Every single year, one of the most awaited results for majority of high school senior students is the list of passers for the college entrance tests of the top universities in the country. Among the selected qualifiers however, exists an even more distinguished group of applicants who have stood out and excelled more than the others. This prestigious honor of being a part of the top-notchers of their respective batches does not come without its benefits. Various universities have different awards in the form of scholarships exclusively offered to these individuals.
The University of the Philippines (UP) Oblation Scholarship is awarded to the top 50 passers of the UP College Admission Test or UPCAT.
The benefits of which include the privilege to enroll in any undergraduate degree available in the UP system and free tuition, miscellaneous, and laboratory fees. On top of this, awardees are also entitled to a semestral book allowance, transportation allowance, and special incentive allowance. All mentioned perks are offered during the whole duration of the award or the normal number of years for the course chosen.
The Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) has the Ateneo Freshman Merit Scholarship (AFMS) which is an academic grant awarded yearly to freshman applicants who show potential and score exceptionally high in the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET).
The number of the recipients for this type of scholarship varies annually. These students are offered a full tuition and fee grant for any undergraduate degree program of their choice. Aside from this, the top 200 ACET passers are eligible for the Director’s List Scholarship which gives out an annual Php50, 000 grant for their chosen undergraduate course. Lastly, a chosen number of deserving freshman applicants from public or state-supported high schools in the Philippines are offered the San Ignacio De Loyola Merit Scholarship which has the same benefits as the AFMS.
Two different scholarships are also given out by the De La Salle University (DLSU) for the top qualifiers of the De La Salle College Entrance Test (DLSUCET).
The Top 100 are chosen to be candidates for the Star Scholarship, and for them to be official recipients and have their slots guaranteed, they are required to undergo a screening process first. This prestigious award has a lot of benefits which includes a full waiver on tuition and laboratory fees. They also receive special privileges such as advance enrollment, career placement opportunities, mentoring, priority in study tours, etc. They are also entitled to receive a personal notebook computer, a monthly stipend, and an opportunity for full scholarship in a master’s degree, medicine proper, or law school after their undergraduate degree. The other type of scholarship is the Top Achievers in the Freshman Test 100 (T.A.F.T. 100) which awards a 15% tuition discount for one term and is renewable for the following terms upon compliance with certain school conditions.
The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) has merit scholarships which are open to applicants whose high school average is at least 90% and valedictorians of selected schools.
It would also depend on their overall rank and the availability of scholarship slots. These grants may cover up to 100% of tuition fees and may continue for their whole college stay if academic criteria are met. Furthermore, batch top applicants may also be given a stipend, book allowance, and board and lodging allowance.
With all these various scholarships and benefits potentially available to freshman applicants, working hard in high school and on college entrance exams just got a whole lot more motivating. Undoubtedly, being a part of the creamiest of the crop sure does reap its rewards.