SEARCA Scholarship 2027-2028 Application Guide

Are you working in an academic institution, research institution, or government agency and planning to pursue graduate studies in agriculture or a related field?

The SEARCA Scholarship supports qualified applicants pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees that contribute to agricultural and rural development in Southeast Asia. CHED has announced the call for Filipino applicants for School Year 2027-2028.

This guide covers the qualifications, requirements, benefits, priority fields, study universities, application deadline, and steps to apply.

Qualifications:

Applicants must meet the Philippine nomination requirements in CHED’s Annex A and SEARCA’s program requirements.

Philippine Nomination Qualifications

For this call, Filipino applicants must meet the following conditions:

• Be 40 years old or below for a master’s program or 45 years old or below for a doctoral program at the time of application. The return-service obligation must still fall within the nominee’s remaining serviceable years.
• Have rendered at least two years of service.
• Hold a permanent appointment.
• Have a college degree related to the intended field of study, or sufficient demonstrated ability and experience in that field.
• Have no pending scholarship application under another program.
• Have completed the required service obligation under Executive Order No. 367 for a recently concluded scholarship before being nominated again for another program involving a different field of study from the previous training.

SEARCA Program Qualifications

SEARCA requires applicants to be regular employees of academic or research institutions or government agencies. Their proposed specialization and research must support agricultural and rural development.

CHED’s announcement also states that applicants must have secured admission to their chosen university to be considered. Applicants whose admission is still being processed should confirm with CHED IAS when admission evidence must be submitted.

Requirements:

Prepare the CHED nomination documents and the SEARCA application requirements below. These lists serve different stages of the application, and some documents have different certification requirements.

Application Documents for CHED Nomination

Annex A lists the following nine items for submission before screening:

1. Letter of nomination addressed to the CHED Chairperson, attention to the Director of the International Affairs Service, signed by the head of the office, agency, university, or entity, or a duly authorized official. The letter must state that the nominee has no pending administrative or criminal charges, has been conferred a degree, and will have their services utilized after the scholarship in accordance with the return-service provision below.
2. Certified copy of the service record.
3. Certified copy of the statement of actual duties and responsibilities.
4. Photocopy of academic transcripts, covering baccalaureate and graduate studies, if applicable.
5. Photocopy of the diploma.
6. Certification of no pending administrative or criminal case.
7. Certification of no pending scholarship nomination to other programs.
8. Updated biodata or résumé listing in-service training and seminars attended. Spell out acronyms for organizers and the topics or subjects of training programs. Training certificates do not need to be submitted.
9. Letter of application addressed to the official named in Annex A:

DR. CHRISTINE NABOR-FERRER
Director IV
Director-in-Charge, International Affairs Service
Commission on Higher Education

Return-service provision: Annex A requires the nomination letter to assure utilization of the nominee’s services for at least two years for every year of scholarship, or a fraction of a scholarship year of at least six months, or as provided under E.O. 367 amending E.O. 129. Applicants should coordinate the applicable service commitment with their nominating agency before accepting the award.

Supporting Documents for SEARCA

SEARCA’s published checklist requires documents in English:

• Original or certified true copies of academic transcripts, bearing the university seal and original signature of the registrar or university head. Master’s applicants submit BS records; doctoral applicants submit BS and MS records.
• Original or certified true copies of diplomas or completion certificates for completed degrees.
• Certificate of employment.
• Recommendation forms from the academic adviser and employer.
• Brief description of the proposed thesis or dissertation research.
• Medical certification of fitness for graduate study.
• Preferred English proficiency evidence: IELTS 6.0 or TOEFL iBT 75, taken within two years before application.

The English test results are described as preferred by SEARCA. Check the chosen university’s separate admission rules.

Note: CHED’s Annex A asks for photocopies of transcripts and diplomas, while SEARCA specifies originals or certified true copies. Follow the document standard required at each stage.

Benefits:

The SEARCA Full Master’s and PhD Scholarship provides the following support:

• Tuition and other school fees
• Travel allowance, including roundtrip airfare from the home country to the study post and local transportation
• Thesis or dissertation support
• Book and supplies allowance
• Health insurance
• Stipend for food, lodging, and incidental expenses

Under CHED’s Annex A, the nominating agency will provide the nominee’s salary for the duration of the award. This salary provision is the responsibility of the nominating agency.

Applicants should review their award terms for the approved allowance amounts and payment arrangements.

