UniFAST – Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act – Purpose, Functions, and Responsibilities

UniFAST is the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act. It is an attached agency of the Commission on Higher Education a federally supported program that brings together all government-financed student financial assistance programs into one place. The UniFAST Board created scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, and other Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs).

Also Read: List of OWWA Scholarships and Education Training Programs

The purpose of UniFAST is to provide a single portal where students can access all government-supported student financial assistance programs. This helps make it easier for students to find and apply for the right program for them. It also helps reduce the workload on financial aid offices at educational institutions.

What is UniFAST?

UniFAST stands for Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act. The Unified Financial Assistance System (UniFAST) reconciles, improves, strengthens, expands, and brings all government-funded modalities of Student Financial Assistance Programs under one umbrella. Scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, and other specialized forms of StuFAPs developed by the UniFAST Board.

History

UniFAST, or the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education Act, was signed into law on October 15, 2015, under Republic Act No. 10687. The UniFAST law – and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) – are designed to make StuFAP implementation more successful, efficient, and politically neutral or devoid of political labeling at the tertiary level.

UniFAST is a valuable resource for students who need financial assistance to fund their education. With a single portal where they can access all the different types of student financial aid programs, students are better able to find and apply for the right program for them. Whether you are looking for scholarships, grants, student loans, or other specialized forms of support, UniFAST has everything you need to help achieve your educational goals.

What are the Benefits?

UniFAST brings together all government-funded modalities of Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs) for tertiary education – and special purpose education assistance – in both public and private institutions and brings them under one umbrella.

UniFAST Board

The UniFAST Board is chaired by the Chair of CHED; co-chaired by the Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); and members include the Secretary of Education (DepEd), representatives from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and the National Youth Commission (NYC). The chair, co-chairs, and members of the UniFAST Board are members of the board since they work in their respective offices/departments full-time.

UniFAST coordinates the various StuFAP operationalizations that are carried out by CHED, TESDA, and the following departments:

• Department of Science and Technology (DOST),
• Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
• Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD),
• Department of National Defense (DND),
• Department of Agriculture (DA),
• Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and
• Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); the
• Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP);
• both Houses of Congress, and the
• Office of the Presidential Adv Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP),
• Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP),
• Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), and the
• Social Security System (SSS) are among the government financial institutions (GFIs) that are implementing the StuFAPs.

Programs and Services

All Filipinos, including those who live in the Philippines and those who live overseas, can benefit from UniFAST’s programs and services. UniFAST specialized in granting scholarships to deserving students and dependents of OFWs.

For further information, have a look at this comprehensive list of programs and services available to all Filipinos.

Free Higher Education

Who is eligible to participate in the Free Higher Education Program?

All Filipino undergraduates enrolled in SUCs and CHED-recognized LUCs will receive free tuition, miscellaneous, and other school fees beginning in the academic year, subject to the following:

• Pass/meet the institution’s admission and retention rules (no age or financial limitations);
• No previous college education; and
• Not staying too long in college (e.g., maximum residency rule plus one-year grace period as provided by law).

Which universities offer free higher education?

To qualifying students, all SUCs, including satellite and extension campuses, will provide free higher education. For the this academic year, 78 CHED-approved LUCs will offer free higher education to eligible students. Other LUCs can be added to this list after they have been recognized by CHED.

What are the conditions for continuing to benefit from the Free Higher Education Program?

Students shall maintain good academic standing and meet the SUCs’ and CHED-recognized LUCs’ return service obligations. Return service requirements must be fulfilled within the timeframe specified after completing the degree program.

Students who voluntarily drop out will not be required to perform the return service as specified in the IRR. The return service requirement will still apply to students who voluntarily contribute to the university.

What are the benefits of Free Higher Education?

In SUCs and CHED-recognized LUCs, tuition and other school fees are free.

Free Technical and Vocational Education and Training

Who is qualified to enroll in the Free Tech-Voc Education and Training Program?

All Filipino learners enrolled in their first National Certificate (NC) I or II in any public Technical-Vocational Institution (TVI) registered with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) will be eligible for Free TVET and will be provided with corresponding living allowances, subject to certain TESDA conditions.

NC III, IV, and V courses will be free once TESDA implements packaged, diploma, or longer-term programs.

What are the benefits of Free TVET?

Apart from tuition and other school fees, learners will be provided with allowances to help them pay for their training, such as a living allowance, instructional materials allowance, national competency assessment fee, and startup tool kits.

Short-Term Student Loan Program

What are the various forms of student loans that students can apply for?

Short-term and long-term student loans are the two forms of student loans. Students can use the short-term SLP to pay for undergraduate education, review expenses for licensure exams, and graduate degrees, such as medicine and law, for Filipino students.

Who is eligible for a short-term SLP?

