TL;DR: The active GSIS scholarship in 2026 is the GSIS Subsidy for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Program (GSSP), which pays a reported PHP 15,000 per academic year to about 1,000 qualified children of GSIS members entering STEM degree programs, with an application window that opened around June 30, 2026. The older GSIS Educational Subsidy Program (GESP), which covered any four or five year course, stopped accepting new applicants starting school year 2022-2023. Confirm current figures and deadlines directly with GSIS before applying.
Introduction
If you searched for "GSIS scholarship," you have probably run into conflicting information: some pages describe a program that pays PHP 10,000 a year for any college course, others describe a brand-new STEM-only subsidy worth PHP 15,000. Both are technically real, just from different years. GSIS has changed this program more than once, and the version currently open to new applicants is not the same one many older blog posts still describe.
This guide walks through what GSIS actually offers as of 2026: the current GSIS Subsidy for STEM Program (GSSP), what happened to the older GSIS Educational Subsidy Program (GESP), who typically qualifies as a member and as a dependent, what the benefits look like, and how the application process works. Because GSIS updates program details, amounts, and deadlines almost every cycle, treat every figure here as a starting point for your own verification, not a final number to plan your semester around.
What is the GSIS scholarship program, exactly?
GSIS, the Government Service Insurance System, has run more than one scholarship or educational subsidy brand over the years, which is why the name causes confusion.
- GSIS Scholarship Program (GSP) — an older program name that appears in GSIS application forms going back to at least 2017.
- GSIS Educational Subsidy Program (GESP) — a more recent version that gave qualified dependents of GSIS members yearly financial aid for any CHED-recognized four or five year course. According to a GSIS statement, GESP stopped accepting new applicants starting school year 2022-2023, though existing scholars already in the program kept receiving their subsidy.
- GSIS Subsidy for STEM Program (GSSP) — the newest iteration, announced by GSIS in January 2026 and opened for applications around mid-2026. This is the program currently accepting new applicants, and it is limited to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) degree programs.
If you are researching this scholarship in 2026 or later, GSSP is the program you should focus your application on. Older program names may still surface in search results and social media posts, so always check the publish date of anything you read about it.
Who is eligible for the GSIS scholarship?
To qualify for the current GSSP cycle, both the GSIS member (usually the parent) and the nominated student need to meet separate sets of requirements.
Member (parent) eligibility
- Must be an active, permanent GSIS member in government service, or a Permanent Total Disability (PTD) pensioner below 60 years old
- Reported priority cutoff is Salary Grade 15 and below, with members above that grade typically deprioritized or excluded
- Must have GSIS premium contributions paid and up to date, generally for the months immediately preceding application
- Can typically nominate only one child per member for the duration of the program
Dependent (student) eligibility
- Must be an incoming first-year college freshman for the covered academic year, not a continuing student
- Must be accepted into a STEM bachelor's degree program (engineering, computer science, information technology, math, or natural sciences) at a CHED-recognized school
- Must have a senior high school general weighted average (GWA) of at least 90%, with no failing grades
- Must maintain a minimum college GWA (reported around 85%) each term to continue receiving the subsidy
A portion of slots, reportedly around 20%, is typically set aside for children of Indigenous Peoples, solo parents, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) within the member base.
Important: eligibility rules, salary grade cutoffs, and premium payment requirements can change between application cycles. Confirm the exact criteria for the cycle you are applying to directly with GSIS before assuming you qualify.
What are the benefits of the GSIS scholarship?
The core benefit reported for the current GSSP cycle is a yearly cash subsidy, not full tuition coverage.
| Benefit | Reported Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annual education subsidy | Around PHP 15,000 per academic year | Per scholar, for the duration of the STEM course |
| Program duration | Up to 4 academic years per scholar | Covers AY 2026-2027 through roughly AY 2029-2030 per batch |
| Available slots | Around 1,000 new scholars per year | About 4,000 total across the program's run |
| Latin honors bonus | Reportedly PHP 20,000-50,000 one-time | Varies by honor level (Cum Laude to Summa Cum Laude) upon graduation |
For comparison, the older GESP program was reported to cover tuition and miscellaneous fees up to a cap plus a separate monthly living allowance, a more generous structure than the current STEM-only subsidy. Since GESP is closed to new applicants, this comparison is for context only, not something you can currently apply for.
Disclaimer: these figures come from GSIS announcements and news coverage available at the time of writing. GSIS has changed benefit amounts before and may do so again. Confirm the exact subsidy amount, payment schedule, and honors bonus for your specific application cycle on the official GSIS website or by contacting GSIS directly.
What are the requirements to apply?
