No tuition and other school fees will be collected by the UP System this semester.
This was announced on August 7 by President Danilo L. Concepcion in a memorandum outlining supplemental guidelines on tuition and other fees assessment and collection for this school year, in light of the passage of Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte last August 3. The new guidelines were approved by the Board of Regents through a referendum.
While the new law will not take effect until next year, the memorandum implements the spirit of Sections 4 and 6 of RA 10931, which provides for the coverage as well as exceptions to the non-collection of tuition and other school fees. All Filipino undergraduate students are qualified except those who already hold an undergraduate or bachelor’s degree, those who fail to meet admission and retention rules, and those who exceed the maximum residency requirement prescribed by the university. Students of medicine and law are also not covered by the provisions.
Alternatives, however, are available to those not covered by benefits of the law. These students may choose to apply for financial assistance through tuition discounts under the existing Socialized Tuition System of the university or any additional scholarship. Medicine students may also avail of a tuition subsidy under the Tulong Medisina program as provided in CHED-DBM Joint Memorandum Circular 2017-4.
A voluntary opt-out provision in the law will also be made available to those who wish to contribute to the University by paying their tuition and other school fees.
Qualified students will still have to undergo the prescribed registration procedures to avail themselves of this privilege.
A copy of the memorandum can be accessed here.
