The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) scholarship and training programs were designed as part of the Philippine government’s efforts toward the protection and well-being of OFWs and their children worldwide. These programs were in place to help both the OFWs and their qualified dependents upgrade their education and learn more skills that will improve their employability and ensure that they will have a brighter future ahead.
Also Read: Complete List of OWWA Programs, Benefits, and Services
The OWWA scholarship and training programs are usually given in the form of a financial or cash grant meant to subsidize the expenses associated with skill upgrades and higher learning. Most of them were created for the OFW children, but some were designed to help OFWs develop additional skills so they will grow into more competent professionals regardless of whether they want to continue working overseas or to come home to the Philippines for good.
If you are interested in finding out more about what OWWA offers as part of their scholarship and training programs, then this guide is for you.
List of OWWA Scholarship and Training Programs
Being an OFW or an OFW dependent doesn’t automatically make one qualify for an OWWA scholarship or training program. The best way that one can take full advantage of these programs is to understand what each scholarship or training program entails.
To learn more about them, here’s a complete list of scholarship programs under the Scholarship and Training Programs offered by OWWA along with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UniFAST), or Technical Education & Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
1. Education for Development Scholarship Program (OWWA EDSP)
The OWWA EDSP or Education for Development Scholarship Program is a scholarship grant offered by the agency under their Scholarships for Dependents Program. It is open to all eligible beneficiaries and dependents of active OWWA members belonging to the top 400 passers of the pre-qualifying test administered by the Department of Science & Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI). To avail of the ₱60,000.00 per school year financial assistance offered under EDSP, interested OFW dependents must apply for the program and be prepared to enroll in a four- or five-year baccalaureate course at any of their preferred colleges or universities.
2. Educational Livelihood Assistance Program (OWWA ELAP)
The OWWA ELAP stands for OWWA’s Educational Livelihood Assistance Program. Like the EDSP, this scholarship program is offered by the OWWA as part of their Scholarship for Dependents Program. It offers a two-part assistance package in the form of either an educational scholarship grant for the beneficiary or a livelihood assistance grant for the spouse of deceased OFWs. The program offers the option for either an educational financial assistance ranging from ₱5000.00 to ₱10,000.00 depending on the age and educational level of the child-beneficiary or a livelihood assistance grant of ₱15,000.00 to help the spouses of deceased OFWs support not only the education but also the other needs of the family.
3. OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (OWWA ODSP)
The OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (OWWA ODSP) is yet another scholarship program available under the Scholarship for Dependents. It is one of the leading scholarship programs offered by OWWA to qualified dependents of active member OFWs. The program offers financial assistance amounting to ₱20,000.00 per academic year to eligible OFW dependents who are enrolled or planning to enroll in a four- or five-year baccalaureate degree at a state college or a university. The only difference is that this program is only available to active OWWA members whose monthly salary as an OFW is below $600.00.
4. Skills for Employment Scholarship Program (OWWA SESP)
The OWWA SESP refers to OWWA’s Skills for Employment Scholarship Program. It is an education and training project pioneered by OWWA under the Short-Term Training Programs for OFWs & Dependents so OFWs and their dependents may upgrade their technical-vocational (Tech-VOC) skills through six-months to one-year career-enhancing courses. The program offers grants ranging from ₱7,250.00 to ₱14,000.00 for those who are taking six-month vocational courses and one-year technical courses, respectively. Unlike the others, the cash grant offered by this program is disbursed directly to the training institute where the OFWs or OFW dependents or beneficiaries are enrolled.
5. OWWA Seafarer’s Upgrading Program (OWWA SUP)
One of the OWWA programs offered specifically for sea-based OFWs or seafarers is the OWWA Seafarers’ Upgrading Program (SUP). It was developed by the agency in qn effort to support the seafarers in their bid to upgrade their skills and cope with the ever-changing technologies and international maritime standards. Under the SUP, the seafarer-applicant or grantee may receive financial support ranging from ₱1,200.00 to ₱7,500.00, provided that they are enrolling in any pre-approved MARINA- or TESDA-accredited training course offered by OWWA-approved training providers.
6. OWWA Information Technology (IT) Training Program
The OWWA Information Technology (IT) Training Program is yet another program offered under the Short-Term Training Programs for OFWs & Dependents. It was initially designed to set up IT Training centers in OWWA Regional Offices and other overseas posts to help connect OFWs with their families. Later on, the program evolved to include basic literacy training programs with lessons on IT applications so OFWs and their families may upgrade their skills and improve their employability.
