OWWA Expands Scholarships To 25,000 For OFW Families

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) has opened 10,000 additional scholarship slots for dependents of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and seafarers, expanding its total beneficiaries to 25,000 students nationwide for 2026. The move follows a presidential directive and is backed by OWWA’s record ₱21.3 billion trust fund, the largest in the agency’s more than four decades of service.

The expansion aims to widen access to college education for families whose breadwinners work abroad, often separated from their children for years to secure a steadier income.

A Record Fund Fuels Expansion

OWWA Administrator Patricia Yvonne Caunan said the increase in slots was made possible after the agency’s trust fund reached unprecedented levels.

“The expansion was made possible after the agency’s trust fund reached ₱21.3 billion—the highest level recorded in its more than four decades of service,” Caunan said.

The fund, built from membership contributions of OFWs, serves as a financial safety net for migrant workers and their families. This year’s boost signals a shift from maintaining reserves to investing more aggressively in long-term support, particularly in education.

From the existing 15,000 scholarship slots, OWWA will now accommodate 25,000 dependents across its programs.

Three Scholarship Tracks Available

The additional slots are distributed across three main programs, each tailored to different financial and academic circumstances:

• Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP): Offers up to ₱60,000 per school year for four to five years, covering baccalaureate degrees in Philippine colleges and universities. The program selects the top 1,000 qualifiers of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) examination for incoming freshmen, with 600 slots allocated for students in their second to fifth year.
• OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP): Provides ₱20,000 per school year for four- or five-year degree programs or associate courses. It is designed for dependents of OFWs whose salaries fall within income ceilings set by OWWA, including categories earning USD 1,000 or below per month.
• Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program (CMWSP): Grants up to ₱60,000 (or ₱60,120) per school year for priority science and technology fields. The program receives funding support from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.

All grants apply to studies in Philippine higher education institutions.

Who Qualifies

Eligibility is limited to children or siblings of active OWWA members. To qualify, the OFW’s membership contributions must have been paid between July 16, 2023 and July 16, 2025, with a grace period until July 17, 2025.

Applicants must be:

• Single and not more than 30 years old;
• Enrolled or intending to enroll in a college or university in the Philippines; and
• Meeting minimum general weighted average requirements ranging from 75 to 85 percent, depending on the program.

OWWA has emphasized the importance of verifying active membership before applying. In a public advisory, the agency reminded families: “Siguraduhing ACTIVE ang OWWA membership ng iyong magulang o guardian na OFW! … Baka ito na ang daan mo sa pangarap mong edukasyon!”

Applications are coursed through OWWA Regional Welfare Offices and overseas posts, with online submissions available via the agency’s scholarship portal.

Relief for Families Under Pressure

For many OFW households, a college diploma represents both promise and pressure. Tuition hikes and living costs have steadily risen, often forcing families to juggle remittances, loans and part-time work to keep children in school.

An annual grant of ₱60,000 can cover a significant share of tuition and related fees in public institutions and offset private university expenses. Even the ₱20,000 support under the ODSP can help defray laboratory, book, and miscellaneous costs that often strain family budgets.

By scaling up the program, OWWA is effectively converting its trust fund into what education advocates often call “opportunity capital”—financial support that can elevate not just individual families but entire communities, particularly in rural provinces where many OFWs originate.

National Reach and Next Steps

The scholarships are available nationwide, covering applicants across the archipelago. OWWA’s regional offices will oversee screening and documentation, while the DOST handles the qualifying examination component for EDSP freshmen.

The expansion aligns with OWWA’s mandate under the Labor Code to promote the welfare of OFWs and their dependents. It also reflects a broader policy direction: leveraging accumulated welfare funds for long-term developmental programs rather than limiting support to emergency assistance.

With 25,000 scholarship slots now open for 2026, thousands more children of migrant workers may gain access to higher education—a tangible return on the sacrifices made abroad by Filipino workers and seafarers who continue to support families from afar.