EDUCATION AND CULTURE

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The Philippine Educational System

The educational ladder in the Philippines has a 6-4-4 structure, that is, six years of elementary or primary education (some private schools require seven years), four years of high school or secondary education, and another four years of higher education for a degree program (except for some courses like Engineering, Law and Medical Sciences which require five or more years of schooling).

The 1987 Philippine Constitution mandates the establishment of a system of free public education in the elementary and high school levels. The entry age for elementary education is 6 years effective School Year 1995-96; for secondary education, it is 12-15 years; and for higher education, it is 16-19 years. Pre-school education is optional. Some private schools offer seven years of primary education.

There are two types of secondary schools according to curricular offerings: the general high school and the vocational high school. General high schools offer the four-year general academic secondary curriculum while vocational high schools offer the same secondary curriculum with additional vocational courses. Science high schools offer an enriched Science, Mathematics, and English curriculum in addition to the requirements of the secondary education curriculum.

Higher education is divided into collegiate, masters and doctorate levels in various programmes or disciplines. Foreign students are allowed to pursue higher education in some 150 colleges and universities in the Philippines. A list of these schools, colleges and universities authorized to accept foreign students is available in Philippine Embassies and Consulates.

The responsibility of administering, supervising and regulating basic education (elementary and secondary education) is vested in the Department of Education (DepEd) while that of higher education is with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The post-secondary technical-vocational education is under the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) which is also in charge of skills orientation, training and development of out-of-school youth and unemployed community adults.

Schools open in June and close in April. There is a two-week Christmas break before classes resume in January. The Philippines uses a bilingual medium of instruction. Certain subjects are taught in English and the rest in the national language which is Filipino.

INFORMATION ON THE PROCEDURES AND DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS FOR 9 (F) STUDENT VISA TO THE PHILIPPINES

A. Requirements:

1. Two (2) copies of duly accomplished visa application forms with two (2) photographs;

2. PRC passport valid for at least six (6) months beyond the date of stay in the Philippines;

3. Note Verbale/ Introduction Letter; Acceptance Notice from the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

4. Acceptance Notice from Philippine University/College;

5. Medical Certificate (including laboratory and X-Ray Film Result);

6. Police Clearance (in duplicate form);

7. Authenticated copy of Middle School/College Diploma;

8. Authenticated copy of transcript of records;

9. Proof of financial support;

10. List of references/contact persons in the Philippines;

11. Copy of the ticket

12. Visa fee of 2,500 RMB.

B. Procedure:

The foreign student directly communicates with a school in the Philippines that is authorized to accept foreign students and complies with the school's institutionalized requirements, including the submission of the following documents:

1. Four (4) original copies of his Personal History Statement (PHS) duly signed by him both in English and in his national alphabet and stamped with his personal seal, if any, and containing among others his original 2 x 2-inch photograph on plain white background recently taken and his original left and right hand thumbprints;

2. Scholastic records duly authenticated by the Philippine Foreign Service Post located at or having consular jurisdiction over his country of origin or place of residence; and proof of adequate financial support to cover expenses for his accommodation, subsistence, school dues and other incidental expenses.

3. The school, satisfied with the student's compliance with its requirements, issues to him a Notice of Acceptance (NOA) and submits to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) a copy thereof, together with the documents enumerated above, and a certified true copy of the Certificate of Eligibility of Admission (CEA) issued by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), in cases where enrollment in a particular course is restricted due to shortage of facilities. These documents shall be handcarried to the DFA by the school's designated Liaison Officer under a letter cover type written on the schools official stationery signed by the school's Registrar and stamped with the school's official dry seal, requesting that a student visa be issued to the person named therein.

4.The DFA, after finding the documents complete and in order, indorses the documents to the Philippine Foreign Service Post located at or having consular jurisdiction over the student's country of origin or place of residence for issuance of the student visa after ascertaining the student's identity and admissibility in accordance with DFA regulations. Requests for issuance of the visa in places other than the student's country of origin or place of residence shall not be entertained.

5.The Foreign Service Post notifies in writing the student of the receipt of the documents and requests him to appear in person before a Consular Office, bringing his own copy of the schools NOA, for interview and compliance with consular requirements.

