SEARCA's Graduate Study Program was initiated in School Year 1968/1969. Over five decades, the scope of the Graduate Study Program has expanded to include institutional development, networking, and services to enhance graduate education in the region.

Through the years, SEARCA has sustained partnerships with international education networks and continues to promote new collaborations with industries and government agencies.

SEARCA Scholarship Info Session for AY 2025-2026

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

PhD Research Scholarship

SEARCA established the PhD Research Scholarship on November 2005 to provide financial support for qualified PhD students to conduct research and produce their dissertation relevant to the priority thrusts of SEARCA.

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Scholarship Statistics

By the end of Academic Year 2023-2024, SEARCA has granted a total of 1,958 full MS/PhD scholarships and PhD Research scholarships to nationals of SEAMEO member countries, namely: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam to pursue advanced studies leading to master's and doctoral degrees in agriculture, forestry, and related sciences.

  • Ongoing Full MS/PhD Scholars (AY 2023-2024)
  • Full MS/PhD Alumni (AY 2023-2024)
  • Total PhD Research Scholarships Granted as of FY 2023-2024
  • Total PhD Research Scholarships Ongoing as of FY 2023-2024
  • Total Scholarship Grants Awarded (AY 2023-2024)
  • Full MS/PhD Joint Scholarship Projects - DAAD, NTU, MARDI, UPM (AY 2023-2024)
  • Full MS/PhD Joint Scholarship Projects - Tokyo-NODAI, Nagoya, Sejong, PCC, BulSU (AY 2023-2024)
  • Full MS/PhD Joint Scholarship Projects - Agropolis, Agropolis-UPM, CESAIN, USM-CESAIN (AY 2023-2024)

    General Eligibility

    SEARCA follows a set of general eligibility criteria across all full degree scholarships unless indicated otherwise under a specific scholarship program:

    • Open to nationals of SEAMEO member countries who are regular employees of academic or research institutions or government agencies;
    • Must not be more than 40 (Master's Degree) or 45 (PhD) years of age at the time of application;
    • Areas of specialization that scholarship applicants must pursue should be in agriculture or related sciences. Check the joint scholarship programs to determine the specific degree/s eligible for support.
    • Proposed thesis research should focus on SEARCA's overarching theme of Accelerating Transformation Through Agricultural Innovation (ATTAIN) with the following priority areas:
      • Agri-Business Models for Increased Productivity and Income
      • Sustainable Farming Systems and Natural Resource Management
      • Food and Nutrition Security
      • Transformational Leadership for Agricultural and Rural Development (ARD)
      • Gender and Youth Engagement in ARD
      • Enhanced ARD towards Climate Resilience
      • EcoHealth/One Health Applications to ARD

    Visit the joint scholarship pages and PhD research scholarship page to know more about the specific eligibility criteria.

    Scholarship Benefits

    For joint scholarships, benefits granted to scholars are shared by SEARCA and the funding agency/institution. These include, but are not limited to:

    • Tuition and other school fees
    • Travel allowance
    • Thesis/dissertation support
    • Book and supplies allowance
    • Health insurance
    • Stipend for food, lodging, and incidental expenses

    For the PhD Research Scholarship, SEARCA provides a maximum support of USD 4,500 for research purposes.

    Study Posts

    The universities which may serve as study posts for Master's and PhD scholars vary depending on the specific joint scholarship projects. Visit the joint scholarship pages to know which universities in the table below may accommodate scholars under the specific scholarship project.

    UniversityCountry
    Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) Bogor, Indonesia
    Universitas Brawijaya (UB) Malang, Indonesia
    Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Yogyakarta, Indonesia
    Kasetsart University (KU) Bangkok, Thailand
    Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
    University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
    Sejong University Seoul, South Korea
    Tokyo University of Agriculture Tokyo, Japan
    National Taiwan University Taipei, Taiwan

    The PhD Research Scholarship allows Southeast Asian nationals from any reputable higher education institutions in the world to apply.

    Application Procedure

    Applicants must fill out online the SEARCA Scholarship Application Form and upload the required documents which must be in English or with official English translations. Required documents vary for each scholarship program and are required to be in English or with official English translations.

    Application procedure after filling out the online application form and uploading the required documents vary per scholarship. Visit the specific scholarship page for the detailed application procedure and requirements.

    Contact Information

    Education and Collective Learning - Graduate Scholarship and Institutional Development (ECL-GSID)
    Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA)
    College, Los Baños, 4031 Laguna, Philippines
    Tel: +63 49 554 9330 to 39; +63 49 536 2290; +63 49 572 3743; +63 2 8657 1300 to 02 local 2200 to 2203
    Fax: +63 49 536 7097
    Email: