SEARCA Travel Grants of $1,200 Scholarship (2026) – Southeast Asia
Scholarship Description
The SEARCA Travel Grants Program offers funding of up to USD 1,200 to professionals, social scientists, and graduate students in Southeast Asia to support paper presentations or participation in conferences (face-to-face or online). As Southeast Asia's champion of excellence in agricultural and rural development, SEARCA aims to share findings, build networks, and foster collaborations that drive sustainable transformation of agricultural systems through innovation.
SEARCA is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to postgraduate study and research in agriculture and related fields. It was established in 1966 through a collaboration between the Philippine government and the University of the Philippines Los Baños, with support from the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). The Center is committed to advancing agricultural development and rural transformation in the region.
Scholarship Location
SEARCA Travel Grants support participation in conferences and scientific fora held anywhere in the world – either face-to-face or online. Priority is given to travel within the Southeast Asian region, but grants for travel outside the region may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Scholarship Deadline
SEARCA Travel Grants are awarded on a quarterly basis. Applications must be submitted through the SEARCA Grants Information System by the specified deadlines for each travel quarter.
Application Deadlines (by Travel Quarter):
1st Quarter Travel (July–September): 31 May
2nd Quarter Travel (October–December): 31 August
3rd Quarter Travel (January–March): 30 November
4th Quarter Travel (April–June): 28 February
Processing Timeline: Processing and shortlisting occurs in the 1st week of the month following the deadline; Committee Evaluation in the 2nd week; Notifications issued in the 3rd week.
Note: Quarters follow the fiscal year which starts on 1 July and ends on 30 June.
Host Institution
SEARCA (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture) – an intergovernmental organisation under the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO). The Center is based at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) campus in Laguna, Philippines, and serves 11 Southeast Asian member countries.
Level and Fields of Study
Target participants: Professionals, social scientists, and graduate students in agriculture and agriculture-related fields.
Fields/Research Areas: The paper or research must be aligned with SEARCA's priority thrusts that strategically contribute to:
- Increased farmers' income
- Improved food security and nutrition
- Greater climate resilience of agricultural systems
- Empowered farmers, farmer groups, and agricultural stakeholders and their institutions
Related fields include agricultural economics, rural development, environmental science, food science, agribusiness, natural resource management, climate change adaptation, sustainable agriculture, and agricultural innovation.
Target Group
Applicants must be nationals of Southeast Asian countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Priority 1: SEARCA Fellows, SEARCA graduate scholarship alumni, researchers at SEARCA-implemented projects, SFRT grantees, University Consortium members (faculty, staff, graduate students), SEARCA ongoing scholars, and faculty/staff under SEARCA's Institutional Development Assistance Program.
Priority 2: Regular staff members of non-profit development-oriented institutions and graduate students at agricultural universities in Southeast Asia that are not UC members.
Former travel grantees may re-apply if their previous travel grant was more than three years prior to their new application.
Scholarship Duration & Amount
Grant Amount: Up to USD 1,200 per grantee.
Coverage (Face-to-Face): Event registration fees and materials, airfare, accommodation/board and lodging, local transportation, meals not covered by the event, visa application fees (must not exceed the maximum amount of USD 1,200).
Coverage (Online): Event registration fees and materials (must not exceed the maximum amount of USD 1,200).
Duration: Single event participation (one-time grant). The grant supports attendance at a specific conference or forum.
📊 Summary of Benefits:
Amount: Up to USD 1,200
Coverage: Registration fees + Airfare + Accommodation + Local transportation + Meals + Visa (face-to-face) / Registration fees only (online)
Scholarship Eligibility
Eligibility criteria:
- Nationality: Southeast Asian nationals (Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam).
- Paper alignment: The paper should be aligned with SEARCA's priority thrusts (increased farmers' income, improved food security and nutrition, greater climate resilience, empowered stakeholders).
- Paper presentation: Priority is given to paper presentations at international or local scientific conferences/fora (face-to-face or online). Poster presentations may be considered depending on application volume.
- Exemptions: On a case-to-case basis, paper presentations may not be required if attendance to a conference/forum is expected to result in establishing formal linkages, partnerships, collaborations, and strong development impacts.
- Travel location: Priority is given to travel within Southeast Asia. Grants for travel outside the region may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Priority groups: SEARCA Fellows, alumni, researchers, University Consortium members, and SEARCA scholars (Priority 1); staff of development institutions and graduate students (Priority 2).
- Re-application: Former travel grantees may re-apply if their previous grant was more than three years ago.
✅ Eligible Candidates
- Nationals of Southeast Asian countries (11 SEARCA member states).
- Professionals, social scientists, or graduate students in agriculture-related fields.
- Paper/poster presenters at relevant conferences.
- Research aligned with SEARCA's priority thrusts.
- Priority 1: SEARCA Fellows, alumni, University Consortium members.
