Quick answer

It depends on the type of school.

Public elementary and secondary schools: No. DepEd personnel must not collect a graduation, moving-up, or closing-ceremony fee—or make a contribution a condition for joining the ceremony. Necessary and reasonable ceremony expenses should be covered by authorized school funds. Voluntary donations must remain genuinely voluntary.
Private basic-education schools: A graduation fee is not automatically illegal, but it must form part of the school’s duly approved schedule of tuition and other school fees. A new or increased charge generally requires consultation and DepEd approval. The school should be able to identify what the fee covers and show the applicable approval.
Private colleges and universities: Graduation fees may be imposed subject to CHED rules on tuition and other school fees, the school’s published policies, and applicable consultation and approval requirements.
State universities and colleges: Their governing boards may impose necessary charges, expressly including graduation fees, after due consultation with the sectors concerned. Qualified students covered by free higher education should still check whether the particular charge is included in, or excluded from, the subsidy under Republic Act No. 10931 and the institution’s approved fee schedule.

There is no single nationwide peso ceiling for every graduation fee. The important questions are whether the charge is authorized, properly approved and disclosed, imposed for a legitimate purpose, and applied according to the rules governing that type of school.

Public elementary and secondary schools cannot collect graduation fees

DepEd’s policy for public schools is straightforward: school personnel must not collect graduation or moving-up fees or other contributions for the ceremony.

DepEd has repeatedly directed public schools to keep graduation and moving-up rites simple and meaningful. Official instructions state that expenses connected with the activity should be charged to authorized school funds, subject to budgeting, accounting, and auditing rules. These instructions reflect the broader no-collection policy and the rules governing public-school Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses.

This means a public school should not require parents or learners to pay for items such as:

the ceremony’s venue, decorations, sound system, program, or stage;
food, tokens, flowers, or gifts for school personnel or guests;
a compulsory class or batch contribution;
a “graduation project” collected as a condition for clearance or participation; or
a payment collected through an adviser, teacher, class officer, PTA officer, or informal group when the school is effectively requiring or directing it.

Calling the amount a “donation,” “share,” “pledge,” or “voluntary contribution” does not make it voluntary if a learner is pressured, publicly identified, denied clearance, or threatened with exclusion for not paying.

A PTA may offer assistance or make a lawful voluntary donation, but that does not authorize school personnel to impose a per-family assessment. Under DepEd Order No. 8, series of 2019, public-school MOOE may be used, subject to the order’s safeguards, to finance expenses for graduation rites, moving-up activities, and closing ceremonies. The same order prohibits using PTA collections to finance those activities.

Voluntary extras are different—but must truly be optional

Some expenses are not necessarily “graduation fees.” Families may choose to spend their own money on clothing, transportation, meals, photographs, flowers, or private celebrations. The decisive issue is whether the school requires the purchase or payment.

For a public-school activity to be genuinely optional:

refusal must not affect the learner’s grades, clearance, diploma, recognition, or participation;
parents must be free to decline without pressure or embarrassment;
the school must not require purchases from a favored supplier;
the item must not be disguised as a mandatory batch payment; and
any collection must comply with applicable DepEd and PTA rules.

If a school says an item is optional, ask in writing whether a learner who does not pay may still participate fully in the official ceremony.

Private elementary and secondary schools may charge only authorized fees

Private basic-education schools operate under a different framework. They may collect tuition and other school fees, but those charges are regulated by DepEd.

A graduation fee may be valid when it appears in the school’s approved schedule of fees for the relevant school year. A private school should not simply introduce a surprise charge shortly before graduation or collect an amount different from the approved rate.

Current DepEd implementation continues to require private schools proposing a new fee or an increase to:

conduct consultation with the appropriate parents, PTA, faculty, student representatives, or other affected sectors;
document the consultation and any objections;
submit an itemized comparison of existing and proposed charges;
explain the proposed fee and its intended use; and
secure the required action from the proper DepEd office before collecting it.

The precise submission dates are administrative deadlines for schools and may be restated in regional instructions each school year. For example, a 2026 DepEd regional memorandum reiterating the private-school fee process required consultations by March 30 and school submissions to the Schools Division Office by April 30. Parents should confirm the applicable national and regional issuance for their school and school year rather than assume that every regional timetable is identical.

An approval for one school year or one amount is not necessarily approval for a later increase. Ask for the document covering the exact school, educational level, school year, fee name, and amount being collected.

Colleges and universities follow a separate set of rules

Private higher-education institutions

Private colleges and universities may impose tuition and other school fees under CHED supervision. CHED Memorandum Order No. 3, series of 2012, as amended by CMO No. 8, series of 2012, governs increases in tuition and other school fees and the introduction of new fees.

