Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and their Families (CoScho)

Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and their Families (CoScho) for AY 2025-2026 is now open!

The deadline for submission is until July 31, 2025.

OVERVIEW

Legal Bases: RA No. 11524, “The Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act”

Implementing Guidelines: CHED-PCA Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, s. 2023

Objectives:

• The scholarship program aims to raise social equity of coconut farmers and ultimately alleviate poverty through the provision of quality education to coconut farmers and/or their dependents;
• The scholarship program is ultimately expected to improve agricultural productivity and modernization in the coconut industry by raising the knowledge of coconut farmers and/or their dependents on scientific advances in agricultural technology and other related fields and motivate the younger generation to be engaged in the agriculture sector.

Coverage:

The scholarship program shall be accessible to qualified and deserving coconut farmers and/or their families duly registered under the National Coconut Farmers Registry System.

The program shall cover undergraduate students who will enroll or currently enrolled in agriculture, agricultural engineering, agribusiness management, agricultural economics and other courses identified by the PCA.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

1. Filipino citizen
2. Graduating high school student/high school graduate with a general weighted average grade (GWA) of 80% or its equivalent or college student with earned academic units relevant to the degree programs identified by PCA with a GWA of 80% the previous semester or its equivalent;
3. Pass the entry level requirements of identified State Universities and Colleges (SUCs);
4. Not be a recipient of any government-funded financial assistance program;
5. Duly registered coconut farmer in the NCFRS or his/her dependent;
6. Must have a combined annual gross income of parents not exceeding ₱300,000.00

DOCUMENTARY REQUIREMENTS

1. Birth Certificate issued by the Local Civil Registry or Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)
2. Academic:
   • For senior high school students – duly certified copy of the grades for Grade 11 and first semester for Grade 12;
   • For senior high school graduates – form 138; and
   • For applicants with earned units or currently enrolled in college – duly Certified Copy of Grades for the latest semester/term attended.
3. PCA Certification, issued by PCA Regional Office (PCA-RO) to NCFRS registered coconut farmers/farmworkers upon the endorsement of the PCA Provicial Office and/or Local Coconut Industry Development Councils (LCIDCs), small coconut farmers organizations, federations, and cooperatives. Note: Only one family member shall be allowed to apply for the scholarship;
4. Certificate of Good Moral Character from the last school attended;
5. Proof of income – any of the following:
   • Latest Income Tax Return (ITR) of applicant and/spouse/parents/guardians if imployed;
   • Certificate of Tax Exemption from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR);
   • Certificate of No Income from BIR;
   • Certificate of Indigency from their Barangay; or
   • Certificate/Case Study from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
6. Notice of admission from the HEI with collegiate degree offerings;
7. Proof that the student applicant belonged to special group/s (if applicable); and
8. Original Barangay Certification that parents/guardians and siblings had never attended college/university (if applicable).

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

RETURN SERVICE

One (1) year per year of scholarship in the Philippines is required within two (2) years after graduation prioritizing:

1. government agencies directly working with coconut industry;
2. other government agencies; and
3.  private entities related to Philippine Coconut Industry.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

ISSUANCES

CHED – PCA Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2023

Memorandum from the Chairperson – Call for Applications for the Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and their Families (CoScho) for AY 2023-2024

CHED Administrative Order No. 02, Series of 2023 – Operational Guidelines on the Implementation of the Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and their Families (CoScho) for CHED Regional Offices

CMO No. 17, Series of 2023 – Operational Guidelines on the Implementation of the Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and their Families (CoScho) for Participating Higher Education Institutions

Memorandum from the Chairperson – Call for Applications for the Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and their Families (CoScho) for AY 2024-2025

Memorandum from  the Office of the Executive Director – Call for Application for the Scholarship Program for Coconut Farmers and their Families (CoScho) for AY 2025-2026