Promising students who finished their bachelor’s degree and are now pursuing postgraduate education will want to check out the AD ASTRA Scholarships Program for financial assistance by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA).
AD ASTRA, which stands for Advanced Degrees for Accelerating Strategic Space R&D and Applications, is a program by the Philippine Space Agency that grants full, partial, lateral and sandwich scholarships to deserving individuals who are aiming to earn postgraduate degrees that are relevant to space science and technology.
Who are eligible for the PhilSA AD ASTRA scholarship program?
Applicants must be Filipino citizens who haven’t yet reached 45 years of age when applying for masters and doctorate scholarships or 50 years for standalone sandwich programs. They must be in good health and good moral character, without criminal records and administrative cases. They must at least have earned a bachelor’s degree.
In addition, applicants must already have confirmed acceptance to a higher educational institution or university, either local or international, prior to application along with a plan for their research, thesis or dissertation. They should also have no existing service obligations from other scholarships.
Which postgraduate degrees are prioritized by the AD ASTRA scholarship program?
To name a few, the relevant postgraduate fields related to space science and technology are:
- Aerospace Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Planetary Science
- Software Engineering
- Space Education, Industry, Law or Diplomacy
- System Engineering
Philippine Space Agency AD ASTRA requirements
- Updated Curriculum Vitae
- Photocopy of birth certificate
- Medical certificate
- Duly accomplished PhilSA Scholarship Program Application Form (Form 1)
- Certificate of No Pending Administrative Case
- Valid NBI Clearance
- Certified True Copy of Diploma/Certificate of Graduation
- Passport-sized photo
- Recommendation letters from 3 academic professors or supervisors (Form 2)
- Proof of acceptance in the University or host institution
- Research and Career Plans (Form 3)
- Certificate of No Pending Service Obligation
- Certified True Copy of Grades/Transcript of Records
- Duly accomplished Proposed Budget Form (Form 4)
When is the application deadline of the PhilSA AD ASTRA scholarship program?
Applications started in late 2021, with the first batch of scholars already accepted into the program on April 20. The deadline for the second batch of applicants have been recently extended to the 22nd of July 2022.
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What expenses are covered by the AD ASTRA scholarship program?
The program will provide various financial benefits to the scholars. These include tuition and other school fees coverage, along with allowances to cover costs involving the scholar’s research, thesis or dissertation such as mentor’s fee and research dissemination.
Scholars will also receive stipends for books, accommodation, food, transportation, disability support if applicable, and extra-curricular activities related to their study. Scholars will also gain membership into the PhilSA Scholars Group.
How do you apply to the PhilSA AD ASTRA scholarship program?
Applicants will need to gather requirements and/or fill up documents, including the application forms that PhilSA uploaded on Google Drive. As proof of their eligibility, applicants will need to submit their most recent curriculum vitae, transcript of records, diploma, medical certification, NBI clearance, among others.
The full details of the AD ASTRA scholarship program are available on the official PhilSA website. You may contact the space agency via email at scholarships@philsa.gov.ph and various social media channels.