Whether a particular graduation charge is enforceable can depend on:

whether it was properly disclosed in the school’s fee schedule or student handbook;
whether it is a previously authorized fee, a new fee, or an increase;
whether the required consultation and CHED process were followed;
what goods or services the charge actually covers; and
whether the school is charging students who will not receive or use the item or service.

Autonomous or deregulated status does not give a private institution unlimited power to impose arbitrary charges. Its policies must still comply with law, applicable CHED regulations, and its obligations to students.

State universities and colleges

Section 4(d) of the Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997, Republic Act No. 8292, authorizes the governing board of a chartered state university or college to fix tuition and necessary school charges—including graduation fees—after due consultation with the involved sectors.

That authority does not mean any employee or college unit may create a charge informally. Ask for the governing-board resolution, approved schedule of fees, and consultation record.

Qualified Filipino undergraduate students in covered SUCs and CHED-recognized LUCs are exempt from tuition and the “other school fees” covered by Republic Act No. 10931. The Act’s implementing rules define the subsidized other school fees through a specified list and related synonymous charges. “Graduation fee” is not separately named in that list.

Accordingly, free tuition does not by itself establish that every graduation-related expense must be free. The result may depend on the charge’s real nature, the institution’s governing-board authority, and whether it is merely another name for a fee already covered by the subsidy. A student should request a written classification from the university and, if necessary, seek guidance from UniFAST or the appropriate CHED Regional Office.

Students who are not eligible for free higher education may be charged tuition and school fees fixed by the institution’s governing board. Eligibility can be affected by matters such as a previous bachelor’s degree, failure to satisfy retention rules, exceeding the permitted completion period, or voluntarily opting out.

Ask what the fee actually covers

A label is not conclusive. A school might call one bundled amount a “graduation fee” even though it includes several separate items, such as:

rental or purchase of a toga;
diploma printing or a diploma holder;
official photographs or a yearbook;
venue or production expenses;
alumni membership;
class memorabilia; or
meals, flowers, souvenirs, or awards.

Request an itemized breakdown. This helps determine which parts are official school charges, which are personal purchases, and which should be optional.

If a learner already owns suitable attire, will not attend the ceremony, does not want photographs, or declines an alumni package, ask whether the corresponding charge can be removed. The answer may depend on the approved fee schedule and the school’s disclosed contract, so do not assume that every bundled item is automatically refundable—or automatically mandatory.

Graduation, ceremony attendance, and release of records are different issues

Completing academic requirements, attending a ceremony, and receiving school records are legally distinct matters. A ceremony is a formal recognition of completion; it is not what academically creates completion of the program.

Do not assume, however, that disputing a fee automatically erases every financial obligation. Private schools and higher-education institutions may have legal remedies for valid unpaid charges.

The No Permit, No Exam Prohibition Act, Republic Act No. 11984, protects qualified disadvantaged students from being barred from scheduled periodic and final examinations because of unpaid tuition or other fees. It covers public and private K–12 schools, higher-education institutions, and long-term TVET programs. The student generally needs the prescribed certification of disadvantaged status from the proper social-welfare office.

That law does not cancel the debt. It expressly preserves an institution’s ability to request a promissory note, pursue lawful collection remedies, and withhold records or credentials, subject to applicable rules. It therefore should not be cited as a blanket right to receive a diploma despite every valid unpaid obligation.

If the disputed amount is unauthorized, incorrectly computed, already paid, or merely a voluntary contribution, place that issue in writing immediately. The legal position may differ from a case involving an admitted and valid unpaid school fee.

What to do if you believe the charge is improper

1. Ask for a written explanation

Write to the school head, registrar, accounting office, or administrator. Ask for:

the exact name and amount of the fee;
an itemized description of what it covers;
the rule or policy making it compulsory;
the approved schedule of fees for the relevant school year;
the DepEd, CHED, governing-board, or other approval relied upon;
the consultation record, if the fee is new or increased; and
the consequence of declining to pay.

Keep the request factual. Avoid relying only on a verbal conversation.

2. Use the school’s internal grievance process

Submit a written objection and ask for a dated receiving copy or electronic acknowledgment. If graduation is near, clearly state the ceremony date and the action threatened.

For a public basic-education school, copy the school principal and the Schools Division Office. For a private institution, use the grievance or appeal process in the student handbook while preserving your right to approach the regulator.

3. Escalate to the correct regulator

For public or private K–12 schools, contact the Schools Division Office or DepEd Regional Office with jurisdiction over the school. DepEd regional and division sites provide public-assistance and administrative-complaint channels.
For a college or university, contact the appropriate CHED Regional Office. CHED publishes a directory of regional offices and maintains a Public Assistance and Complaints Desk through its official contact page.
For a state university or college, also address the registrar, university president, student regent or council, and Board of Regents or Trustees, as appropriate.
For a question about free-higher-education coverage, consult UniFAST’s official Republic Act No. 10931 resources.

