Affidavit of Undertaking DepEd

Affidavit of Undertaking DepEd: Complete Guide + Free Downloadable Template (2026–2027)

Every school year, thousands of Filipino teachers and school registrars find themselves scrambling for the right form at exactly the wrong time — during enrollment week, when parents are lining up at the registrar’s window and the paperwork never seems to end. If you’ve ever been caught off guard by a parent who transferred their child without bringing the necessary school credentials, you already know how important the Affidavit of Undertaking DepEd is.

This guide is your complete, no-fluff reference for everything you need to know about the DepEd Affidavit of Undertaking: what it is, why it exists, when you need it, how to fill it out properly, and what happens if it’s ignored. We’ve also included a free downloadable template at the end — because you shouldn’t have to build this from scratch.

What Is an Affidavit of Undertaking?

An Affidavit of Undertaking is a sworn legal document in which a parent or legal guardian makes a formal promise — before the law — to fulfill a specific obligation within a given timeframe. In the DepEd context, it most commonly refers to a document a parent signs when enrolling a transferee student who is unable to immediately present the required transfer credentials from the previous school.

In plain language: the parent is telling the school, “I know my child is missing the paperwork. I promise to get it. And I understand the consequences if I don’t.”

The Legal Foundation: DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2018

The primary legal basis for the Affidavit of Undertaking in public schools is DepEd Order No. 3, Series of 2018, titled “Policy Guidelines on Enrollment.” Under this order, DepEd established that no child shall be refused enrollment solely because of missing transfer documents. This was a landmark policy that protected children’s right to education — but it came with conditions.

Section 7 of DO 3, s. 2018 provides that a student may be temporarily enrolled provided a parent or guardian executes an Affidavit of Undertaking, committing to submit the required credentials by a specified date. Schools are required to accept these affidavits as part of enrollment documentation.

Key policy principle: DepEd’s No-Turning-Away Policy ensures that missing paperwork is never a reason to deny a child a seat in school. The Affidavit of Undertaking is the legal mechanism that makes this possible while protecting the school and its personnel.

When Must a Teacher or School Use the Affidavit of Undertaking?

While most people associate this document with transfer students, there are actually five distinct scenarios in the DepEd system where an Affidavit of Undertaking becomes necessary:

Transferee Without School Credentials (Most Common)

This is the classic case. A student transfers from another school — public or private — and the parents cannot present the Form 137 (Permanent Record), Form 138 (Report Card), or Certificate of Good Moral Character at the time of enrollment. The Affidavit of Undertaking allows the student to be temporarily enrolled while the parent works to secure and submit these documents.

Student Transferring from a Private or Foreign School

Students coming from private schools or schools abroad sometimes experience delays in credential processing. A foreign school may take weeks or even months to send official records. In these cases, the affidavit protects both the school and the student while the proper documentation is being processed.

Balik-Aral (Returning Learner) Without Complete Records

Students who dropped out and are returning to school — especially older learners — often no longer have access to their previous school records. Registrars and school heads may require an Affidavit of Undertaking to temporarily accommodate the student while records are being retrieved or reconstructed.

Emergency Transfers Due to Calamity or Displacement

During natural disasters, armed conflict, or other emergencies, families are sometimes displaced far from their original community. Their child’s school records may have been lost or destroyed. DepEd’s policies recognize this reality, and the Affidavit of Undertaking is the standard tool used to facilitate emergency enrollment under these exceptional circumstances.

Learners Enrolling Under Special Circumstances (ALS, SPED, etc.)

In the Alternative Learning System (ALS) and Special Education (SPED) settings, students may come from non-traditional schooling backgrounds where standard credentials don’t exist or don’t apply in the usual way. An adapted Affidavit of Undertaking is sometimes used in coordination with guidance counselors and division-level personnel.

Legal Implications and Parent Responsibilities

This is the part that many parents don’t fully understand — and teachers have a duty to explain it clearly.

When a parent signs the Affidavit of Undertaking, they are making the following binding commitments under oath:

Obligation	Details
Submit credentials by deadline	The parent agrees to submit the missing documents on or before a specific date set by the school
Accept temporary enrollment status	The child is enrolled on a temporary basis only — not fully and officially
Waive promotion eligibility	Without the required credentials, the child cannot be promoted to the next grade level at the end of the year
Waive graduation eligibility	The child cannot officially graduate from the school without complete credentials
Waive honors recognition	Even if the student earns the qualifying average for honors, he or she will not be recognized without proper credentials
Receive temporary report card only	The school will issue only a temporary report card signed by the class adviser, which cannot be used for transfer or enrollment elsewhere
Hold DepEd personnel harmless	The parent agrees not to hold the school head, teachers, or any DepEd employee liable for the consequences of the temporary enrollment

Why Teachers Must Take This Seriously

Here’s something that doesn’t always get emphasized enough: the Affidavit of Undertaking also protects teachers and school administrators. Without it, teachers and registrars who enroll transferees without credentials could face administrative liability. The affidavit creates a clear paper trail showing that proper protocols were followed and that the parent was fully informed.

“The affidavit is not just a formality. It is your shield as a teacher and the child’s bridge to education.”

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How to Properly Fill Out the DepEd Affidavit of Undertaking: Step-by-Step

Follow these steps to ensure the affidavit is filled out correctly and legally binding:

Step 1: Prepare the Form

Use the official template based on DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2018 (Annex 3). You can download the free DOCX template provided at the end of this article — it is pre-formatted and ready to print.

Step 2: Enter the Parent/Guardian’s Full Legal Name

The affiant (the person making the sworn statement) must be the parent or legal guardian of the student. Write their complete legal name as it appears on a valid government-issued ID. Do not use nicknames or abbreviated names.

