The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), through its Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD), held a virtual information session to discuss its Full Master's and PhD Scholarships for Academic Year 2026–2027.
The annual event aimed to guide aspiring graduate students amid growing interest in the Center's scholarship offerings and to introduce opportunities for advanced studies in Southeast Asia, particularly for nationals of SEAMEO member countries, namely, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
SEARCA presented its priority thrusts under its 12th Five-Year Development Plan and provided an overview of its scholarship program in preparation for the call for applications in August 2025.
Applicants are encouraged to align their proposed thesis or dissertation topics with SEARCA's priority thrusts to increase farmers' income, improve food security and nutrition, increase climate resilience of agricultural systems, and empower agricultural stakeholders and their institutions.
The session also detailed the full scholarship package, eligibility criteria, application process, and deadlines for AY 2026-2027.
A walkthrough of ISCHO, SEARCA's online scholarship application portal, demonstrated how to complete the application form, upload documents, and avoid submission errors such as missing requirements and unanswered fields.
The session concluded with a Q&A segment led by Dr. Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, Senior Program Head of ECLD, who offered personalized scholarship guidance, answered inquiries on application requirements, and highlighted future scholarship opportunities. She emphasized the importance of qualifications and competitive advantages in SEARCA's evaluation process.
The call for scholarship applications for AY 2026-2027 opens on 1 August and closes on 30 September 2025. For more information, visit https://www.searca.org/scholarships.