While the SM scholarship program supports 1,500 scholars every year, school year 2016-2017 though is unique. There will be fewer scholars matriculating for four- and five-year baccalaureate degrees due to the full implementation of K-12 basic education curriculum.
 
Grade 10 students of school year 2015-2016 will be the pioneer Senior High School Students as stipulated in Republic Act 10533, thus becoming the first batch to take on the additional two years of basic education.
 
In the past, regular SM college scholars were enrolled in over 80 partner colleges and universities nationwide.
 
Yearly, the Foundation welcomes a new batch of scholars to fill in the slots left by scholar graduates.
 
For school year 2015-2016, it opened its doors to 275 new scholars.
 
According to Carmen Linda AtaydeSMFI Executive Director for Education, this schoolyear “we count a few scholars coming from the experimental Senior High School classes conducted by DepEd. There may also be a select few who may have passed previous scholarship screening but opted to postpone schooling.”
 
Inspite of fewer college scholars for the coming schoolyear, SM Foundation will honor its commitment to assist financially-constrained students with their education by strengthening its Technical-Vocational Scholarship Program.
 
Its longtime partnership with Don Bosco Makati Technical Institute has afforded training for those inclined to pursue technical/vocational courses including out-of-school youths.
 
At present, the Foundation maintains 40 scholars at the Don Bosco Makati Technical Institute’s Technical Vocational Education Training Center (TVET).
 
Eleanor Lansang, SM Foundation, Inc. Education Program Manager, said the Foundation is increasing the number of technical/vocational scholarship slots to 1,000 in various Don Bosco schools nationwide and in other technical/vocational institutions.