The Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture

The Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) was established by Ministers of Education of South Asia (SEAMEO) in 1966, the first place “to meet the participating countries a high quality study in the cycle of agriculture, promote, conduct and coordinate research programs related to needs and problems of the South-East Asia, and disseminate the results of agricultural research and the experimentation. “The Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) invites applications for Postgraduate Scholarship (Master’s and PhD) in agriculture and related fields (including biological, social, economic and statistics, forestry and fisheries, environmental science, agro-industrial technology and engineering, biochemistry and management development).

PhD Research Scholarship
Launched in November 2005, the SEARCA PhD Research Scholarship provides financial support to a limited number of qualified PhD students whose researches are relevant to the priority thrusts of SEARCA.

This scholarship program aims to:

1. Provide PhD students the opportunity to use the resources and facilities available at SEARCA and its network of universities for their research;
2. Produce quality research papers for publication; and
3. Enable them to work with SEARCA’s R&D personnel on mutually identified areas of concerns/interests in agriculture and rural development.

Eligibility for the Grant
Any graduate student who is a citizen of any SEAMEO member country and pursuing a PhD in agriculture or related sciences from any university in the world is eligible to apply for the scholarship.

The applicant must have already completed his/her course work with an approved dissertation proposal and is ready to conduct the dissertation research.The applicant’s research must focus on any of SEARCA’s priority thrusts under the broad themes of natural resource management and promotion of agricultural competitiveness.

Application Requirements

• Filled out Application Form (see below);
• Letter of application for the research scholarship;
• Recommendation letter from the Dean of Graduate School of the university where the student is pursuing his/her degree program;
• Dissertation research outline/proposal approved by the Advisory Committee and Dean of Graduate School;
• Budgetary requirement for the entire research duly attested and recommended by the major adviser and Dean of Graduate School;
• Certified transcript of academic records for all courses taken at the PhD level;
• Curriculum vitae;
• Letter from the student certifying that he/she is not receiving any other research grant from any other institution. If partial funding has been obtained from other sources, a certification from the funding agency indicating the amount of grant and the items in the research that are covered by the grant; and
• Research timetable indicating the activities involved in the research, the expected date of defense and expected date of seminar paper presentation.

Application deadlines are 1 April and 1 September.
Applications should be addressed to:
Dr. Editha C. Cedicol, Manager of Graduate Scholarship Department, SEARCA, Los Baños 4031 Laguna, Philippines
PhD Research Scholarship

• SEARCA PhD Research Scholarship application form
• PhD Research Scholarship Invitation for Applications

MS/PhD Scholarships
Its people are Southeast Asia’s most potent force for progress. Hence, agricultural human resource development has been SEARCA’s primary goal since its establishment. SEARCA is one of the “centers of excellence” established by SEAMEO. As such, SEARCA assists SEAMEO member countries in producing highly trained human resources in agriculture and related sciences to accelerate agricultural and rural development in Southeast Asia.

Two of SEARCA’s activities that carry out this mandate are the Graduate Study Program and the University Consortium. Both activities are handled by the Graduate Scholarship Department (GSD).

This degree scholarship was initiated in academic year 1968-69 and aims to ensure the relevance and responsiveness of Southeast Asia’s agricultural scientists and professionals to global sustainable development issues.

The program provides support for advanced studies leading to the MS and PhD degrees in agriculture, forestry, and related fields. Thus, SEARCA aims to prepare grantees for positions of leadership in developing economies of SEAMEO member countries.

Applicants may also view information on benefits and privileges of scholars, places of study, application procedures, where to apply, recruitment procedures, and conditions of the grant.

Benefits and Privileges
The SEARCA scholarship offers the following benefits and privileges:
Financial Support covers stipend, tuition, international and domestic travel allowances, thesis/dissertation support, book allowance, and health insurance. The domestic travel allowance is sometimes allowed to support registration fees in training courses/seminars/ workshops.

Discounted Accommodation. Scholars are encouraged to stay at the SEARCA Residence Hotel (SRH) to meet other graduate students of different nationalities. Scholars who bring their families with them can stay in SEARCA apartments, also at subsidized rental fee.

Assistance with Student Visa Processing. The Center takes care of processing the extension of its scholars’ student visas for the duration of their scholarship.

Computer Purchase Loan. This is given to scholars without interest and payable to the Center in a specified number of months through automatic stipend deduction.

In-house and Other Training Courses or Seminars. Scholars may avail of these training courses upon request, especially in fields related to their studies. Official functions like the weekly SEARCA Agriculture and Development Seminar Series are also open to them. They are, therefore, exposed to exchange of ideas outside their classrooms.

