Joint Bulacan State University (BulSU) – SEARCA PhD Scholarship Program

NOTE: This joint scholarship program is an exclusive partnership with BulSU aimed at building the capacity of their workforce, with funding available only to their staff members. Interested in partnering with us for joint scholarship opportunities with your institution? Email:

This partnership between Bulacan State University (BulSU) and SEARCA aims to strengthen the capacity of BulSU by providing an opportunity for selected BulSU faculty and staff to earn their doctorate degree in international universities in the fields of Agriculture, Environmental Science, and other disciplines relevant to the thrust of both SEARCA and BulSU. Prospective graduates are expected to lead in the development of the Center for Climate Change in BulSU.

Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

The following are the scholarship eligibility criteria:

  • Faculty or staff members of BulSU who are directly or indirectly involved in activities related to agriculture and international development programs in the Philippines;
  • Must not be more than 45 years of age at the time of application;
  • Areas of specialization that scholarship applicants must pursue should be in Agriculture, Environmental Science, and other disciplines relevant to SEARCA's thrust;
  • Planned research must be in line with the thrust of SEARCA's Eleventh Five-Year Plan on 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

Application Procedure

Applicants must fill out the Joint Bulacan State University (BulSU) – SEARCA PhD Scholarship Application Form and upload a copy of all required documents.

The required documents to be submitted should be in English:

  1. Original/certified true copy of transcript of academic records bearing the seal of the University and original signature of the Registrar or Head of the University. PhD degree applicants should submit their original/certified true copy of BS and MS transcripts of records
  2. Original or certified true copies of certificates of completion/diploma for every degree completed
  3. Accomplished recommendation form from BulSU
  4. Brief description of the research the applicant plans to conduct for thesis/dissertation. Planned research must be in line with the thrust of SEARCA's Eleventh Five-Year Plan on 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
  5. Two copies of passport-size photo of the applicant
  6. Certification from a medical doctor that the applicant is in good physical and mental health condition and is fit to undertake graduate studies
  7. IELTS result (6.0) or TOEFL iBT result (75) taken within two years before application, as proof of English proficiency

Scholarship Entitlements

The successful scholarship recipient is entitled to the following:

  • Tuition and other school fees;
  • Travel allowance to cover international/domestic travel;
  • Health and life insurance;
  • Stipend for food, lodging and incidental expenses;
  • Book and supplies allowance; and
  • Dissertation budget.

Contact Information

For inquiries, please contact:

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: