An OWWA scholarship is education or training aid from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration for active OWWA members and their qualified dependents. RA 10801, the OWWA Act, sets up three core programs: skills training, college scholarships, and upgrading courses for seafarers. OWWA has added others, such as a grant for children of lower-paid workers and help for families of deceased OFWs. The amounts below come from OWWA’s 2025 Citizen’s Charter.
OWWA scholarship programs at a glance
| Program | For | Grant (2025 charter) |
|---|---|---|
| Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) | Dependents of active members entering a 4- or 5-year college course | P60,000 per school year |
| OFW Dependents Scholarship Program (ODSP) | Dependents of OFWs earning not more than US$600 a month | P20,000 per school year |
| Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program (SESP) | Active members and their beneficiaries taking technical-vocational courses | Up to P14,500 per course |
| Seafarers Upgrading Program (SUP) | Active sea-based members | Up to P7,500 tuition per upgrading course |
| Education and Livelihood Assistance Program (ELAP) | Families of deceased active members | P5,000 to P10,000 per school year, by level |
EDSP: the merit-based OWWA scholarship
EDSP is for a qualified dependent of an active member. The student must plan to enroll in a four- to five-year bachelor’s program at any college or university in the Philippines. The charter says applicants must be among the top 1,000 passers of the qualifying examination run by the Department of Science and Technology’s Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI). Grades must show a general weighted average of at least 80% with no failing marks.
Requirements listed in the charter include:
- the online scholarship application form at scholarship.owwa.gov.ph;
- Form 137, a certified Form 138, or a transcript showing the required average;
- one valid ID of the OFW member or authorized representative;
- proof of relationship, such as PSA birth certificates;
- proof of enrollment, such as a registration card; and
- two 2×2 ID photos with name tag.
ODSP: aid for children of lower-paid OFWs
ODSP gives P20,000 per school year to dependents of OFWs whose monthly salary is not more than US$600. It covers students in a four- or five-year bachelor’s degree or an associate course in the Philippines. They can be about to enroll or already studying. Unlike EDSP, there is no DOST-SEI exam, but the charter still asks for at least an 80% average with no failing grades.
ODSP applicants submit the online form, OWWA membership record, photos, IDs, proof of relationship, and grades. They also need a certificate of good moral character and, for a student with a medical condition, a medical certificate. Finally, they show proof of the OFW’s monthly salary, such as the employment contract, Overseas Employment Certificate, or payslip.
Proving relationship for an OWWA scholarship
Which documents you need depends on who the student is:
- Child of the OFW: the dependent’s PSA birth certificate naming the OFW as parent.
- Sibling of a single OFW: both birth certificates showing the same parents, plus the OFW’s CENOMAR to prove the worker is unmarried.
- Spouse (for SESP): the marriage certificate.
Our guides on the PSA birth certificate and PSA CENOMAR explain how to order these. Order early, since mismatched names commonly hold up applications.
How to apply for EDSP or ODSP
- Wait for OWWA to announce the application period on its website or its regional office’s official Facebook page.
- Submit the online application and upload requirements at scholarship.owwa.gov.ph.
- OWWA checks membership and documents. If something is missing, it tells you to complete it.
- Receive a notice of approval or disapproval, along with the orientation schedule.
- Attend the scholarship orientation, which takes about three hours.
- Have a notary sign the scholarship agreement, which the charter says costs about P50 to P100. Then submit it with proof of enrollment and grades.
- OWWA releases the grant through Landbank.
The charter estimates about 14 days of processing after a complete submission, but the selection period depends on the number of applicants.
SESP: short courses for members and family
SESP pays up to P14,500 per technical or vocational course at a school accredited by TESDA, MARINA, or another government training institution. It is open to active members and their beneficiaries, meaning a spouse, child, or a sibling of a single OFW aged 24 or younger. Apply in person at the OWWA Regional Welfare Office with an application form, two 2×2 photos, proof of membership, and proof of relationship. The charter puts release of the notice of award at about seven days.
For training that leads to a national certificate, see our TESDA NC assessment guide.
Seafarers Upgrading Program
Sea-based members can take upgrading courses at accredited maritime training centers to meet International Maritime Organization standards. The charter caps tuition support at P7,500 per course. RA 10801 entitles sea-based members to one upgrading course for every three membership contributions. Even so, the charter notes that the first availment needs only one contribution.
ELAP for families of deceased OFWs
ELAP supports families of OFWs who were active OWWA members when they died, and families of OFWs sentenced to death abroad. Its educational component covers one child, usually the eldest not older than 21. It pays P5,000 a year for kindergarten and elementary, P8,000 for high school, and P10,000 for college. A separate livelihood component gives a one-time P15,000 grant to the family.
Membership status decides your OWWA scholarship
Every program above starts with checking whether the OFW’s record is active. If the worker’s contribution has lapsed, renew it before the application period opens. Our OWWA membership guide explains how to renew through the mobile app or a regional office.
Getting ready months ahead
Application windows can be short, so prepare early. In the months before Grade 12 ends, ask the school registrar for certified grades, order PSA documents, and confirm the OFW’s membership status. If the student plans to try for EDSP, watch DOST-SEI announcements for the scholarship exam schedule, since EDSP uses those results. Keep scanned copies in one folder, named clearly, so uploads take minutes instead of days.
Keeping the grant after the first year
Scholars renew EDSP and ODSP each school year by submitting grades and proof of enrollment. Scholars who fail subjects, drop out, or shift without notice risk losing the grant, since the scholarship agreement sets these conditions. Read your agreement carefully at the orientation and ask the regional office about the grade requirement for continuing scholars.
Choosing between OWWA scholarship options
If your child is a strong student who can take the DOST-SEI exam, EDSP offers the largest grant. If the OFW’s salary is US$600 a month or less, ODSP is easier to qualify for. For short courses or a career shift, SESP is quicker. Ask the regional office whether one student may hold more than one OWWA scholarship before applying to several programs.
You can also combine an OWWA grant with outside aid, such as a TESDA program or a school-based discount, depending on that other program’s rules. Check our TESDA scholarship guide for a government-funded option for tech-voc training.
An example: one family, two programs
Ramon works as a factory worker in Taiwan, earning about US$550 a month, and his OWWA membership is active. His eldest daughter, a Grade 12 student with a 90% average, takes the DOST-SEI exam. She does not make the top 1,000, so she cannot get EDSP. Because her father earns under US$600, she applies for the ODSP OWWA scholarship instead. She submits his employment contract as proof of salary, her birth certificate, and her grades.
Meanwhile, Ramon’s wife wants to train in bread and pastry production. She applies for SESP at the regional office with their PSA marriage certificate and Ramon’s membership record. Soon after, she receives a notice of award for a TESDA-accredited course.
Why OWWA scholarship applications get held
- the OFW’s membership expired before OWWA checked the application;
- names differ between the birth certificate, the OFW’s passport, and school records;
- grades are below the 80% requirement or include a failing mark;
- the sibling of an OFW applies without the OFW’s CENOMAR; or
- uploads are blurry or cut off, so the evaluator cannot read them.
You can fix most of these before the application period opens. Gather documents in the months before, scan them clearly, and check that every name matches.
Frequently asked questions
Can a student apply for an OWWA scholarship while the parent is already home?
Programs such as EDSP and ODSP require a qualifying member record. If the parent’s membership is no longer active, ask the regional office before applying.
Are there fees for an OWWA scholarship application?
The charter lists no application fee. The only cost noted is the notarization of the scholarship agreement.
Where are application periods announced?
OWWA posts openings for each OWWA scholarship on its website and on the official Facebook pages of its regional offices. Do not pay anyone who claims they can reserve a slot for your child.
Last checked against the OWWA Citizen’s Charter 2025, the OWWA website, and RA 10801 on Lawphil on October 2026. OWWA sets grant amounts and eligibility rules, and they may change each school year.
