A Certificate of Good Moral Character is one of the easiest scholarship requirements to obtain and one of the easiest to get wrong. It is usually free, often issued the same day — and routinely rejected because it was signed by the wrong person or issued for the wrong purpose.
Here is who issues it, who must sign it, and the specific detail several Philippine scholarship programs require that most applicants never think to ask for.
What Is a Certificate of Good Moral Character?
It is a document certifying that you have no record of serious disciplinary infractions and are of good standing in the institution or community issuing it. Scholarship panels use it as a basic character screen, alongside your grades and income documents.
There are two kinds, and they are not interchangeable:
| School-issued | Barangay-issued | |
|---|---|---|
| Issued by | Guidance office, principal, or registrar | Barangay hall |
| Covers | Your conduct as a student | Your standing as a resident |
| Usually required for | Scholarships, transfers, college admission | Employment, some LGU programs |
For scholarships, assume the school-issued version unless the requirement sheet says otherwise. Applicants who are out of school for a time may be asked for the barangay version instead.
The signature detail that gets certificates rejected. Some programs require more than the principal’s signature. Cebu’s CP-GIFTS requires a Certificate of Good Moral Character signed by the school principal and endorsed by the district supervisor. A certificate carrying only the principal’s signature does not meet that requirement. Read your requirement sheet for signatory wording before you request the document, because getting a district supervisor’s endorsement afterwards means going back through the school and the division office.
How to Request It
- Go to your school’s guidance office — this is the usual issuing office. Some schools route it through the registrar or the principal’s office instead.
- State the exact purpose. Say "for scholarship application" and name the scholarship. The purpose is printed on the certificate, and one issued for a different purpose can be refused.
- Specify the required signatories if your scholarship names them — principal, guidance counsellor, district supervisor, or dean.
- Request the number of copies you need. Ask for two or three; most offices keep what you submit.
- Pay the fee if there is one. Public schools generally issue it free; private schools may charge a small documentary fee.
- Check it before leaving — name spelling, school year covered, purpose, date, signatures, and the school’s dry seal.
What to bring
- Valid school ID or government ID
- Your latest report card or certificate of enrolment, if requested
- The scholarship’s requirement sheet, so the office can match the wording
- An authorization letter and IDs if someone is requesting on your behalf
If you have already graduated
Request it from your last school attended. The guidance office keeps records after graduation, though older records may take longer to retrieve. If the school has closed, contact the DepEd Schools Division Office for the area.
How Long It Takes and How Long It Lasts
- Processing: often same day, sometimes one to three working days if the principal or a required signatory is unavailable.
- Validity: there is no fixed national rule, but most scholarship offices expect a certificate issued within the last three to six months. Do not reuse an old copy — request a fresh one each application cycle.
What the Certificate Should Contain
- Your full name as it appears on official records
- The school year or period covered
- A statement that you have no record of serious disciplinary action
- The specific purpose — scholarship application
- Date of issuance
- Signature and printed name of the issuing officer, with position
- Any additional endorsement your scholarship requires
- The official school seal
If You Have a Disciplinary Record
Talk to your guidance counsellor directly and honestly. Minor, resolved infractions do not usually prevent issuance — guidance offices routinely certify students whose records show a settled matter. What you should never do is submit an altered document. Falsification is grounds for immediate disqualification, and several provincial scholarship programs warn explicitly that misrepresentation in any submitted document voids the application.
If your school declines to issue one, ask what would need to change and by when, and ask whether a certification of enrolment and good standing can be issued instead while you resolve the matter.
Which Scholarships Require It
Good moral character appears in the requirements of most Philippine scholarship programs, including:
- CHED Merit Scholarship and other StuFAPs sub-programs
- Cebu’s CP-GIFTS, with the district supervisor endorsement noted above
- Negros Occidental’s NOSP, which lists good moral character as a baseline eligibility condition
- South Cotabato’s Kabugwason-Paglaum, which additionally requires no pending or resolved disciplinary, administrative, civil, or criminal case
- Agusan del Sur’s PGAS program and most other provincial and LGU scholarships
Documents Usually Requested Alongside
- Certificate of indigency or income tax return
- Form 137 or Form 138
- PSA birth certificate
- Barangay certificate of residency
- Certificate of enrolment or registration
Practical Tips
- Request early. Guidance offices are swamped during enrolment and scholarship season.
- Bring the requirement sheet. Showing the exact wording is faster than describing it.
- Get extra certified copies for multiple applications.
- Scan it for online submissions.
- Check the purpose line before you walk out. It is the most commonly wrong field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who issues a Certificate of Good Moral Character?
For scholarships, usually your school’s guidance office, principal, or registrar. A barangay may issue a community version, which is more often used for employment.
How much does it cost?
Public schools generally issue it free. Private schools may charge a small documentary or processing fee.
How long is it valid?
There is no fixed national rule, but most scholarship offices expect one issued within the last three to six months.
Can I get one after graduating?
Yes. Request it from your last school attended. Older records may take longer to retrieve.
Does it need more than the principal’s signature?
Sometimes. Cebu’s CP-GIFTS, for example, requires the principal’s signature endorsed by the district supervisor. Check your requirement sheet before requesting.
Can I still get one if I was disciplined in school?
Often yes, particularly for minor or resolved matters. Speak with your guidance counsellor directly rather than assuming you are disqualified.
Is a barangay clearance the same thing?
No. A barangay clearance certifies residency and standing in the community; a Certificate of Good Moral Character certifies conduct. Some programs ask for both.
What if the school refuses to issue one?
Ask what specifically is blocking it and whether a certification of enrolment and good standing can be issued in the meantime. Never submit an altered or self-made document.
Note: Issuing offices, fees, signatory requirements, and validity periods vary by school and by scholarship program. Confirm the exact wording your scholarship requires before requesting the certificate.