According to CHED, a total of 214 public higher education institutions – 103 LUCs, 111 state universities and colleges – are now covered by Republic Act No. 10931 or the free tuition law.
This law is an act promoting universal access to quality tertiary education by providing free tuition and other school fees in state and local universities and colleges, as well as state-run technical vocational institutions.
The free tuition only extends to government-funded educational institutions, such as SUCs and LUCs. However, students who prefer studying in private institutions or are pursuing a secondary undergraduate degree are provided with a different program, which is also mandated by this law.
Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) are educational institutions established by local government units through an ordinance and other enabling acts.
Despite limiting the free tuition fee to SUCs and LUCs, the law also puts into place financial assistance for students who are and will be enrolled in private institutions or for those who will be taking post-secondary degree education. These programs are in a form of subsidy and student loans, which the student needs to apply for first.
This law may provide free tuition fee for everyone, but it doesn’t mean it comes easy. To be granted with this privilege, the student must fulfill the basic requirements such as the following:
Tertiary-level and vocational students who wish to enjoy the free tuition subsidy under the enacted law may choose from as many as 214 public schools in Philippines
LIST of Universities and Colleges in ARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in ARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in CARAGA with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in CARAGA have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION I (Ilocos Region) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION I (Ilocos Region) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION II (Cagayan Valley) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION II (Cagayan Valley) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION III (Central Luzon) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION III (Central Luzon) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION IV-A (Calabarzon) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION IV-A (Calabarzon) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION IV-B (MIMAROPA) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION IV-B (MIMAROPA) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in NCR (National Capital Region) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in NCR (National Capital Region) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION V (Bicol Region) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION V (Bicol Region) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION VI (Western Visayas) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION VI (Western Visayas) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION VII (Central Visayas) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION VII (Central Visayas) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION VIII (Eastern Visayas) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION VIII (Eastern Visayas) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION X (Northern Mindanao) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION X (Northern Mindanao) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
LIST of Universities and Colleges in REGION XI (Davao Region) with FREE Tuition Fee
The following Universities and Colleges in REGION XI (Davao Region) have been included in CHED’s list of approved institutions that are covered by the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act:
The Commission on Higher Education is committed to fully implement RA 10931 to increase access to higher education so that more Filipino students, particularly those coming from the poor families, can go to college with government support,
The Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, officially designated as Republic Act 10931, is a Philippine law that institutionalizes free tuition and exemption from other fees in state universities and colleges (SUCs), and local universities and colleges (LUCs) in the Philippines. The law also foresees subsidies for private higher education institutions. It is intended to give underprivileged Filipino students a better chance to earn a college degree.
The law was filed first by senator Ralph Recto, principally sponsored by Senator Bam Aquino, and was signed by Rodrigo Duterte, President of the Philippines, on August 3, 2017. The bill is supported by almost all members of Congress In September 2017, the chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations announced that P40 billion had been gathered and that this amount would finance all expenses foreseen by the law for 2018.
On March 26, 2018, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) released the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) pertaining to the Act.
Before the signing of the bill by the President, the government took the view after intense political discussions that “the long-term benefits that will be derived from a well-developed tertiary education on the part of the citizenry will definitely outweigh any short-term budgetary challenges“. The government also stated that the “bottom 20 percent” was to have priority concerning the allocation of subsidies for education-related expenses.
Requirements and benefits
To continuously benefit from the law, students must meet all the admission and retention requirements. That is, they need to pass the admission and retention requirements of the universities, which includes finishing their degree on time and enrolling in the required number of units per year.
Persons who have already obtained a bachelor’s degree or comparable undergraduate degree from any public or private higher education institution are not eligible for free education.
The Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) foresee different benefits depending on the type of institution in which the student enrolls:
The law also includes provisions for student loans. According to the IRR, students with financial capacity may opt out of the benefits prescribed by the law