Deadline of the full scholarship application is June 15, 2024, Sugboanons!
Ever wanted to pursue a Masters or Doctors degree in space science? Then the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) got you covered!
Earlier this year, the PhilSA organization announced that they are officially accepting applications for the 2024 batch of scholars for the Advanced Degrees for Accelerating Strategic Space R&D and Applications (AD ASTRA) Scholarships Program.
The program offers ranging from full, partial, and sandwich program scholarships and is open for all individuals who are interested in gaining higher educational degrees after acquiring a Bachelor’s degree in the related fields of Space Science, Technology, and Applications (SSTA).
What Fields Are Prioritized By The PhilSA?
There are five specific fields of Science that PhilSA is focused on and will be prioritizing with regards to their scholarship grants, and these are the following:
Space data applications
- Remote sensing and spatial analysis
- Geospatial technologies with focus on Earth observation
- Photogrammetry
- Environmental monitoring
- Climate studies
- Geophysics
- Geomatics
- Geoinformation science
- Satellite meteorology
- Astrostatistics
- Atmospheric science
Spacecraft systems development, engineering, and robotics
- Satellite development and operation
- Space systems
- Spacecraft design and analysis
- Payload system development
- Rocketry, instrumentation and signal processing
- Aeronautics
- Astronautics
- Internet of robotic things (IoRT)
- Space cybersecurity
- Intelligent systems
- Space debris mitigation and removal
Space law, policy, and entrepreneurship
- Space
- Cyber and telecommunications law
- International relation
- Diplomacy
- Space business/economics
- Space tourism
Materials science and engineering
- Materials in the space environment
- Materials for the space environment
- Space experimental hardware for materials investigation
Multidisciplinary studies
- Astronomy
- Astrobiology
- Space biology
- Space biotechnology
- Space medicine
- Astrophysics
- Space physics
- Astrogeology
- Archeoastronomy
- Space archeology
- Forensic astronomy
- Space chemistry
- Planetary science
- Space exploration
- Cosmology
- Earth and space sciences
- STEM education with focus on astronomy and space science
Scholarship Program Eligibility
Unlike other scholarship programs that are limited to youngsters, PhilSA opens their doors to any individual no more than 50 years old, for as long as you meet the following criteria:
- Must not be more than 45 years old at the time of application for Masters and Doctorate Scholarships, and not more than 50 years old for stand-alone sandwich programs.
- Must be a Filipino citizen and in good health.
- Must be of good moral character, as attested by two (2) character references.
- Must have a relevant Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree.
- Must have no pending administrative/criminal case.
- Must have no pending service obligation from any previous scholarship programs unless there is a clearance or consent from the previous granting institution allowing the postponement of return service obligation and indicating that monitoring of the previous service obligation will not be transferred to PhilSA.
- Must have a research/thesis/dissertation plan in line with the Key Development Areas of PhilSA.
- Must have passed the admission requirements of any CHED-recognized Higher Educational Institution (HEI) (for local scholarship applicants).
- Must have passed the internal scholarship process of his/her Department/Agency (for government employees).
- Must have been accepted to their host institution.
What Can A PhilSA Scholar Get?
Being a PhilSA AD ASTRA scholar is filled with benefits, from a full coverage of the tuition fees to the monthly stipend of up to ₱36,000.00. There is also the book allowance of up to ₱22,000.00 per year and even a ₱50,000.00 technological support for your laptop and internet! The agency never fails to give all the necessary support and financing for their scholars. And if you want the list of benefits, you can head to their official website and inquire: https://philsa.gov.ph/news/philsa-ad-astra-scholarships-call-for-applications-2024/
The scholarship program’s application deadline is only June 15, 2024 for the first semester intake, while the second semester will be on October 15, 2024.
So, Sugboanons, take the first step towards your astronomy and space science goals by applying in the scholarship program of PhilSA today!
