Application for Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program (BPMSP)

Incoming first-year college students are encouraged to apply for the Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program (BPMSP), a merit-based scholarship program for students with outstanding academic performance.

Administered by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), BPMSP supports students pursuing priority programs focused on addressing hard-to-fill jobs, bridging workforce gaps, and driving national development, in line with the government’s Bagong Pilipinas goals. It also has a Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) track, which is administered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program
Image Credit: Commission on Higher Education (CHED) / Facebook (CHED, BPMSP logos)

Program Benefits

The BPMSP program provides benefits for students enrolled in State/Local Universities and Colleges (SUCSs/LUCs), as well as those enrolled in private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).

For students enrolled in SUCs/LUCs, the program covers free tuition and other school fees, in accordance with the R.A. 10931 or the Free Higher Education Act. Meanwhile, for those enrolled in private HEIs, the program provides a maximum of PHP 45,000 per academic year (or PHP 22,500 per semester) to cover tuition and other school fees.

In both cases, the BPMSP program provides stipend and allowance worth PHP 45,000 per academic year, or PHP 22,500 per semester. It also grants an Academic Excellence Incentive amounting to PHP 18,000 per term to the Top 15 scholars of every region. 

Eligibility

To qualify for the program, an applicant:

  • Must be an incoming first-year college student who graduated from Grade 12 belonging to the Top Five (5) of the graduating class, or has a minimum General Weighted Average (GWA) of 95% or its equivalent;
  • Has not earned any units or degree in tertiary education;
  • Has parents or legal guardians whose combined annual gross income does not exceed PHP 2,000,000;
  • Must enroll in a BPMSP priority program offered by a qualified Delivering Higher Education Institution (DHEI); and
  • Must accept and execute a mandatory undertaking to render return service in the Philippines upon completing the degree.

Requirements

As for the required documents, applicants need to prepare:

  • Accomplished application through the official BPMSP online application portal;
  • Copy of Birth Certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA);
  • Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Learner’s Progress Report Card or School Form 9 (SF9) [Form 138], duly signed by the registrar or an authorized representative of the senior high school attended;
  • Any one (1) of the following as proof of income: (a) Certificate of Tax Exemption/Non-Filer issued by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR); (b) Certificate from the DSWD Regional Office or City/Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (C/MSWD) for Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries; (c) Latest Annual Income Tax Return (BIR Form No. 1701) or Certificate of Compensation Payment/Tax Withheld (BIR Form No. 2316) of both parents or legal guardians; or (d) CTC of the latest contract or proof of income for children of Oveseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and Seafarers;
  • Copy of university/college admission slip or proof of admission for degree programs;
  • CTC or a certificate issued by the Senior High School attended, stating that the applicant belongs to the Top Five (5) of the graduating class, duly signed by the school head, registrar, or an authorized representative;
  • CTC of the Fourth Year Report Card (Form 138) issued by the last high school attended, for applicants who graduated under the DepEd Basic Education Curriculum on or before SY 2015-2016; and
  • Duly filled and signed Parent/Legal Guardian Consent Form (Annex L), if applicable.

Infographic

Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program

How to Sign Up

Here is a step-by-step guide to signing up for the program:

  1. Prepare and scan all the necessary documentary requirements.
  2. Submit the completed application and all required documents through the BPMSP online application portal.
  3. Wait for updates, to be sent to the email address provided during application. All applications will undergo validation, evaluation, and ranking before final selection.

Priority Programs

Notably, the BPMSP program focuses on the following eight priority programs, which have been identified by CHED:

  • Agriculture and Fisheries;
  • Creative Industries;
  • Digital Technology;
  • Engineering and Technology;
  • Financial Services;
  • Healthcare and Allied Programs;
  • Science and Mathematics; and
  • Teacher Education.

As of this writing, there is a call for applications to the BPMSP program. The deadline of submission is on June 30, 2026, or until available slots are filled.

Bagong Pilipinas Merit Scholarship Program
Image Credit: Commission on Higher Education (CHED) / Facebook

For more information about the BPMSP program, interested applicants can contact the Office of Student Development and Services (OSDS) Under Graduate Studies Division (UGSD) at CHED. They can get in touch by sending an email to osds@ched.gov.ph or by calling (+632) 8988-0001.

Meanwhile, another scholarship program offered by the governments is the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP). Head to this link for more details about this program.

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