- Priority 2: Development staff, graduate students at non-member universities.
❌ Ineligible Candidates
- Non-Southeast Asian nationals.
- Applicants whose papers are not aligned with SEARCA's priority thrusts.
- Those not presenting a paper (unless approved for partnership purposes).
- Former grantees whose last grant was less than 3 years ago.
- Applicants outside the priority groups (Priority 1 and 2).
Application Procedure
- Prepare required documents – Gather the following:
- Letter expressing interest addressed to: Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director, SEARCA
- Recommendation letter from immediate head/supervisor/major professor (if applicable)
- Two-page summary (single-spaced, A4) of the paper to be presented
- Copy of the conference organiser's letter of acceptance of the paper
- Copy of the conference program
- Detailed budget breakdown
- Proof of funding support from other organisations (if travel is beyond Southeast Asia)
- Applicant's curriculum vitae
- Apply online – All applications must be submitted through the SEARCA Grants Information System. Applications submitted via email or hard copies will not be processed.
- Complete the online form – Fill out the online submission form completely and upload all required documents for the application to proceed.
- Wait for notification – Due to the high volume of applications received per quarter, only shortlisted applicants will be notified.
- Grant utilisation – Successful applicants must comply with post-event requirements (see below).
Post-Event Requirements (submit within 7 days after the conference):
- Travel report highlighting observations, learning, and recommendations
- Publishable version of the scientific paper presented
- Copy of the presentation (PowerPoint file)
- Short news article about the conference/forum highlights
- Detailed expense report with original copies of plane tickets, boarding passes, and official receipts
Important notes: All communications regarding the application will be done through the Grants Information System. If you encounter any issues with the online system, email [email protected] for assistance. Acknowledgement of SEARCA in the paper presentation is required using the PowerPoint template provided to the grantee.
Official Website & Application Link
SEARCA Travel Grants Official Page
Application System: SEARCA Grants Information System (available on the SEARCA website)
Contact Email: [email protected]
Contact Address: Research and Thought Leadership Department, SEARCA, UPLB Campus, College, Los Baños, 4031 Laguna, Philippines
Telephone: +63 49 554-9330 to 39, +63 49 536-2290, +63 2 8657-1300 to 02 (local 3400 to 3403)
💡 Final Thoughts and Key Requirements
The SEARCA Travel Grants Program offers an excellent opportunity for Southeast Asian professionals and graduate students to share their research, build networks, and advance agricultural and rural development in the region. With up to $1,200 in funding, researchers can attend conferences locally or internationally without the burden of travel costs.
Key strategies for a successful application:
- Ensure your paper aligns with SEARCA's priority thrusts (farmers' income, food security, climate resilience, empowerment).
- Apply early — applications are reviewed quarterly, and only shortlisted candidates are notified.
- If you are a SEARCA Fellow, alum, or University Consortium member, highlight this in your application (Priority 1 status).
- Prepare a strong two-page paper summary and a detailed budget breakdown.
- Secure a letter of acceptance from the conference organiser.
- If applying for travel outside Southeast Asia, provide proof of funding support from other organisations.
- Be prepared to submit post-event requirements within 7 days of the conference.
Important reminders: All applications must be submitted online through the SEARCA Grants Information System — email or hard copy submissions will not be processed. Former grantees can only re-apply after 3 years. Priority is given to paper presenters, but poster presenters may be considered depending on the volume of applications.
SEARCA Travel Grants of $1,200 – FAQ
What does the SEARCA Travel Grant cover?
Up to $1,200 for event registration fees, airfare, accommodation, local transportation, meals not covered by the event, and visa application (face-to-face). For online participation, it covers registration fees and materials only.
Who is eligible to apply?
Nationals of Southeast Asian countries (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam) who are professionals, social scientists, or graduate students in agriculture-related fields presenting papers at conferences.
What are the application deadlines?
Deadlines are quarterly: 31 May (July–September travel), 31 August (October–December travel), 30 November (January–March travel), and 28 February (April–June travel).
How do I apply for the SEARCA Travel Grant?
Applications must be submitted online through the SEARCA Grants Information System. Email and hard copy submissions are not accepted.
Can I apply if I am not presenting a paper?
On a case-to-case basis, paper presentations may not be required if attendance is expected to result in establishing formal linkages, partnerships, collaborations, and strong development impacts.
Can I re-apply for a travel grant?
Yes, former travel grantees may re-apply if their previous travel grant was more than three years prior to their new application.
What post-event requirements must I submit?
Within 7 days after the conference, you must submit a travel report, publishable paper, PowerPoint presentation, news article, and detailed expense report with receipts.
Can I travel outside Southeast Asia with this grant?
Priority is given to travel within Southeast Asia. Grants for travel outside the region may be considered on a case-to-case basis with proof of funding support from other organisations.