UP Diliman Visual Arts and Cultural Studies Program (UPD VACSSP)

1. Priority CRS enlistment
2. Conferment of certificate and token during Parangal sa Mag-aaral
3. Choice of: Tuition Waiver or Stipend

Tuition Waiver – This is a tuition and other school fees (OSF) waiver and is availed by VACSSP recipients who are not covered by R.A. 10931 Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or the no tuition policy, or any other tuition waiving grants.

Stipend – This is a semestral allowance of PhP 10,000.00 availed by VACSSP recipients who are covered by R.A. 10931 Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act or the no tuition policy, or who enjoy other tuition waiving grants.

Important: A VACSSP scholar is allowed to choose only one (1) between tuition waiver and stipend.

1. Undergraduate students under any academic program related to visual arts, and arts and cultural criticism. These programs include, but are not limited to, art studies, comparative literature, language studies or linguistics, creative writing, film studies, theater studies, anthropology, communications and media studies, Philippine cultural studies, and history.


2. Students who have the potential to be an exemplary artist or scholar as attested to by current or former instructors, a community-based artist, an art scholar, a cultural studies scholar, or an established artist.


3. The applicant must have been enrolled in at least the minimum number of academic units considered as a regular load for each of the semesters of the previous academic year.


4. (for new applicants) The student must have a GWA of 2.00 or higher for each of the semesters of the previous academic year.


5. The applicant must not have a grade of 5.00, unremoved 4.00 or INC in the semesters being considered.

1. The applicant must submit the following documents:

• Duly accomplished application form (OICA-VACSSP-Form-No.-1-Application-Form) (Download here) endorsed by the Department Chair or Director and the Dean
• Cover letter addressed to the UPD Chancellor through the Director of the UPD-OICA
• True Copy of Grades (TCG) from the preceding semesters certified by the College Secretary of the unit where the applicant is enrolled
• Two (2) duly accomplished recommendation forms (OICA-VACSSP-Form-No.-4-Recommendation-Form) (Download here) from a faculty, artist, cultural worker or arts and humanities scholar. One of the recommendation letters must be accomplished by a faculty member from the student's program. The form will be submitted by the referee directly to UPD-OICA using the link: https://bit.ly/UPDVACSSPRecommendations
• Portfolio containing 5 to 15 creative or research work (e.g. papers, audio, video, images, etc.)
• Signed Data Privacy Consent Form (OICA-VACSSP-Form-No.3-Consent-Form). (Download here)

2. Electronic signatures on the application documents and recommendation form shall be accepted.


3. All requirements (except for the recommendation forms) shall be submitted by uploading them to this link https://bit.ly/UPDVACSSPApplications on or before the designated deadline. A confirmation email shall be sent by the Program Coordinator upon receipt.


4. Applications submitted beyond the prescribed deadline will not be accepted.

1. The UPD Chancellor through the OICA Director shall constitute a steering committee to evaluate the applications for the scholarship.


2. The steering committee shall submit a list of recommended scholars to the OICA Advisory Board.


3. The OICA Advisory Board shall evaluate the recommended scholars of the steering committee in order to endorse a final list to the UPD Chancellor for approval.


4. OICA will post the list of successful applicants on its official website and Facebook page and all applicants will be notified of the status of their application through email.

All VACSSP applicants will be informed of the screening results via email. Those who qualify for the VACSSP shall be instructed on the following availment process:

TUITION WAIVER

Qualified scholars availing of the tuition waiver must submit the following requirements via email to vacssp_oica.upd@up.edu.ph on or before the designated deadline:

1. Duly accomplish Certification of Scholarship form (OICA-VACSSP-Form-No.2-Certification-of-Scholarship) (Download here)
2. A copy of their Form 5A before assessment.

Once verified and signed by OICA, the scholarship form will be emailed to the Office of the University Registrar (OUR) who will tag the VACSSP scholar for special assessment.  A copy shall also be given to the scholar. The scholar may now proceed to complete his/her enrollment.

STIPEND

Scholars availing of the stipend can go through the regular enrollment process. After completion of enrollment, they must submit the following requirements to OICA via email vacssp_oica.upd@up.edu.ph on or before the designated deadline.

1. Copy of Form 5
2. Clear photo of Landbank ATM card

Note: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UPD Cash Office, which releases the VACSSP stipend, no longer disburses payables through checks. In this regard, scholars are now required to open a Landbank account to receive their stipend. 

For those who do not have a Landbank account, they may proceed with the online application through the Landbank website.

After the online application, the applicant will have to go to the bank just once for the signing and submission of the required documents and finalization of the application. Minimum initial deposit is Php 500.00.

Applicants may also opt for a fully-online application for a digital account through the Landbank Mobile Banking App which they can later upgrade to a regular Landbank Visa Debit Card.

After submission of the above requirements, OICA will proceed with the processing of voucher for stipend payment. The scholars will be notified via email once the payment has been deposited to their respective Landbank accounts.

1. The scholarship is renewable every academic year upon submission of requirements. The renewal follows the same procedure as a new application except that a recommendation letter is no longer needed for reapplication.


2. For reapplication, the scholar must have:

• Must have a GWA of 2.25 or higher for each of the semesters of the previous academic year; and
• A progress report as a student in visual arts and cultural studies

3. A scholar who fails to be renewed may apply again in the succeeding academic year.


4. A recipient is barred from reapplying for one academic year if he/she:

• Receives a grade of 5.0; and
• Receives a GWA lower than 2.25

5. UPD-VACSSP Scholars covered by RA 10931 Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education or the no tuition policy may no longer apply for the tuition waiver but shall remain eligible for the stipend.