Wherever I am, the world comes after me.
It offers me its busyness. It does not believe that I do not want it.
Now I understand why the old poets of China went so far
and high into the mountains, then crept into the pale mist.
"The Old Poets of China" by Mary Oliver

TriCollege Applications Now Open! | First Semester, AY 2025-2026

Details
The TriCollege Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program is now accepting applications for the August/September 2025 intake (First Semester, Academic Year 2025-2026). The deadline for application is on 11 July 2025.

APPLICATION PERIOD NOW OPEN!

The application for the TriCollege Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program is NOW OPEN. The deadline for applications is 11 July 2025.
For more information about the requirements and instructions, please visit bit.ly/phdtricollege.
For questions and concerns, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

TRICOLLEGE PHILIPPINE STUDIES PROGRAM

Philippine Studies is an academic discipline encompassing the study of Filipino society and culture and its constituent ethnolinguistic groups. The Tri-College Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program is jointly offered by the Asian Center (AC), the College of Arts and Letters (CAL), and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP) of the University of the Philippines Diliman.
The program seeks to problematize the distinct identity of Filipinos, produce specialists capable of identifying and studying Philippine programs using multi- and interdisciplinary approaches and methodologies, expose students to different disciplinal perspectives, and impart a holistic approach to Philippine problems.

BRIEF LIST OF REQUIREMENTS

Below is the list of requirements for the TriCollege Ph.D. Philippine Studies Program. The deadline for application is on 11 July 2025.
1.  MA or MS degree from a recognized institution of learning with a Grade weighted average of 1.75 or better (MA) 
2.   Online application form
3.   Letter of application addressed to the Chairperson of the Chair, Philippine Studies Council, UP Diliman and CAL Dean, Dr. Jimmuel C. Naval
4.   Duly accomplished Personal Data Form (Word • PDF)
5.  A two-page description of the proposed dissertation with a multi-disciplinary orientation to be presented to the Admissions Committee (Download Form)
6.   Three (3) letters of recommendation from former professors or experts from the applicant's discipline(s) /areas(s) of study
7.   Original AND photocopy of Transcript of Records (TOR) from last/current school attended (Transcript must comply with these guidelines)
If you are requesting your TOR, please ask for a copy marked "Copy for UP Diliman." The Asian Center will accept for its own evaluation purposes a TOR that complies with the transcript guidelines above, but an original hard copy of the TOR marked with "Copy for UP Diliman" will eventually be submitted to the Office of the University Registrar if the applicant is accepted into the program
8.   Two (2) passport-sized photos
9.   PSA Birth Certificate: Original AND Photocopy
10.   PSA Marriage Certificate: Original AND photocopy (for married female applicants)
11.   Application fee
               ○   PhP 100 for Filipino Students
               ○   USD 25 for international applicants

Additional Requirements:

1.   Certificate of Transfer Credentials (for graduates of non-UP Diliman universities. For more details, visit bit.ly/phdtricollege)
2.   For international applicants (see "International Applicants" tab on the left for additional requirements bit.ly/phdtricollege)
3.   Computation of GWA via GWA Form.  View sample computation  |  View Grade Conversion Guide

HOW TO APPLY?

STEP 1.    Send the soft copy of all requirements as one zipped file to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., with filename: "Last Name, First Name - 1st Sem 25-26".zip.
STEP 2.    Original documents should also be submitted personally for verification and evaluation purposes, by a representative, or via courier of your choice.
                      Address the documents to Ms. Bless Desabelle Merjudio, TriCollege Program Staff. This can still be done until after the deadline for admissions. 
STEP 3.    Interviews of shortlisted candidates will be conducted. Applicants will be notified via email. 
STEP 4.    All applicants will be notified of the results. Accepted applicants await further instructions/updates.
For questions and concerns, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The UP Asian Center offers M.A. degrees in Asian Studies with four fields of specialization: Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The Center also has an M.A. program in Philippine Studies that allows students to major in Philippine society and culture, Philippine foreign relations, or Philippine development studies. The Center offers a Ph.D. program in Philippine Studies in conjunction with the College of Arts and Letters and the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy. For an overview of these graduate programs, click here. The Asian Center also publishes Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, the latest issue of which can be downloaded at the journal's website. For other news and upcoming events at the Asian Center, click here.