Priority Courses:

The scholarship supports graduate specializations relevant to agriculture and rural development. SEARCA’s full-scholarship page describes the required research alignment rather than providing a fixed list of individual degree titles.

Proposed research should contribute to one or more of these outcomes:

• Increased farmers’ income
• Improved food security and nutrition
• Greater climate resilience of agricultural systems
• Stronger farmers, farmer groups, agricultural stakeholders, and their institutions

Applicants should confirm that their intended degree and research topic are suitable for scholarship support before finalizing their study plans.

Partner School:

SEARCA lists the following universities as study posts for its Full Master’s and PhD Scholarship Program:

University	Country
Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB)	Indonesia
Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM)	Indonesia
Universitas Brawijaya (UB)	Indonesia
Kasetsart University (KU)	Thailand
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)	Malaysia
University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)	Philippines

Applicants must meet the chosen university’s admission requirements and confirm that the intended program is eligible for support.

Other universities associated with SEARCA, including institutions in Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan, operate under separate joint scholarship arrangements.

Application Deadline:

Under CHED’s Annex A, complete documentary requirements must be submitted to CHED’s International Affairs Service by:

Application Deadline: October 30, 2026 (Friday)

The call is for School Year 2027–2028.

Submit the documents to ias@ched.gov.ph. Check university admission schedules separately and allow enough time to obtain the required records and recommendations.

How to Apply:

Filipino applicants must prepare an institutional nomination and submit the documentary requirements to CHED’s International Affairs Service. Only shortlisted and CHED-endorsed applicants will be invited to proceed through the SEARCA Scholarship Portal, according to CHED’s announcement.

Step 1: Review your eligibility and intended graduate program.

• Check the age, appointment, service, and previous-scholarship conditions. Identify a suitable degree and research topic at a listed study university.

Step 2: Coordinate with your employer or nominating institution.

• Request the nomination letter and certified employment records. Discuss the salary provision and return-service commitment stated in Annex A.

Step 3: Arrange university admission.

• Follow the chosen university’s admission process. CHED requires secured admission for scholarship consideration; confirm when the admission letter must be provided if your application is still pending.

Step 4: Prepare the complete CHED nomination package.

• Gather all nine documentary requirements, including the application letter addressed to the official named in Annex A. Prepare the SEARCA documents as well for the subsequent application stage.

Step 5: Submit your documents to CHED IAS.

• Send the complete requirements to ias@ched.gov.ph on or before October 30, 2026 (Friday). Keep a copy of the submitted email and attachments.

Step 6: Wait for shortlisting and endorsement.

• CHED will invite shortlisted and endorsed applicants to proceed with the online application through the SEARCA Scholarship Portal.

Step 7: Complete the invited online application.

• Follow the portal instructions and any further requirements communicated by CHED, SEARCA, or the university. Observe the deadlines provided for each subsequent stage.

For Philippine application inquiries, contact CHED IAS at ias@ched.gov.ph or (02) 8441–0750.

About SEARCA Scholarship:

The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, or SEARCA, is a specialized center of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization.

Its graduate scholarships help develop professionals who can contribute to agriculture and rural development in Southeast Asia through advanced study and research.

For the Philippine call described in this guide, CHED receives application documents and endorses shortlisted applicants for the next stage.

Final Thoughts:

CHED is inviting qualified Filipino applicants to apply for the SEARCA Graduate Scholarships for School Year 2027–2028, offered by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture.

The SEARCA Scholarship offers qualified professionals an opportunity to pursue graduate research that can help address agricultural and rural-development needs.

Before applying, confirm your eligibility, arrange your institutional nomination, and coordinate university admission. Review the salary and return-service conditions with your employer and submit the complete documents before the deadline.

For more opportunities, explore our Scholarship Programs page for other application guides.

Reference:

1. SEARCA. (n.d.). Full Master’s and PhD Scholarships.
2. SEARCA. (n.d.). Graduate Scholarships.
3. SEARCA. (n.d.). Scholarship Recommendation Form.
4. SEARCA. (n.d.). Medical Examination Certificate.
5. SEARCA. (n.d.). Our Mandate.
6. Commission on Higher Education – Regional Office 10. Call for applications for SEARCA Graduate Scholarships for School Year 2027–2028. Facebook announcement and CHED IAS graphic supplied as screenshots. The announcement states an October 30, 2026 deadline; its direct post URL was not supplied.
7. Commission on Higher Education. Annex A: Master’s and Doctoral Scholarships in Agriculture and Related Fields for School Year 2027–2028. Both pages reviewed from the supplied screenshots.