LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) office of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd-CAR) announced that scholarships are now available for senior citizens.

CHEd officials said this is in line with the agency’s thrust to provide access and equity to quality education among the financially disadvantaged but academically deserving and to maximize the contribution of the elderly to nation building.

CHEd-CAR Director Dr. Freddie Bernal said that a senior citizen or elderly can avail of a study grant provided he or she is at least 60 years old and a resident in the Philippines at the time of application.

Grantees will be given a study scholarship for continuing education program at selected state universities and colleges in the different parts of the region.

CHEd said that an elderly is required to bring the following documents, which include high school report card for those pursuing baccalaureate and a college or master’s diploma and transcript of records for graduate studies.

As proof of age, the elderly should produce any of the following – birth certificate, valid passport, barangay identification card (ID), voters ID or senior citizen’s ID.

A certificate of good health from any government physician, certificate of good moral character from the village chieftain and an acceptance letter from the admitting higher education institution are also required.

Interested applicants should secure application form from the CHEd-CAR office and submit accomplished documents with all the corresponding requirements.

“Upon submitting all the requirements, we will issue to the elderly a Notice of Acceptance and the senior citizen can now enroll,” Bernal explained.

The elderly will enjoy a P5,000 per semester to cover tuition and other school fees, book allowance and stipend or a total of R10,000 per academic year.

Application period is from January up to the second week of May of every school year, Bernal added.