Example: Instead of “Maria Santos,” write “Maria Dolores Santos-Reyes”

Step 3: Fill in the Parent’s Complete Address

Include the house number, street name, barangay, city/municipality, and province. This is important for legal purposes, as the affidavit must identify where the affiant resides.

Step 4: Enter the Student’s Name and Grade Level

Indicate the complete name of the student, the grade level being enrolled in, and the name of the school where the student is enrolling.

Step 5: Identify the Previous School

Write the complete name and address of the school the student previously attended, as well as the last grade level passed or the last school year the student was officially enrolled.

Step 6: State the Reason for Missing Credentials

While not always explicitly required by the template, it is best practice to briefly note why the credentials are unavailable — e.g., “The family relocated due to Typhoon [name]” or “The previous school has not yet released the Form 137 despite repeated requests.”

Step 7: Set a Commitment Deadline

One of the most critical fields. The parent must commit to submitting the credentials on or before a specific date. Coordinate with the school registrar to set a reasonable but firm deadline — typically within 30 to 60 days from enrollment.

Pro tip for teachers: Don’t leave the deadline field blank or vague. “As soon as possible” is not a legally binding commitment. Always specify a calendar date.

Step 8: Obtain the Parent’s Signature

The parent signs the document in the presence of a Notary Public. The signature must match the name written in the document.

Step 9: Have the Document Notarized

The Affidavit of Undertaking must be notarized to be legally binding. The parent should bring:

One (1) valid government-issued ID
Two (2) copies of the filled-out affidavit
Notarization fee (typically ₱100–₱300 depending on the notary)

Step 10: File with the School Registrar

Once notarized, submit the original copy to the School Registrar for filing. Keep one copy for the parent’s records. The school must retain the original as part of the student’s enrollment documents.

Download the Affidavit of Undertaking DepEd here!

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced teachers and registrars make these errors. Watch out for the following:

Leaving the deadline blank — Always specify an exact date
Using an outdated template — Make sure your form references DO 3, s. 2018
Accepting an unnotarized copy without a follow-up plan — Set a hard deadline for submission of the notarized version
Not explaining the consequences to parents — Parents must fully understand what they are signing; this protects both the child and the school
Filing the affidavit without recording it in the enrollment register — Always annotate the student’s record as “Temporarily Enrolled per Affidavit of Undertaking dated [date]”
Forgetting to monitor the deadline — Assign someone (usually the registrar or adviser) to follow up with the parent before the deadline passes

Free Download: Affidavit of Undertaking DepEd Template (DOCX)

You don’t have to type this from scratch. We’ve prepared a ready-to-use, DepEd-aligned Affidavit of Undertaking template in DOCX format that you can download, edit, and print in minutes.

What’s included in the free template:

Standard Affidavit of Undertaking based on DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2018 (Annex 3)
All required fields with clear fillable placeholders
Proper notarization block and jurat
Editable in Microsoft Word and Google Docs
Print-ready formatting

Download the Free Affidavit of Undertaking DepEd Template (DOCX)

No sign-up required. No payment. Just click and download — because every Filipino teacher deserves free access to the tools they need.

Disclaimer:

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However:

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Can a student be enrolled even without an Affidavit of Undertaking if they have no credentials?

No. Under DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2018, the Affidavit of Undertaking is the required document that enables temporary enrollment. Enrolling a student without credentials and without this affidavit places the school personnel at risk of administrative liability. The affidavit is non-negotiable.

Q2: What is the difference between “temporarily enrolled” and “officially enrolled”?

A temporarily enrolled student attends classes and participates in school activities like any other student. However, their enrollment status is conditional — they are not officially on the school’s permanent records as a regular enrollee. Their report card is marked “temporary” and cannot be used for transfer or further enrollment purposes elsewhere.

Q3: Can a temporarily enrolled student be promoted to the next grade level?

No. As clearly stated in the affidavit itself, a student who remains without complete transfer credentials at the end of the school year cannot be officially promoted to the next grade level, regardless of their academic performance. This is one of the consequences parents agree to when they sign the document.

Q4: What happens if the student completes Grade 12 but their credentials are never submitted?

The student cannot officially graduate from the school. The school cannot issue an official diploma or Form 137 for the student without the complete chain of records. This is a serious matter, especially for senior high school students, as it affects their ability to pursue higher education or employment.

Q5: Can a student with only a temporary report card enroll in another school or take the college entrance exam?

Generally, no — the temporary report card issued to a student under this arrangement is explicitly not valid for transfer or enrollment purposes. The parent must resolve the missing credentials before the student can move forward academically.

Q6: Does the Affidavit of Undertaking need to be notarized?

Yes. A non-notarized affidavit has no legal standing. The document must be executed before a Notary Public to be legally binding. Some schools may initially accept an unnotarized copy for emergency enrollment purposes, but the notarized version must follow within a very short period.

Q7: Is there a Tagalog version of the Affidavit of Undertaking?

Yes. Some schools in the National Capital Region and other regions have their own Tagalog-language versions, such as those used in Mandaluyong City schools. The downloadable template provided here is in English, which is the standard version aligned with DepEd Order No. 3, s. 2018. Schools may adapt it to their local language as needed, provided all the required elements are present.

Q8: What if the student was never enrolled in a formal school before?

In that case, the Affidavit of Undertaking may not be the right instrument. The student may need to go through a placement test or apply for recognition of prior learning, particularly if enrolling under the ALS program. Consult your Schools Division Office for guidance specific to this situation.

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Affidavit of Undertaking DepEd