Use of SEARCA Facilities. Facilities open to SEARCA scholars are the Center’s Library and Email Room. Scholars studying at UPLB are given free SEARCA e-mail accounts and e-mail access.

Participation in Sociocultural Activities. SEARCA scholars are introduced to the SEARCA family through orientation/ welcome party. Being part of the SEARCA family, they are invited to the Center’s summer outing, sportsfest, anniversary celebration, and Christmas parties.

Counseling. Scholars who are experiencing academic difficulties and those with personal problems may seek guidance from the Graduate Scholarship Department.

Places of Study
Any of the following universities, as well as those that have institutional arrangements with SEARCA, may serve as study posts of SEARCA MS and PhD scholars:

• University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB)Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines
• Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
• Kasetsart University (KU)Bangkok, Thailand
• Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB)Bogor, Indonesia
• University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD)Quezon City, Philippines
• University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV)Miag-ao, Iloilo, Philippines
• Thammasat UniversityThailand
• National University of SingaporeSingapore
• University of IndonesiaJakarta, Indonesia
• Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM)Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Five of these universities are members of the Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources. SEARCA serves as the Secretariat of the University Consortium.

SEARCA reserves the right to make the final decision on the choice of ten scholars’ study post. Therefore, applicants are required to submit to SEARCA applications for admission to the Graduate Schools of three universities in the list.

Where to Apply

Indonesia
THE HEADBureau for International CooperationMinistry of Education and CultureGedung C. Lantai 7Jln Jenderal SudirmanSenayan, Jakarta 10270 IndonesiaTel: (62-21) 581 665, 582 954, 584 477Fax: (62-21) 573 6870

THE MINISTERMinistry of AgricultureRoom No. 3, 5th Floor, Building C, Jl. HarsonoRagunan, Pasar MingguJakarta, IndonesiaTel: (62-21) 581 665, 582 954, 584 477Fax (62-21) 573 8181, 572 0162

THE MINISTERMinistry of Forestry and Estate CropsManggala WanabhaktiJl. Jen Gatot Subroto, Jakarta 10270 IndonesiaTel: (62-21) 573 0213, 573 0475Fax: (62-21) 573 8732

Any interested national of a SEAMEO member country may apply for scholarship. Applications may be submitted to any one of the following Ministries of his/her own country:

• Ministy of Education
• Ministry of Agriculture
• Ministry of Forestry
• Ministry of Fisheries
• Ministry of Rural Development

Application forms and information brochures on the universities that may serve as study posts of SEARCA scholars are available at these Ministries.
Each applicant is required to submit the following documents:

• SEARCA Scholarship Application Form (2 copies);
• Application forms for admission to the Graduate School of the universities where the applicant may pursue graduate studies under SEARCA scholarship;
• Official transcript of academic records of each degree completed (BS transcript for MS applicants and BS and MS transcripts for PhD applicants);
• Certification of employment;
• A two-page write-up on agricultural competitiveness or natural resource management;
• A brief description of the research that the applicant plans to conduct for thesis/dissertation . The research topic must be in line with the priority thrusts of SEARCA. (SEARCA Five-Year Plan may be viewed athttp://www.searca. org/web/e_ library/reports/ SEARCA%208th% 20Five-Year% 20Plan.pdf);
• Two copies of passport-size pictures of the applicant;
• Certification from a medical doctor that the applicant is in good physical and mental health condition and is fit to undertake graduate studies;
• Official endorsement from the employer;
• Results of Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL): score of 550 for paper-based and 213 for computer-based) or IELTS results (6.0). The TOEFL results must be issued by Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Check the schedule and venue of TOEFL tests in your country athttp://www.ets. org/Media/ Tests/TOEFL/ tclists/BOTH_ a.htmlor download copy of the schedule here .

Application Forms
• UP Los Baños Graduate School (UPLB GS)
• UPLB GS Form No. 1 (Application) download
• UPLB GS Form No. 2 (Recommendation) download
• UPLB GS Form No. 3 (English Proficiency) download
• UP Diliman (UPD)
• College of Science download
• School of Economics download
• UP Visayas (UPV)
• Graduate Program in Fisheries download
• Graduate Program in Marine Affairs download
• Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) – Graduate Program
• Kasetsart University (KU) – Graduate Program
• Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) – Graduate Program
• Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) – Graduate Program


Contact detail: gsd@agri.searca. org or ecc@agri.searca. org
More info:http://www.searca. org/web/scholars hip/regular_ scholarships/ degree/index. html