7. OWWA Mariner’s Dugtong Aral (Bridging) Program (OWWA MDA)
Yet another educational and training support offered by OWWA is the Mariner’s Dugtong Aral (Bridging) Program or OWWA MDA. It is one of the Mariners’ and Seafarers’ Educational Programs offered by OWWA to help selected engineering students become marine officers on board an ocean vessel. The program has very specific requirements for those who are interested. to get a maximum of ₱38,120.00 plus ₱15,000.00 for a 3-month stipend. They must be qualified graduates of BS Mechanical Engineering and BS Electrical Engineering, who are studying for a course leading to a BS Marine Engineering degree.
8. OWWA Tuloy Aral Project (OWWA TAP)
The Tuloy-Aral Project (TAP) was launched in December 2004 to offer educational assistance and monitoring to the less fortunate children of former OFWs and children belonging to poor, needy families.
Under the program, the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO) and the OWWA Family Welfare Officers identify successful OFWs and other organizations to provide $100.00 annual donation to help support the school expenses of elementary and high school level child-beneficiaries. The program also offers the creation of a complete family profile for beneficiaries which will be the volunteer OFW donor’s basis in their selection, the guidance and monitoring of each child’s progress in school, and a chance to connect OFW families together. For underprivileged incoming or current college students, interested availees may apply for OWWA’s Extension Program, Tuloy Kolehiyo, which offers ₱15,000.00 per academic year.
9. Pre-Departure Education Program
The OWWA Pre-Departure Education Program entails the hosting of orientation-seminars meant to help OFWs and would-be OFWs become more familiar with the language, culture, and stress management options in the host country and their future work environment. It is offered either as Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar (PEOS), one-day Country-Specific Pre-Departure Orientation Seminar (PDOS) and four- to six-day Comprehensive Pre-Departure Education Program (CPDEP) and is a must before one can leave the country for deployment.
10. Educational Assistance through Scholarship in Emergencies (Project EASE Scholarship)
Project EASE refers to OWWA’s Educational Assistance through Scholarship in Emergencies—a component of the CARE amelioration program package developed to ease the plight of OFWs affected by COVID-19. It is an educational assistance program that pays ₱10,000.00 per year for a maximum of four years to cover for the college-level education of qualified dependents of active OFW-members who were repatriated during the pandemic. It also covers children of married or single parent OFW or siblings of single OFWs.
11. Tertiary Education Subsidy for Dependents of Repatriated OFWs (Tabang OFW Scholarship Program)
The OWWA Tabang OFW Program is a Tertiary Education Subsidy for Dependents of Repatriated OFWs—a special collaborative educational assistance program by OWWA, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This Tertiary Education Subsidy (TES) offers a one-time grant amounting to ₱30,000.00 for the benefit of one (1) unmarried college-level dependent OFWs who were either killed, repatriated or displaced, or had their salary reduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The program beneficiaries may either be an unmarried child of married OFWs or an unmarried child, sibling, nephew, or niece of an unmarried OFW under 30 years of age. It is not an OWWA loan so there’s no need to worry about paying it back later on.
Summary
The OWWA scholarship and training programs are the Philippine government’s way of showing how they, too, like most Filipinos, value education, ideal learning environments, as well as the benefits and opportunities it presents. With the belief that there’s no shortage of talents in the Philippines, and with these scholarship programs, OWWA hopes to empower and support the OFW children as they develop and grow their skills and fulfill the talent gaps in the market.
Some are regular projects, while others are projects created under special situations and funding availability. These projects are all available on the OWWA website and are open for application, provided that the OFWs and their beneficiaries stay as active members who pay their membership dues amounting to $25.00 for every two (2) years on a regular basis.
Contact Information
For inquiries, concerns, or problems regarding the OWWA scholarships and education programs, you may also reach out to OWWA through the following:
Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA)
Office Address: F.B. Harrison St, Pasay, Metro Manila
Tel. No.: 8891-7601 to 24
OWWA hotline number: 1348, (02) 1348 (Regional), (+632) 1348 (International)
OWWA Email Address: owwacares@owwa.gov.ph
OWWA Facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/OWWAofficial
OWWA website: https://owwa.gov.ph/
