OWWA EDSP Scholarship Program - How to Apply

Filipinos put a huge emphasis on education and diplomas. You can ask any married OFW or those who have children and you won’t be disappointed. They’ll most likely say that one of the reasons they left to work abroad is to be able to send their kids to good schools. Luckily for them, the Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) has numerous scholarship programs that they can take advantage of, one of them being the Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP).

Also Read: OWWA Membership Registration Guide for OFWs

The Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) is one of the many OWWA scholarship programs offered under the category of Scholarship for Dependents. Like all other OWWA scholarships for eligible OFW dependents, the scholarship comes with certain requirements and responsibilities, but just like the others, it is meant to assist OFWs and their families in securing a brighter future by allowing them the opportunity to get the education they need for the young ones.

In this article, you can learn more about the requirements and qualifications to avail of the EDSP benefits, along with the application procedures and the specific terms and conditions of the program.

Table of Contents

What is the Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP)?

The Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP) is an OWWA Scholarship program geared to support the four- or five-year college or university studies of qualified OFW dependents. The program offers competitive OWWA grants and exclusive scholarship programs for children or qualified dependents of OFW members with high academic standing and good scholastic records. Though the scholarship is available to all qualified OWWA member dependents who pass the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) qualifying exams, regardless of school or course preference, the scholarship itself needs to be preserved and sustained for the duration of the program.

The program’s assistance is given to a total of 1000 eligible EDSP scholars—400 freshmen and 600 students who are already enrolled in college—on the condition that both parents and scholars understand that financial assistance comes not only with benefits but also with obligations. The scholarship guidelines also outline these obligations which are generally discussed during orientation.

Benefits of the Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP)

The Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP) Program offers numerous benefits to 400 freshmen and 600 college students who are eligible beneficiaries of active OWWA members so they can complete their tertiary education.

Some of these benefits include:

Financial assistance in the form of a scholarship grant amounting to Php 30,000.00 per semester or Php 60,000.00 per year.
Scholars’ ability to choose their preferred degree or course in any of their preferred CHED-accredited school or institution.
Scholarship grant availability for four to five years, until the completion of the preferred course regardless of the status of the OFW membership of the OWWA member, provided that the terms and conditions of the Scholarship Agreement is complied with.

Qualifications

As mentioned above, only one beneficiary per family of active OWWA member OFW can take advantage of the benefits of the ED

For the OWWA member OFW:

Must be active OWWA member

For the eligible beneficiary:

Must be a child of a married OWWA member or the sibling of an unmarried yet active OWWA member
Must be 21 years old or below
Must be a Filipino citizen with no pending application for dual citizenship elsewhere
Must be in good health and with good moral character
Must not be a recipient of any OWWA-sponsored or other scholarship grant

For incoming Senior High School (Grade 12):

Must have made it to the top 400 passers of the DOST qualifying exams nationwide
Must have a General Weighted Average (GWA) of at least 80% with no failing grades at the time of the application
Must belong to the upper 20% of their high school class

For Incoming Freshmen (1st year college):

Grade 11 graduate (Incoming Grade 12 / currently enrolled as Grade 12)
Not more than 21 years old
With a General Weighted Average (GWA) of 80% or better, but if the GWA is not yet available at the time of filing of application, the academic performance of the applicant in the last two consecutive school years will be used as basis for evaluation
Must be one of the top 400 qualifiers of the DOST national qualifying exam

For those who are already enrolled in their 2nd year to 5th year in college

Not more than 30 years old
With a GWA not lower than letter grade B or 85% equivalence in all academic and non-academic subjects during the last school year attended in full load

Requirements

Here are the documentary requirements, in case you are interested in the EDSP:

For the OWWA member OFW:

Proof of OWWA Membership
Official Receipt of OWWA Contribution
Certification from OWWA Membership Processing Center
At least one (1) valid I.D. of the OFW and/or the Authorized Representative Government-Issued or Company-Issued I.D.
Proof of relationship to scholar (copy of OFW Birth Certificate, if related as brother or sister duly certified by the Local Civil Registrar or PSA)
OFW Certificate of No Marriage Record (CENOMAR, if single)
OFW Membership Record issued by OWWA RWO

For the scholars:

EDSP Scholarship Application Form (available via the OWWA Regional Welfare Office (RWO))
2pcs. I.D. Picture with Name Tag
Proof of Relationship to OFW member (Dependent’s PSA-issued or LCR-issued Birth certificate, if applicant is a sibling of the OWWA member)