A complaint should identify the school, learner, educational level, school year, fee, amount, relevant dates, people involved, and relief requested.

4. Request interim relief when graduation is close

If the school threatens immediate exclusion, ask in writing that the learner be allowed to participate while the fee’s legality is being verified. Send the request to both the school and the regulator and state the exact deadline.

No universal response period guarantees a decision before the ceremony. Escalate early rather than waiting until graduation day.

Evidence to preserve

Keep copies or screenshots of:

assessment forms, statements of account, invoices, and official receipts;
enrollment contracts and the applicable student handbook;
the published schedule of tuition and other fees;
memoranda, circulars, consent forms, and graduation notices;
messages from teachers, administrators, class officers, or PTA officers;
proof that the payment was described as compulsory or voluntary;
any threat involving clearance, ceremony participation, grades, diploma, or records;
requests for an itemized breakdown or proof of approval;
the school’s replies or refusal to answer;
proof of payment, if payment was made under protest; and
the learner’s academic-completion and clearance records.

If paying is necessary to avoid immediate harm, write “paid under protest” in a separate dated communication and explain the disputed portion. Do not alter an official receipt.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming that every fee in a private school is illegal because public schools follow a no-collection policy.
Assuming that any fee is valid merely because it appears on a statement of account.
Confusing a voluntary personal purchase with a compulsory school charge.
Relying only on verbal assurances or social-media posts.
Paying an unreceipted collection to an individual without asking who authorized it.
Waiting until the ceremony date before requesting documents or filing a complaint.
Treating free tuition as automatic exemption from every possible college expense.
Refusing all payment without separating the disputed fee from other admitted obligations.
Posting a learner’s personal records publicly when they can instead be submitted securely to the regulator.

When help is urgent

Seek immediate assistance from DepEd, CHED, the institution’s governing board, or a Philippine lawyer if:

the ceremony is only days away and the learner is being threatened with exclusion;
a public school is making payment or a donation a condition for participation;
the school refuses to identify the authority for a new or increased charge;
records or credentials needed for enrollment, employment, licensure, or a scholarship are being withheld over a disputed amount;
the learner is being publicly shamed, singled out, or retaliated against;
receipts or assessment records appear altered or inconsistent; or
several families are affected by the same unauthorized collection.

Frequently asked questions

Can a public-school teacher collect money for graduation?

Not as a compulsory graduation or moving-up fee. A collection routed through a teacher, adviser, class officer, or PTA does not escape the no-collection rule when the school is directing it or making payment a condition.

Can a private school charge a graduation fee?

Potentially, yes. The school should be able to show that the charge is part of its approved fee schedule and that any required consultation and regulatory process for a new or increased fee was followed.

Is a voluntary donation allowed in a public school?

A genuinely voluntary donation may be allowed under applicable rules. It must not be assigned per learner, enforced, used to pressure families, or tied to clearance, recognition, or participation.

Can a learner be barred from graduating for not buying a toga or photo package?

The answer depends on the school type, the approved rules, and whether the item is genuinely required. Ask the school to identify the written basis and whether an alternative is available. In a public school, optional purchases cannot be converted into compulsory graduation fees.

Must a student who will not attend the ceremony still pay?

Not necessarily, but nonattendance alone does not automatically cancel every approved fee. Request an itemized assessment and ask which components relate only to attendance or optional goods.

Does free college tuition cover the graduation fee?

Not automatically. Republic Act No. 10931 covers tuition and specified other school fees for qualified students in covered public institutions. Graduation fees are not separately named in the IRR’s closed list, so the fee’s substance and the institution’s approved rules must be examined.

Is there a maximum lawful graduation fee?

No single nationwide cap applies to every school and educational level. A high amount can be questioned, but legality generally depends on authority, approval, consultation, disclosure, purpose, and the governing rules—not amount alone.

Can the school withhold a diploma or transcript over an unpaid fee?

A school may have authority to withhold records or credentials for valid unpaid financial obligations. Republic Act No. 11984 expressly preserves that possibility even while protecting qualified disadvantaged students’ right to take examinations. If the underlying fee is unauthorized or disputed, challenge it promptly in writing.

Official legal references

This article provides general legal information, not individualized legal advice. The correct result may depend on the school’s classification, approved fee schedule, governing-board resolutions, student handbook, enrollment agreement, subsidy status, and the facts of the collection. Official sources and current procedures were checked as of September 3, 2026.