CHED Merit Scholarship (Philippines) 2025: ₱120,000 Per Year
Filipino students have a golden opportunity to pursue their dreams without financial worries. The Commission on Higher Education has opened applications for the CHED Merit Scholarship Program 2025-2026, offering 2,779 slots nationwide with financial assistance worth up to ₱120,000 per year.
What is the CHED Merit Scholarship Program?
The CHED Merit Scholarship Program (CMSP) is a government initiative that provides financial support to deserving Filipino students entering their first year of college. The program focuses on helping students from special groups including underprivileged and homeless citizens, persons with disability, solo parents and their dependents, senior citizens, and indigenous peoples.
For the academic year 2025-2026, CHED has nearly doubled the available slots from 1,374 last year to 2,779 this year, giving more students the chance to pursue their education.
How Much Money Can You Receive?
The scholarship amount depends on whether you attend a private school or a state university. Here’s the breakdown:
For Private Higher Education Institutions:
Full Merit Scholarship offers ₱120,000 per year (₱60,000 per semester). This includes ₱40,000 for tuition and school fees, ₱70,000 stipend, and ₱10,000 for books and connectivity.
Half Merit Scholarship provides ₱60,000 per year (₱30,000 per semester). This covers ₱20,000 for tuition and fees, ₱35,000 stipend, and ₱5,000 for books and connectivity.
For State Universities and Local Colleges:
Full Merit Scholarship gives ₱80,000 per year (₱40,000 per semester) with free tuition, ₱70,000 stipend, and ₱10,000 for books and connectivity.
Half Merit Scholarship offers ₱40,000 per year (₱20,000 per semester) with free tuition, ₱35,000 stipend, and ₱5,000 for books and connectivity.
Who Can Apply for This Scholarship?
To qualify for the CHED Merit Scholarship, you must meet specific requirements:
- You must be a Filipino citizen entering your first year of college. Your General Weighted Average (GWA) should be at least 96% for Full Merit or 93% to 95% for Half Merit.
- Your family’s combined annual income should not exceed ₱500,000. If your family earns more, you may still qualify if a family member has a medical condition or if two or more siblings are in college.
- You must enroll in a CHED priority course at a recognized private university, state university, or local college.
Priority is given to students from special groups like persons with disability, solo parents, indigenous peoples, underprivileged citizens, and first-generation college students.
What Courses Are Covered?
The scholarship only covers CHED priority courses. These include programs in science and mathematics, information technology, engineering and technology, architecture, business and management, health professions, social sciences, teacher education, and multidisciplinary studies.
Some popular courses include nursing, education, computer science, engineering programs, accountancy, tourism management, medical technology, pharmacy, social work, and psychology.
Make sure your chosen course is on the official CHED priority list before applying.
What Documents Do You Need?
Gather these documents before starting your application:
A copy of your birth certificate from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) or National Statistics Office (NSO). Your Grade 12 report card (Form 138) showing your grades for Grade 11 and first semester of Grade 12.
Proof of family income such as the latest Income Tax Return of your parents or guardian, Certificate of Tax Exemption from BIR if not employed, or proof of income for children of overseas Filipino workers.
If applicable, submit your PWD ID, Solo Parent ID, Indigenous Peoples Certification from NCIP, Certificate of Indigency from barangay or DSWD, or other relevant certifications.
How to Apply Step by Step
The application process is done online through your regional CHED office. Here’s what you need to do:
- Step 1: Check if your course is on the CHED priority courses list.
- Step 2: Prepare all required documents and scan them clearly in PDF format.
- Step 3: Visit your CHED Regional Office’s online application portal. Each region has a different link, so make sure to use the correct one for your area.
- Step 4: Fill out the online application form completely and accurately.
- Step 5: Upload all required documents to the portal.
- Step 6: Submit your application before June 20, 2025.
Remember that applications are based on your point of origin, so submit to your respective CHED Regional Office.
Tips to Increase Your Chances
Focus on maintaining excellent grades because academic performance accounts for 70% of the selection criteria. Strong grades in Grade 11 and the first semester of Grade 12 significantly boost your total score.
If you belong to special groups like PWD, indigenous peoples, or underprivileged citizens, submit the required certifications. These give you additional points in the evaluation.
Apply as early as possible and don’t wait until the deadline. This gives you time to fix any problems with your documents.
Make sure all your documents are clear and readable. Blurry or incomplete documents may delay your application.
Stay updated by regularly checking your CHED Regional Office’s website and social media pages for announcements and updates.
What Happens After You Apply?
After submitting your application, the CHED Regional Office will evaluate your documents and rank qualified applicants based on their grades and other criteria.
Successful applicants will receive a Notice of Award informing them that they have been accepted into the program.
You must then enroll in your chosen course at a recognized institution and submit proof of enrollment to CHED.
The financial assistance will be released directly to scholars through their schools each semester.
Important Reminders
You can only avail of one government-funded scholarship at a time. If you already have another scholarship like DOST, you cannot also get CHED Merit.
To keep your scholarship, you must maintain at least 80% or a weighted average of 2.5 throughout college. Failure to meet this requirement may result in termination of your scholarship.
The scholarship covers the entire duration of your course as long as you meet the academic requirements and carry a normal academic load.
Why Apply Now?
With 2,779 slots available and the deadline approaching on June 20, 2025, this is your chance to secure financial support for your college education. The scholarship can cover not just tuition but also provides a stipend for living expenses and allowance for books and connectivity.
For many Filipino families struggling with education costs, this scholarship represents hope and opportunity. It allows talented students to focus on their studies without worrying about financial burdens.
