More benefit from UP Socialized Tuition System
MORE students from the University of the Philippines (UP) will enjoy the benefits of the Socialized Tuition System (STS) when classes open in August 2014.
The STS was established in December 2013 to speedup the processing of tuition bracket applications, adjust income brackets of student applicants, and increase the stipend of poor students in the premier university of the country.
As of June 30, about 36,000 students from the various UP campuses submitted applications for the STS online. This is 90 percent of the expected 40,000 undergraduate students who will avail of the new system. Of the number, around 33,000 applications have been processed by the STS offices in the constituent universities.
The 90% application rate is a significant increase from the 40% application rate when the former Students Tuition and Financial Aid Program (STFAP) was still in place.
The STS, according to UP System STS Director Richard Gonzalo generated more applications due to its accessible, fast and efficient system. An STFAP application used to take from 2 to 12 months to process, while an STS application only takes two weeks processing.
Close to 52% of STS applicants this school year will enjoy between 60-100 percent tuition discounts. This is higher than the 31% of students who enjoyed these discounts under the old STFAP.
The percentage of students who are in the high paying brackets (Brackets A and B) also significantly decreased – from 69% to 48% - under the STS.
Gonzalo noted a significant increase in the number of students qualifying for discounts ranging f rom 33% to 100%. Under the STFAP, there were 12,259 students who were assigned in Brackets C, D, E1 and E2. In the STS, 17,140 students were assigned to similar discount ranges and benefits - showing an increase of 40% in beneficiaries.
The increase in the number of students who will enjoy tuition discounts from 33%-100% is most noticeable in UP Baguio (182 to 1,148 students), UP Visayas (1,732 to 2,483 students), UP Cebu (594 to755 students), and UP Los Banos (4,657 to 6,139) students.