For incoming freshmen:

Form 137, Certified True Copy of Form 138, or Transcript of Records (TOR) of dependent with Principal’s Certification on Scholastic Standing
Certificate of Good Moral Character issued by the School Principal or Guidance Counselor (Form C)
Medical Certificate attesting that the scholarship applicant is physically fit to attend school even if student has pre-existing medical condition/s (Form B)
Certification that applicant has at least 80% GWA without failing grades, issued by the school principal (2 sets)
Notice from RWOs to prove that applicant made it to the top 400 passers qualifying for the DOST-OWWA Pre-Qualifying Examination for EDSP
Statement of applicant that he/she has not earned units in any post-secondary or any undergraduate course (Form E)
Sworn Statement that he/she has no pending application for resident immigrant status in any country
Sworn Statement from the applicant that he/she does not have dual citizenship application signed by parent or legal guardians (Form F)

For second to fifth year:

Form 137, Certified True Copy of Form 138, or Transcript of Records (TOR) of dependent with Principal’s Certification on Scholastic Standing
Certificate of Good Moral Character issued by the School Principal or Guidance Counselor (Form C)
Medical Certificate attesting that the scholarship applicant is physically fit to attend school even if student has pre-existing medical condition/s (Form B)
Certification that applicant has at least 85% GWA without failing grades, issued by the school principal (2 sets)
Notice from RWOs to prove that applicant made it to the top 400 passers qualifying for the DOST-OWWA Pre-Qualifying Examination for EDSP
Statement of applicant that he/she has not earned units in any post-secondary or any undergraduate course (Form E)
Sworn Statement that he/she has no pending application for resident immigrant status in any country
Sworn Statement from the applicant that he/she does not have dual citizenship application signed by parent or legal guardians (Form F)

How to Process OWWA Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP) Program

Here’s the complete step-by-step procedural application guidelines for those who are interested in the benefits and privileges of the Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP):

Secure the EDSP Application form via either of the following:
- By contacting the local OWWA RWO to get the form online or via email, or
- By visiting the nearest OWWA Regional Office (RWO) to you.
Completely accomplish the EDSP form with all your information.
Attach all the specified documentary requirements.
Submit to the OWWA Regional Welfare Office (RWO) or online, or by sending via courier services (LBC, J&T, JRS, etc.) the Application Form, Evaluation Form, and all the other required documentation. You may also visit the OWWA RWO personally by following these steps:
Secure an appointment with the OWWA Regional Welfare Office, either by going to the appointment scheduler on the OWWA website (appointment.owwa.gov.ph) or by using the appointment scheduler on the OWWA Mobile App.
On the day of the appointment, go to the selected OWWA RWO that covers the OFW’s permanent address.
Secure a queuing number and wait for your turn at the EDSP application window (30 seconds).
Present the ID of the OWWA member OFW along with the application form and all the other documentary requirements at the Membership Verification Desk.
Wait for the focal on Education and Training to verify the OWWA membership of the OFW and evaluate the submitted requirements (10 minutes depending on whether or not you submitted complete documentary requirements).
Wait for the initial results confirming whether your application for the EDSP was approved or rejected. You should receive a call if you choose to submit your application online.
Once approved, you will receive the Notice of Award along with the schedule and venue information of the Scholarship Orientation (3 to 5 working days).
Attend Scholarship Orientation (1 to 2 hours)
Wait for the Focal on Education and Training from EDSP OWWA RWO to facilitate the Notarization of Scholarship Agreement (30 minutes to 1 hour).

Important Reminders

Here are some reminders and important things you need to know about the Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP) before you get too interested in the benefits and privileges of this OWWA scholarship program:

Filling of applications for the Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP) starts every June of each academic year.
The deadline for submission of application is every first week of August of each year, though it might change as prescribed by ROCS (Responsible Outgoing College Students) based on the scheduled national qualifying exam conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
An incoming freshman applicant must belong to the graduating class or a Grade 12 senior high school student at the time of the application.
Application with incomplete documentary requirements will not be accepted or reviewed.
All applications are subject for review, further verification, and approval, which may be affected by the veracity and completeness of the submitted documentary requirements.
Application approval only identifies applicants who are qualified to take the national competitive exam conducted by the DOST and is not a guarantee that the applicant will receive the scholarship.
Scholarships are awarded through a voucher scheme.
The vouchers issued under the EDSP must be used within the alloted time span specified on the vouchers.
EDSP scholarship availees are tested and evaluated on a daily basis.
The benefits of the EDSP scholarship are non-transferable.
Excellent EDSP scholars who graduate with flying colors will be honored and given appropriate awards.
Eligible applicants will be chosen and ranked based on their results in the DOST scholarship qualifying test.
The OWWA Scholarship Committee will choose and recommend scholars from among the the top 400 qualifiers of the DOST qualifying exam.
The OWWA Scholarship Committee Administrator’s approval is final and irreversible.

Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP) Explainer Video to Help You Understand the Program Better

To learn more about OWWA’s EDSP scholarship project you may check out this video and get a better idea of what the scholarship entails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions and answers related to the Education for Development Scholarship (EDSP) in case you care enough to know:

1. What is the OWWA EDSP Scholarship?

The Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP) is a scholarships program offered by OWWA to qualified beneficiaries or dependents of active OFW members who intend to enroll in the applicants’ preferred four- or five-year degree course at their preferred colleges or universities.

2. How much is the EDSP scholarship grant?

The EDSP scholarship grant offers its beneficiaries educational monetary assistance amounting to Php 30,000.00 per semester or up to Php 60,000.00 per every academic year. The EDSP benefit, once awarded, will continue for four to five years, depending on the beneficiary’s degree program. The scholarship will also continue if and only if the terms and conditions of the Scholarship Agreement are met.

3. Is EDSP the same as ODSP?

No. Though both the EDSP and ODSP are educational grants geared to help active OWWA OFW members support the tertiary education of their qualified dependents who are incoming freshmen or currently enrolled in college. The difference is that, unlike for the beneficiaries of ODSP who are required to pursue their tertiary education by enrolling in accredited state universities or colleges (SUCs), EDSP beneficiaries can pick any of their preferred CHED-accredited college or university. It doesn’t have to be in an SUC. In terms of the grant benefits, ODSP only provides up to Php 20,000.00 per academic year, while EDSP provides up to Php 30,000.00 per semester or Php 60,000.00 per academic year.

4. Where can I apply for this OWWA scholarship?

Just like ODSP, EDSP can be applied online, via email, or by visiting the OWWA Regional/Satellite Welfare Office that is closest to the OFW’s permanent address. There aren’t any option to apply online via the website but interested applicants may visit the OWWA website at www.owwa.gov.ph to schedule an appointment to the nearest RWO.

5. My spouse has applied for EDSP for one of our children. I am also an OFW and an active OWWA member. Can I apply for another child too?

No. Like any other OWWA scholarship grant, the EDSP is only available to one family member of an active and married OWWA member. That means that even if both husband and wife are OFWs who are active OWWA members, both may only apply on behalf of one child in their family if they decide to avail of the scholarship privileges of the EDSP.

6. How can I get the EDSP application form?

The application can be downloaded online if you email OWWA, or you may get it from any OWWA Regional Welfare Office (RWO) near you.

7. Can my brother or sister apply for the EDSP scholarship grant?

Yes. If you are a single OFW who is also an active OWWA member, then your sibling can be considered a qualified beneficiary and get the grant. You, along with the OWWA member, would need to present proof of your relationship as part of the requirements, along with the other documents required.

8. Where should I submit my EDSP scholarship application?

Though it is possible to send the application online, via email, or via courier, it is always best to visit the OWWA Regional Welfare Office (RWO) or the local OWWA office near your permanent address to guide you better as this is where you can find more specific scholarship grant information available in your region.

9. How should I reach out to OWWA in case I need to know more about the EDSP project?

You may always reach out to OWWA directly through the following contact information:

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/

You may also check out the OWWA scholars’ Facebook Page. For more information on all the available OWWA services and benefits for their scholars and the rest of the OFW dependents who are OWWA Scholarship beneficiaries, visit https://www.facebook.com/ProudOWWAscholars/.

Summary

OWWA, as an agency, has always prided itself for keeping up with their mandate to protect and support the OFWs—our very own Modern Heroes. That’s why, it comes as no surprise that their program offerings include numerous scholarship options that will help the OFWs help their families realize their dreams through education.

More than the financial support, these scholarships, particularly the very lenient Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP), is OWWA’s support to the future pillars of society. This is why it is in the best interest of the program stakeholders to keep their scholars on their toes with stringent application and evaluation protocols.