Based on GSIS's published application guidance for the STEM subsidy, applicants typically need to prepare:
- Duly accomplished GSSP application form
- PSA-issued birth certificate of the nominated dependent (original or certified true copy)
- Certificate of Employment or Service Record of the GSIS member
- Certificate of acceptance or enrollment from the CHED-recognized school and STEM program
- Senior high school report card or equivalent showing the required GWA
- Additional documents for special categories (PWD certification, solo parent ID, or IP certification) where applicable
Requirements can vary slightly by cycle, and GSIS may add or drop documentary requirements. Always download the current application form and checklist from the official GSIS website rather than relying on a form from a previous year.
How and when do you apply for the GSIS scholarship?
- Watch for the official announcement. GSIS typically posts the opening of applications on its official website and social media pages.
- Confirm the application window. For the first GSSP batch, the reported window ran from around June 30 to August 31, 2026. Future cycles may use different dates.
- Prepare complete documents. Incomplete applications are commonly a leading cause of disqualification in government scholarship programs generally, so double-check every requirement before submitting.
- Submit through the official channel. GSIS scholarship applications are generally submitted through the nearest GSIS branch or the official online portal announced for that cycle. Do not submit personal documents through unofficial third-party sites.
- Wait for results and comply with continuing requirements. Once awarded, scholars typically need to maintain a minimum GWA and submit enrollment or grade documents each term to keep receiving the subsidy.
Because GSIS has opened and closed this program more than once in recent years, do not assume the application window will fall on the same dates every year. Check the official GSIS website close to the start of each school year for the current cycle's schedule.
GSSP vs. the older GESP: what changed?
| Feature | Older GESP | Current GSSP |
|---|---|---|
| Course coverage | Any CHED-recognized 4-5 year course | STEM courses only |
| Status | Closed to new applicants since SY 2022-2023 | Active, accepting new applicants |
| Reported benefit | Tuition and fees up to a cap, plus monthly allowance | Reported flat annual subsidy around PHP 15,000 |
| Target students | Broader student population | Incoming STEM freshmen with 90%+ GWA |
If a scholarship page you find online describes tuition coverage plus a monthly allowance under the "GSIS" name without mentioning STEM, it is very likely describing the discontinued GESP program rather than the current one. Cross-check the publish date and always land on the official GSIS site before applying.
How does this compare with other government student aid?
The GSIS scholarship is only open to dependents of GSIS members, which is a narrower pool than nationwide programs. If you or your family are not GSIS members, or if you are not taking a STEM course, broader options are worth comparing, including CHED's own student aid programs and other government scholarships covered in our government student aid guide. If you want a wider list of scholarship options for college students in general, see our scholarships for college students guide, and if you are specifically looking at STEM-focused funding, the DOST scholarship guide covers a well-established science and technology scholarship with a different eligibility path than GSIS.
Tips before you apply
- Verify the program name first. Search "GSIS scholarship" alone will surface outdated GESP content. Add "GSSP" or "STEM" to your search to find current information.
- Check your parent's salary grade and premium standing early. If SG 15 is the reported cutoff, confirm your parent's exact grade and payment status with their HR or GSIS records before assuming eligibility.
- Don't wait for the deadline. Application windows for government scholarships tend to be short, often just a couple of months, and slots are limited to roughly 1,000 per year.
- Have backup options ready. With slots this limited and eligibility this specific, apply to other scholarships in parallel. See our general guide on how to get a scholarship in the Philippines for a broader strategy.
- If your target school is private, look at institutional aid too. Some private universities layer their own grants on top of government subsidies. Our private university scholarships guide breaks down what individual schools offer.
Sources
- GSIS Scholarship Program (GSP) - Government Service Insurance System
- GSIS Educational Subsidy Program (GESP) - Government Service Insurance System
- GSIS to launch STEM Scholarship this year - GSIS official announcement, January 2026
- GSIS Educational Subsidy Program (GESP) has ended for new applications - Official GSIS Facebook page
- GSIS STEM Scholarship 2026-2027: Requirements & Qualifications - Iskolarships.com
- GSIS Scholarship 2026 | Requirements & How to Apply - Careers Filipino
- GSIS launches STEM subsidy program for members' children - Daily Tribune, June 17, 2026
- GSIS STEM Subsidy 2026: Who Qualifies for PHP 15,000 Grant? - The Asian Affairs
- GSIS Educational Subsidy Program | How to Apply - Scholarships PH
A note on accuracy: GSIS scholarship offerings, benefit amounts, and application windows have changed multiple times in recent years, and the GSIS official website blocked automated access at the time of writing, so several figures above are drawn from GSIS's own public announcements as reported by news outlets and scholarship-tracking sites rather than a live GSIS page. Before you apply, confirm the current program name, eligibility cutoffs, exact subsidy amount, and deadline directly with GSIS through its official website, its scholarship email/hotline, or your agency's HR office.
Find your next school with SchoolFinderPH
Whether you qualify for the GSIS scholarship or need to look at other ways to fund your education, SchoolFinderPH can help you compare schools, tuition, and programs across the Philippines to find the right fit for your budget and course.
