Funding Your MSU Education: SASE Scholarships and Other Options

Funding Your MSU Education: SASE Scholarships and Other Options

An MSU education can cost a family far less than a private university. Here's how the main funding pieces fit together — and where to check the current rules.

1. Free tuition under RA 10931

MSU has implemented RA 10931, the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act (the free college tuition law), since AY 2018–19. Eligible students at state universities like MSU don't pay tuition. You'll still need to budget for living costs — food, boarding if you move away from home, transport, books and supplies — plus any fees your campus charges that the law doesn't cover. Ask your campus which fees apply.

2. MSU's own academic scholarships

The SASE isn't only an admission test — it's also how MSU screens for its academic scholarships. According to MSU Main's Office of Admissions:

• SASE passers are grouped by status, including academic scholars (full and partial), Special Muslim Grants, qualifiers for AB/BS programmes, and College Bound Program passers.
• Scholarships go to examinees who also meet the scholarship requirements. Passing the SASE alone doesn't make you a scholar.
• Scholars must pass all subjects and keep the required grade point average, complete any incomplete grades on time, and generally can't shift to another programme without losing the scholarship.
• Scholarships can also end if funds run out.

If you take the College Entrance Test (CET) instead of the SASE, you can't receive MSU's university scholarships, even with a perfect score. So if a scholarship matters to you, take the SASE.

MSU doesn't publish the score needed for each status or the benefit amounts on the pages we checked — ask your campus's Office of Admissions or scholarship office.

3. DOST-SEI for science and engineering

If you're heading into a priority science, technology, engineering or mathematics programme, apply for the DOST-SEI undergraduate scholarship too. For the 2026 scholarships, DOST-SEI's benefits included:

• tuition and fees up to ₱40,000 per academic year
• a ₱8,000 monthly living allowance
• a ₱10,000 yearly learning materials and connectivity allowance
• plus thesis, graduation, transportation and clothing allowances and insurance

At a free-tuition state university, the living allowance is what makes the biggest difference. The qualifying exam for the 2027 scholarships is on 14–15 November 2026; applications closed on 17 September 2026. See the DOST-SEI guide and what the scholarship pays.

4. Other options

• Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) — created by RA 10931 for qualified students; check the rules with your campus and UniFAST.
• CHED scholarships and grants, such as Tulong Dunong — check CHED's current guidelines and amounts.
• LGU scholarships from your province, city or municipality.
• Private and company scholarships.

Rules and amounts change, so confirm each one with the office that runs it. Our government scholarships overview has more.

Who benefits most

• Students from Mindanao who can study close to home, keeping living costs down
• Science and engineering students who can combine free tuition with a DOST-SEI living allowance
• Strong SASE takers who can qualify for MSU's academic scholarships

Where Super Tutor fits

A higher SASE score helps with both admission and MSU's scholarships. Super Tutor's MSU-SASE reviewer and DOST-SEI reviewer are built on the same college-entrance chapters — mathematics, science, language proficiency, abstract reasoning and general information — each in 11 study formats with practice quizzes, an AI tutor and a study planner. Each plan covers one exam. Start free — 5-day trial, no card needed.

What to read next

The MSU-SASE pillar guide covers the exam and a prep plan. The DOST-SEI guide covers the scholarship exam.