Who is eligible for this scholarship?

The Shouichi Yoshida Memorial Scholarship (SYMS) shall be granted to students of any nationality, coming from economically handicapped families and gifted intellectually. The field of specialization shall be agriculture and the fellowship shall be restricted to the first university degree to be operated only in institutes in the Philippines.

Scholarship Grant

Full scholarship offers a stipend of P2,000 per month for 10 months per school year for students from the University of the Philippines at Los Baños plus tuition, matriculation and miscellaneous school fees; P1,800 per month for 10 months per school year for students from other agricultural universities in the Philippines plus tuition, matriculation and miscellaneous school fees.

Scholarship Requirement

Qualifications

• Scholastically promising
• Economically needy
• Field of specialization: agriculture
• Proficient in English
• Should pass the UPCAT and NSAT exams
• Of good moral character

Basis of selection and relative weight of each

• Financial/economic condition
• Secondary/high school grades
• English proficiency
• UPCAT and NSAT exams

Financial condition

Local applicants

Family income of P900 and below 40 points
Family income of P901- P1100 30 points
Family income of P1101-P1300 20 points
Family income of P1301-P1500 10 points
Family income of P1501 and above 0 points


Foreign applicants

The financial condition needs to be certified by a government agency/institute in applicant’s country. This institute will likewise determine the standard of living in this particular country specifically the area where the applicant comes from. Information on the occupations and salaries of parents, brothers and sisters of the applicant will also be determined.

Grades
High school honor graduate or belonging to the upper 5% of the graduating class.

The educational standard of the applicant’s country shall be considered. Through the country’s education agency/institution, the UPCAT exam shall be given to the applicant.

Supporting papers needed

• Application form previously filled up and signed
• Photocopy of secondary school grades or transcript of records
• Certification from the school’s principal that the applicant belongs to the upper 5% of the graduating class if not an honor student or is an honor student.
• Results of UPCAT and NSAT exams
• Results of English proficiency exam
• Certification of financial status from the state or photocopy of income returns of preceding year
• One page typewritten essay on the topic: Why do you want to study agriculture and what benefits do you expect from it for yourself and your country?

Requirements for Maintaining the Scholarship

• The grantee shall get a weighted average of at least 2.5 from at least 15 academic units per semester with no grades below 2.75 in both academic and non-academic subjects.
• The grantee shall submit his grades to the scholarship committee at the end of each semester, within one week after the final examination period, for evaluation.
• The grantee shall consult the designated adviser and the committee regarding plans for dropping a subject. The committee reserves the right to approve or disapprove dropping of subjects. The grantee will not be allowed to retain less than 15 academic units during a semester, except during the grantee’s last semester in college.
• The grantee shall not transfer to another school or college, nor change course, without consultation with and approval of the scholarship committee.
• The grant will be enjoyed for a period of 5 years or until the grantee graduates, whichever is shorter.
• The grantee shall automatically lose his scholarship, should he fail to meet the grade and number of credit requirement.

After graduation, the grantee is requested to keep the committee informed of his intellectual pursuits and progress once every 2-3 years.

Please contact: Ms. Anilyn Maningas (amaningas@irri.org or irritraining@irri.org should you wish to apply.