By Dhel Nazario A total of 9,788 graduating senior high school students earned a slot in the country’s premier science scholarship program—the Department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) Scholarship Programs. Out of the total number of passers, 5,917 qualified as scholars under the RA 7687 scholarship program, which provides for academically talented students who belong to economically disadvantaged families; while 3,871 qualified under the DOST-SEI merit scholarship program. The 2020 DOST-SEI Undergraduate Scholarship Examination, which was held on October 20, 2019 in 347 test centers nationwide, hit a record-breaking 102,526 examinees. Dr. Josette T. Biyo, DOST-SEI Director, said the scholarships will provide greater opportunity to students especially to those who are hard-up in life as they pursue a college science degree. “This scholarship program is certainly a package of opportunities as qualifiers, especially those who are underprivileged, will get to continue their education in leading universities and colleges. We are hopeful that they—four or five years from now—will undertake productive efforts in the areas of research and development, industry and innovation, and S&T services,” Dr. Biyo said. The new S&T scholars will receive a monthly stipend at ₱7,000, tuition fee subsidy up to ₱40,000 per academic year for those who are enrolled in private universities and colleges, book allowance, MS/PE clothing allowance (one-time only), one economy-class roundtrip fare per year for those studying outside of their home province, outright thesis allowance, and group accident insurance. Scholarship qualifiers must pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree program in any of the priority fields of study at a state university or college or any private higher education institution that is recognized by the Commission on Higher Education as Center of Excellence or Center of Development, or with FAAP Level III accreditation for the BS program that they intend to enroll in. The list of priority S&T programs can be found on the SEI website: www.sei.dost.gov.ph. DOST-SEI scholars are required to render service in the country, in their fields of specialization, after graduation for a period equivalent to the number of years they enjoyed the scholarship as a return service. “We believe that through the different scholarship programs of DOST-SEI, we are helping infuse a new blood of talent and skill into our workforce, as well as supply a fresh breed of responsible citizens who use science in their daily lives. Now more than ever, we need young people to serve as ambassadors of science as the issues we face in terms of natural disasters, health pandemics, and others rely on sound scientific information to make better decisions for the public good,” Biyo added.