PURPOSE
1. To assist teaching employees in completing a graduate/ post-graduate degree aligned with their field of specialization, thereby upgrading their academic qualifications.
2. To ensure compliance with the standards established by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Education (DepEd), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and other local and international partner accrediting agencies by increasing the number of teaching employees with appropriate graduate and post-graduate degrees.
3. To utilize the university’s support in helping to boost employee engagement and productivity, which complies with the vision and mission of the university
SCOPE
This policy supports the Tuition Waiver for Employees policy. It applies to all teaching employees with an assigned full-time teaching load as provided by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Additionally, this policy shall cover enrollment to other universities in the Philippines, provided that the graduate degree program is not offered at the University of Baguio.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Teaching Employee – refers to an employee who is formally engaged in actual teaching and research assignments on a full-time basis
REFERENCE MATERIALS
DETAILED POLICIES
1. The University of Baguio only supports fifty percent (50%) of tuition fees.
2. The employee shall be in good health, as attested by the University physician or a government health facility.
3. The employee shall not have been previously disqualified from this program due to violation and/or non-compliance with the established policies.
4. The employee shall be willing and able to comply with the other terms and conditions outlined in the Return of Service Agreement.
5. The teaching employee shall enroll in a Master’s or Doctoral degree program aligned with their Bachelor’s degree.
6. The Master’s or Doctoral degree program selected for the study grant should be recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).
7. The maximum study load shall be based on the teacher’s performance evaluation or similar assessment during the semester immediately preceding the scholarship’s start. The total load of a teaching employee shall not exceed thirty-nine (39) hours for any given semester or twenty-seven (27) hours for short-term, including teaching and study loads. Any deviation from this policy shall require the President’s approval upon a favorable recommendation from the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
| PERFORMANCE EVALUATION | MAXIMUM STUDY LOAD |
| 3.0 to 3.50 | 6 units |
| 3.51 to 4.0 | 12 units |
The total load of a teaching employee shall not exceed thirty-nine (39) hours for any given semester or twenty-seven (27) hours for short-term, including teaching and study loads. Any deviation from this policy shall require the approval of the President upon a favorable recommendation from the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
8. The University of Baguio shall not allow the following under the study grant:
- Shifting to another degree program;
- Enrollment in two graduate programs simultaneously; and
- Enrolment in a second Master’s or Doctoral degree. Teaching employees shall be allowed to enroll in a second Master’s or Doctoral program if needed for alignment purposes.
9. The following are not covered by the study grant:
- Additional courses enrolled that are not part of the curriculum;
- Refresher courses taken when the faculty exceeded the duration of the program; and
- Other requirements of an enrolled subject in the graduate program include attendance at seminars and training.
10. The study grant shall be for a maximum period of three (3) academic years for a Master’s degree and four (4) academic years for a Doctoral degree. Any extension request shall include a justification and receive endorsement from the Dean or Principal, and approval from the Vice President for Administration and the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
11. A teaching employee who withdraws/ drops subjects after the enrollment period or incurs failing grades shall pay for the re-enrollment of said subjects.
12. The study grant shall be temporarily suspended if the teaching employee incurs two incomplete grades at any given time. It shall be reinstated after the grantee completes the grades for the incomplete courses.
13. The Administration may disqualify a teaching employee from this grant if, after due process is observed, the teaching employee shows no intention to finish the degree being taken. Withdrawing, dropping, failing, or incurring incomplete grades for two (2) consecutive semesters or in more than three (3) semesters, even if not consecutive, shall be considered prima facie evidence of lack of intention to finish the degree being taken.
14. The teaching employee shall render a return of service to the University equivalent to one (1) semester for every semester of scholarship. One short-term period shall be counted as 0.5 semesters. If the teaching employee has no teaching load and enrolls for short-term, the tuition fee shall not be counted for return of service.
15. The return of service shall commence only upon the degree’s completion. Any period during the study grant shall not count as a return of service. If the teaching employee leaves or transfers school before completing the degree, they shall pay all discounted school fees. If the teaching employee leaves before completing the required return of service, they shall pay for the unserved semesters.
16. If the Administration terminates the teaching employee’s services before completing the stipulated return of service due to reasons beyond their control, the teaching employee shall not be required to pay all incurred fees. However, if the teaching employee is terminated for cause, they shall pay all discounted school fees.
17. If a teaching employee finishes their Master’s degree and wishes to pursue a Doctorate degree, the duration of return of service shall accumulate and commence immediately after completing the Doctorate degree. If the teaching employee starts rendering a return of service and applies for a Doctorate degree scholarship, the return of service shall be temporarily suspended. Unserved semesters from the previous study grant shall be added to the return of service for the current scholarship.
18. For teaching employees with prior earned units who apply for a study grant, the scholarship shall begin in the semester enrolled when the application is approved. The same shall apply to the count of return of service.
19. The study grant shall be covered by a scholarship contract between the teaching employee and the University. The contract shall be signed before enrollment in the Master’s or Doctoral program. After completing the degree, HRMC shall issue another contract for the return of service.
ADMINISTRATION
The Human Resource Management Center (HRMC) Director shall administer this policy.