6.The Consular Office of the Foreign Service Post requires the student to undergo a thorough medical examination by the Post's designated and accredited Medical Practitioner who will submit directly to the Consular Officer the Medical Health Certificate in the prescribed form (FA Form No. 11), together with the required laboratory reports and standard-size Chest X-Ray showing results of the medical examination.

7.The student also submits a Police Clearance Certificate issued by the National Police Authorities of his country of origin or residence.

8.Upon arrival in the Philippines, the student shall report immediately to the accepting school, which in turn, shall assist the student obtain the necessary Alien Certificate of Registration and the Certificate of Residence for Temporary Student from the Bureau of Immigration.

LIST OF SCHOOLS AUTHORIZED TO ACCEPT FOREIGN STUDENTS

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (NCR)

The Oblation at the University of the Philippines

Academic Year

The first semester of the academic year starts on the first week of June and ends on the second week of October.  The second semester starts on the second week of November and ends on the last week of March.

Organization of the higher education system

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) is composed of five full-time members, the Chairman and the four Commissioners, each having a term of four years.

Language of Instruction

English

Monetary Unit

Peso

Admission Requirements

Admission to Collegiate education is open to those who have satisfactorily complied with the secondary education requirements, passed the University Admission Test, have been evaluated and found to be qualified to pursue collegiate courses.

Expenses for one academic year

In the prestigious private Universities and colleges, the semestral tuition fees ranges from P15,000 to P30,000 while in other institutions, tuition fee ranges from P6,000 to P10,000 per semester.  State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) offer lower tuition fees as they are subsidized by the Philippine government.

Information Services

Commission on Higher Education (CHED)

5/F DAP Bldg., San Miguel Ave., Pasig City, Philippines

Tel. No.: (632) 633-2713

Accommodation Services

Filipinos as well as foreign students can stay in the dormitories managed by the higher education institutions (HEIs).

Philippine Higher Education: A Brief Guide Directory of Higher Education Institutions in the Philippines

Private Higher Education in the Philippines

Study Regulations for Foreign Students

Foreign student who is at least 18 years of age at the time of enrolment communicates directly with his choice of any Philippine HEI authorized to admit foreign students and complies with the school’s requirements.

The accepting Philippine HEI issues a Notice of Acceptance (NOA) to the student and submits the original and photocopy to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) together with all the documents and shall be hand carried to the DFA by the HEI’s designated liaison officer.

The DFA endorses the documents to the Philippine Foreign Service Post (PFSP) located in the student’s country of origin or residence for the issuance of the student visa.  Request for issuance of the student visa in places other than the student’s country of origin shall not be entertained.

The PFSP notifies the students of the receipt of the documents and requests him to appear in person before a consular officer for interview and compliance with consular requirements.

Upon arrival in the Philippines, the student shall report immediately to the accepting school which shall assist him to obtain the Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR) and Certificate of Residence for Temporary Students (CRTS) from the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

The DFA notifies the HEI, copy furnished the CHED, Bureau of Immigration (BI), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the issuance of a student visa to the student as soon as it receives a report to this effect from the issuing post.

Open and Distance Learning

The institutions that offer distance education use their own prescribed programs of studies and evaluated procedures for “distant learners”.

National Scholarships

State Scholarship Program

National Integration Study Grant Program

Selected Ethnic Group Educational Assistance Program

Expanded College Study Grant for National Program for Unification and Development

Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education (GASTPE) takes care of two programs:

v Private Education Student Financial Assistance Program (PESFA)

v  The College Faculty Development Fund (CFDF)

CHED Special Study Grant Program for Congressional Districts

CHED-DND-NPUDC Study Grant Program for MNLF-Officer Integrees

Post Baccalaureate Scholarship Program for College Faculty Members from Underserved Islands Off Luzon

Educational Reform Assistance Package (ERAP) for Mindanao Muslims

Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF)

v Study Now Pay Later Plan (SNPLP)

v Post Graduate

v Medicine Proper

v Scholarship Assistance for SUCs

Congressional Initiative Allocation (CIA)

Some legislators allot certain portion of their Countryside Development Fund (CDF) to fund the following:

v  National Angara’s Scholarship

v Ramon Magsaysay Jr. Scholarship Study Grant Program (RMISSGP)

v  Lagman Scholarship

v  Andaya Scholarship

v  Study Grant for Lahar Victims

v  Diaz

v  San Buenaventura