The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Friday, March 5, announced that qualified Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) beneficiaries can now claim additional financial assistance from the government
In particular, CHED noted that TES beneficiaries who are taking licensure examinations after completing their degrees are eligible to claim the said assistance through the Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST) TES 3-B.
The granting of the said subsidy to qualified beneficiaries is made possible after CHED and UniFAST Board Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III signed Memorandum Circular No. 1, series of 2021 or the Supplemental Guidelines on the Disbursement of Additional Grants for Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) Beneficiaries in Programs Requiring Professional License of Certification or TES-3B.
CHED said that TES beneficiaries may apply for reimbursement for a maximum amount of P10,000 for expenses such as application fees, notarial fees, review classes fees, insurance premium fees and documentation fees.
The guidelines, CHED explained, are being issued to supplement the TES-3B provisions stated in Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 7, series of 2019, or the Guidelines on the Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) Program Pursuant to Special Provision (SP) No. 3, CHED Budget on Republic Act No. 11260 or the General Appropriations Act of FY 2019.
CHED noted that a period of two fiscal years is allowed for TES-3B claims starting from the claimant’s date of graduation.
The said student must submit - within the period of validity to their higher education institutions (HEIs) - the documentary requirements such as the Notarized Letter of intent to be reimbursed through TES-3B and official receipt from Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for application or examination fees.
Other documents needed include official receipts from any of the following for allowable expenses: Notary Public for notarial fees; Review Center for review center fees; insurance company for insurance premium fees; HEI, PSA, BIR, NBI, for the issuance of Transcript of Records, Birth and (if applicable) Marriage Certificates, Documentary Stamps, NBI Clearance, and Certificate of Good Moral Character; and other entities or institutions for expenses necessary to comply with the requirements for licensure examinations.
CHED explained that TES is a grant-in-aid program under Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Law signed by President Duterte in 2017 to help qualified disadvantaged students and those residing and studying in cities and municipalities without public universities to support their studies.
“The TES-1 covers the tuition and other school fees in private HEIs while TES-2 is for education-related expenses and allowance for room and board costs,” CHED said. “It also offers an additional subsidy worth P30,000 to TES beneficiaries with disabilities, which is the TES-3A category,” it added.