The short-term SLP is available to all Filipino undergraduate and graduate students (including medicine and law) enrolled in programs registered in the Registry of quality-assured programs provided in SUCs, LUCs, State-run TVIs, private HEIs, and private TVIs.

What are the benefits of the SLP?

Loan revenues are designed to assist student beneficiaries who are experiencing liquidity shortages for a period of not more than one (1) year, as per Rule V Section 34 of the IRR on RA 10931. The institutions must be paid directly for services supplied by HEIs and TVIs. The remaining loan proceeds will be paid to the student-borrower in regular installments.

TABANG OFW

TABANG OFW is a Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) designed to help OFW dependents who are in college complete their education.

The eligible recipient will get P30,000 in cash.

Who are the beneficiaries?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, one (1) college-level dependent of an OFW who was repatriated lost his job or died.

The OFW’s dependents are as follows:

• OFWs who are married – Unmarried child whose 30 years old and below
• OFWs who are single – 30 years old or younger child/sibling/niece who is not married

What are the TABANG OFW Program Qualifications?

• Filipino national;
• SUCs, CHED-recognized LUCs, and private HEIs have met the admission and retention requirements, and have not exceeded the Maximum Residency Requirements;
• Has never been expelled from a higher education institution;
• Enrolled in a post-secondary undergraduate program at an SUC, a CHED-recognized LUC, or a private HEI on the CHED Registry;
• A dependent of a DOLE-OWWA-certified OFW who was repatriated, lost his job, or died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; at least one of his parents or grandparents.
• Not a beneficiary of a scholarship or grant from any government agency.

Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES)

Who is eligible for TES?

The following are the priority beneficiaries of the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES):

• Students from households that are part of the Listahanan 2.0, ranked by projected per person household income; and
• Students who are not part of the Listahanan 2.0 are rated based on their estimated per person household income, which is calculated by the UniFAST Board, based on supplied documentation of proof of income.

Furthermore, such prioritization shall not apply to Filipino students in cities and municipalities where no SUC or LUC campus exists.

What are the TES grant’s requirements?

Only the following courses are available to TES grantees:

For Higher Education:

• Board-approved undergraduate course/program on any SUC campus;
• Undergraduate courses at CHED-approved LUCs with Certificates of Program Compliance (COPCs); and
• Undergraduate courses in private colleges that have received government recognition are listed in the UniFAST Registry of Quality-Assured Institutions and Programs.

For TVET:

• Any public or private technical-vocational institution (TVI) can provide a TVET program with a Certificate of Program Registration (CoPR) and an official listing in the TESDA Compendium of Registered Programs.

Beneficiaries participating in higher education programs will receive the grant amount for the whole academic year, with the possibility of yearly renewal based on their ongoing study.

TVET program participants will receive a full-year grant or the amount comparable to the program’s suggested completion term, whichever is shorter (RA 10931 Section 24-c).

What are the TES’s benefits?

SUCs, LUCs, TVIs run by local governments, and TESDA TTIs:

• Allowance for books, supplies, transportation, and other personal expenditures, including a fair allowance for the documented rental or purchase of a personal computer or laptop, as well as other education-related expenses;
• Allowance for the student’s housing and board expenses.

Private HEIs and TVIs:

Students attending private HEIs and TVIs are eligible to the following benefits:

• Tuition and other school fees, which must be similar to those paid by the nearest SUC and State-run TVI in their respective area.
• Allowance for books, supplies, transportation, and other personal expenses, including a fair allowance for the documented rental or purchase of a personal computer or laptop, as well as any education-related expenses.
• Allowance for the student’s housing and board expenses.

Video: HOW to APPLY for UniFAST TES (Tertiary Education Subsidy)

Are you an OFW, or do you have a family member or relative that needs a scholarship? This video is ideal for you because it explains what the requirements, qualifications, and application process for UniFAST TES scholarship.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any further questions regarding the UniFAST, see the list of frequently asked questions and answers below.

1. What is UniFAST?

UniFAST is the acronym for the Unified Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education, commonly known as Republic Act No. 10687.

UniFAST was developed to encourage the growth of outstanding students who will serve the public good, as well as to increase the number of world-class Filipino researchers, artists, inventors, thinkers, and leaders.

