Learning System (ALS) or a passer of the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT).
2. How much are the financial benefit(s) student grantees are entitled to receive?
Student grantees are entitled to receive Fifteen Thousand Pesos (Php 15,000) per academic year.
3. What are the qualifications for the CHED-TDP scholarship grant?
To qualify CHED-TDP scholarship grant, student applicants must be Filipino citizens. They must also be High School graduates or College students with earned units in CHED recognized degree/programs of Private Higher Education Institutions (Private HEIs), SUCs or LUCs with COPC having at least a passing General Weighted Average (GWA), or a passer of Alternative Learning System (ALS) or a passer of the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT). Additionally, their parents/guardians’ combined annual gross income shall not exceed Four Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 400,000).
4. What are the required documents when applying for the CHED-TDP scholarship?
Some of the documents required are from the previous or current HEIs such as a High School Report Card for incoming freshmen students that are eligible for college, a duly Certified True Copy of Grades for the latest semester/term attended for student applicants with Earned Units in college in CHED recognized Private HEIs and SUCs/LUCs with COPC, a Certified Copy of ALS Accreditation and Equivalency Certificate for Alternative Learning System (ALS) passer, and a Certified Copy of PEPT Certificate of Advancing to the Next Level for Philippine Educational Placement Test passer.
Additional documents required are any of the following documents; the latest Income Tax Return (ITR) and a Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Form 2316 for fixed income earners’ parents/guardian, if employed; a Certificate of Tax Exemption from the BIR for unemployed parents/guardian; a Certificate of Indigence from the Barangay; Certificate of Indigence/Case Study from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); or the latest copy of contract or proof of income for children of OFW and seafarers.
5. What are the different options in the application for a CHED-TDP scholarship?
Student applicants can apply through the three options. They can apply directly to the Commission on Higher Education Regional Office (CHEDRO) of their region or through an online application. The third option in applying for a CHED-TDP scholarship grant is through sending the application by courier. If you opt to choose an online application, additional documents required must be in a PDF format.
6. Is there a maintaining General Weighted Average for student grantees of CHED-TDP?
Student grantees must at least have a general weighted average of a passing grade, regardless of the passing grade for each subject.
7. Is the CHED-TDP scholarship grant renewable or not?
Student grantees are advised to renew their application per academic year to receive financial benefits continuously until their last year in college.
Summary
In conclusion, the Commission on Higher Education offers diverse scholarship programs or student financial assistance for Filipino students who want to pursue and finish tertiary education. As long as you can meet the qualifications and you can provide all the documents required as well as can maintain passing grades, you are welcome to apply for a CHED-TDP scholarship grant.
You just have to bear in mind that there is a renewal of the CHED-TDP scholarship every academic year. Hence, you need to renew your application to receive continuous financial assistance until you finish your studies.
Additionally, you should enroll in HEIs with COPC offering CHED-recognized degrees/programs to become qualified for the CHED-TDP scholarship grant. The application period per academic year ends every September 30. Hence, you must be updated on CHED announcements for the opening of applications for CHED-TDP scholarships.
You can check it through their official website here – https://ched.gov.ph/. If you want to know more about the CHED-TDP scholarship grant, you can read it through the link here – https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/Joint-Memorandum-Circular-No.-04-Series-of-2019-Revised-Implementing-Guidelines-of-the-CHED-Tulong-Dunong-Program-CHED-TDP.pdf.