2. What is the UniFAST email address?

UniFAST email addresses are:

• Regional Office 1: unifastro1@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 2: (unifastro2@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 3: unifastro3@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 4: unifast.calabarzon@ched.gov.ph /unifast.mimaropa@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 5: unifastro5@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 6: unifastro6@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 7: unifastro7@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 8: unifastro8@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 9: unifastro9@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 10: unifastro10@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 11: unifastro11@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office 12: unifastro12@ched.gov.ph
• NCR: unifast.ncr@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office CAR: unifast.car@ched.gov.ph
• Regional Office CARAGA: unifastro.caraga@ched.gov.ph

3.    What is the UniFAST hotline?

You can reach the UniFAST via their hotline:

• Regional Office 1: (072) 682-9623 / +63-917-7797-939 / +63-939-9059-146
• Regional Office 2: (078) 396-0689 / +63-965-723-1211 / +63-925-880-5878
• Regional Office 3: (045) 436-1846 /436-1847 / +63-921-262-0945 / +63-945-897-3048
• Regional Office 4: (02) 332-3942 / (02) 922-1850 / +63-932 237-2340
• Regional Office 5: +63-927-931-8037 / +63-0943-594-0529
• Regional Office 6: +63-906 882-6183 / +63-946 882-8919
• Regional Office 7: (+63-999-162-4046 / +63-956-614-7677 / +63-917-721-1169
• Regional Office 8: +63-927 033-2009 / +63-918-398-7698
• Regional Office 9: +63-995-327-5723 / +63-918-2025-384
• Regional Office 10: +63-905-230-5114 / +63-961-417-4304
• Regional Office 11: (082) 295-3418 / +63-933-339-8270
• Regional Office 12: (083) 228-7570 / +63-950-4255-956 / +63-926-4204-266
• NCR: +63-968-769-2863 / +63-927-137-7533
• Regional Office CAR: (074) 422-4052 / 422-2418 / +63-905-317-2987 / +63-950-663-6518
• Regional Office CARAGA: (085) 816-2406 / +63-930-903-6281

4. Can I go directly to UniFAST?

Yes, you can go to the UniFAST office directly, which is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

5. What is the purpose of UniFAST?

UniFAST unifies all government-funded modalities of Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs) for tertiary education – as well as special purpose education assistance – at both public and private institutions.

6. Is it possible for OFWs to apply for UniFAST?

Yes, it is possible. Dependents of repatriated, displaced, or deceased OFWs are eligible for the UniFAST TABANG OFW-Tertiary Education Subsidy. This is for one college-level dependent of an OFW during the CoViD19 pandemic.

7. Who is eligible for a UniFAST scholarship?

All high school graduates, regardless of years finished (i.e. 4th year or Grade 12) or Senior High School course, are able to apply for admission to any further education institution (e.g. TVET, sports or arts).

8. What is Tertiary Education?

Tertiary education covers college, post-secondary non-degree diplomas, Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and higher education programs such as bachelor degrees (college), master’s degrees (master’s, Ph.D.), and doctoral degrees (Ph.D.).

9. What is Special Purpose Education Assistance?

StuFAPs support research and scientific studies at college and at the master’s/doctoral level, which are referred to as “Special Purpose Education Assistance.”

10. What are StuFAPs?

Student Financial Assistance Programs (StuFAPs) are about more than just scholarships. Scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, subsidies, and other incentives are available through StuFAPs for qualifying students.

11. What are Priority Courses?

CHED and UniFAST encourages incoming freshman students to enroll in priority courses, particularly those who are eligible for CHED’s StuFAPs, such as scholarships, grants-in-aid, and loans.

• Agriculture and Related Fields, 15%
• Architecture, 5%
• Arts and Humanities, 5%
• Business Administration and related courses, 5%
• Communication, 2%
• Engineering, 15%
• Health Sciences, 10%
• Information Technology, 10%
• Maritime, 2%
• Science and Math, 13%
• Social and Behavioral Sciences, 5%
• Teacher Education major in, 10%
• Others (to be determined by the Region), 3%

Summary

The Unified Financial Assistance System (UniFAST) is a federally supported program that brings together all government-financed student financial assistance programs into one place. The UniFAST Board created scholarships, grants-in-aid, student loans, and other specialized kinds of StuFAPs.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, UniFAST additionally offers TABANG OFW to all college dependents of repatriated OFW. The eligible recipient will get P30,000 in cash.

Contact Information

CHED UNIFAST
Address: Bldg E UP Ayala Land Technohub, Diliman, Quezon City, Metro Manila
E-mail address: askunifast@ched.gov.ph
Telephone Number: (+63) 928-551-1317 / (+63) 998-985-2955
Website: https://unifast.gov.ph/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/unifastofficial

Google Map Location:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/IBM+Philippines+Bldg+E+UP-Ayala+Land+TechnoHub/@14.6564417,121.0530073,17z/data=!4m9!1m2!2m1!1sUNIFAST+Bldg+E+UP+Ayala+Land+Technohub,+Diliman,+Quezon+City,+Metro+Manila!3m5!1s0x3397b7135e8b0d7b:0x663f9268cf42983c!8m2!3d14.6564415!4d121.0551958!15sCkpVTklGQVNUIEJsZGcgRSBVUCBBeWFsYSBMYW5kIFRlY2hub2h1YiwgRGlsaW1hbiwgUXVlem9uIENpdHksIE1ldHJvIE1hbmlsYZIBEGNvcnBvcmF0ZV9vZmZpY2U