Quick Answer: OWWA runs at least six education and training benefits, and each has its own checklist. EDSP and CMWSP pay up to ₱60,000 per school year for a bachelor's degree, ODSP pays ₱20,000 per school year, ELAP pays ₱5,000 to ₱10,000 per school year to the child of a deceased OFW, and SESP pays up to ₱14,500 per tech-voc course. EDSP and ODSP applicants need at least an 80% general weighted average with no failing grades, PSA birth certificates proving the relationship to the OFW, and the OFW's active OWWA membership. College programs are filed online at scholarship.owwa.gov.ph; the rest are filed at your OWWA Regional Welfare Office.
Most OWWA scholarship guides stop at "who qualifies and how much." This one is the paperwork view. We went through OWWA's 2026 Citizen's Charter, the official document that lists every requirement, step, fee, and processing time for each service, and organized it per program so you can build your folder before the application window opens. If you first want the big-picture comparison of OWWA aid against other options for OFW families, start with our OFW scholarship overview, then come back here for the checklist.
One rule applies to every program below: the OFW must be an active OWWA member. Under Republic Act 10801, membership starts when the OFW pays the US$25 contribution and stays active "until the expiration of the OFWs existing employment contract" or two years from contract effectivity, whichever comes first. The same law says a member "or the member's designated beneficiary, may avail" of OWWA's scholarship programs. Confirm the OFW's status with your Regional Welfare Office or the OWWA hotline (1348) before you gather anything else.
Which OWWA Education Programs Are Open, and How Much Does Each Pay?
Six programs cover education and training, per OWWA's official program pages and its 2026 Citizen's Charter. Four fund formal schooling and two fund short training.
| Program | Who it is for | Benefit | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|
| EDSP (Education for Development Scholarship Program) | Dependents of active members entering or in a 4-5 year bachelor's course | Up to ₱60,000 per school year until graduation | Online, scholarship.owwa.gov.ph |
| CMWSP (Congressional Migrant Workers Scholarship Program) | Migrant workers or their immediate descendants in priority Science and Technology courses | Up to ₱60,000 per school year until graduation | Online, scholarship.owwa.gov.ph |
| ODSP (OFW Dependents Scholarship Program) | Dependents of lower-earning OFWs in a 4-5 year bachelor's or associate course | ₱20,000 per school year | Online, scholarship.owwa.gov.ph |
| ELAP (Education and Livelihood Assistance Program) | One child of a deceased active member, or of an OFW sentenced to death abroad | ₱5,000 (K-Grade 6), ₱8,000 (Grades 7-12), ₱10,000 (college) per school year, plus ₱15,000 one-time livelihood grant | Regional Welfare Office |
| SESP (Skills-for-Employment Scholarship Program) | Active members and their spouse, child, or sibling (24 and below) | Up to ₱14,500 per tech-voc course of 6 months to 2 years | Regional Welfare Office |
| SUP (Seafarers' Upgrading Program) | Active seafarer-members | Up to ₱7,500 per upgrading course | Regional Welfare Office |
Disclaimer: amounts, slot counts, and eligibility rules are set by OWWA and can change each school year. Confirm the current figures and open application window with scholarship.owwa.gov.ph or your Regional Welfare Office before budgeting around any number here.
OWWA also runs a 5-day Information Technology Training Program for OFWs and dependents (internet, Word, Excel, PowerPoint), but it is a short course, not a cash grant.
What Do You Need to Apply for EDSP?
EDSP needs five things: an 80% average, proof you are the OFW's child or sibling, proof of enrollment, an ID of the OFW, and, for incoming freshmen, a top-1,000 finish in the DOST-SEI exam. OWWA's scholarship portal splits EDSP into two categories: Category 1 for incoming first-year college students and Category 2 for students already in 2nd to 5th year. The portal sets aside 600 slots for Category 2 (the older program page on owwa.gov.ph says 400).
Per OWWA's 2026 Citizen's Charter, the EDSP checklist is:
- Online Scholarship Application Form at scholarship.owwa.gov.ph
- Proof of grades: Form 137, a certified true copy of Form 138, or a Transcript of Records showing an 80% GWA and no failing grades
- One valid government- or company-issued ID of the OFW member or the authorized representative
- Proof of relationship from PSA or the Local Civil Registry: the dependent's birth certificate, plus the OFW's birth certificate and CENOMAR if the applicant is the OFW's sibling
- Proof of enrollment, such as a registration card or official receipt for tuition
- Two 2x2 ID photos with name tag
- Course syllabus from the school registrar
After you submit, the Regional Welfare Office checks completeness (you get 3-5 working days to fix gaps), signs a masterlist of pre-approved applicants, and endorses it to DOST-SEI. The office then releases examination permits. OWWA receives the list of qualifiers from DOST, issues a Notice of Award, and schedules an orientation. Qualifiers sign a notarized Scholarship Agreement (notary fees of ₱50 to ₱100 are the only cost listed), and the grant is released through Landbank. The Charter puts the whole EDSP process at about 14 days of agency time.
What Changes for ODSP?
ODSP has the same 80% GWA rule but swaps the exam for an income test. It pays ₱20,000 per school year, which makes it the option for families whose child did not make the DOST top 1,000. It covers 4- or 5-year bachelor's courses and associate courses.
The income test is where OWWA's documents disagree, so read the current memo:
| OWWA source | ODSP salary ceiling for the OFW |
|---|---|
| 2026 Citizen's Charter | Monthly salary of not more than US$600 |
| Baccalaureate Courses page, owwa.gov.ph | Monthly salary of not more than US$1,000 |
| Scholarship portal, scholarship.owwa.gov.ph | Set by a memorandum issued during each year's application period |
On top of the EDSP-style documents (membership record, OFW ID, PSA birth certificates, 80% GWA records, ID photos), ODSP adds:
- Certificate of Good Moral Character from the school
- Medical certificate stating the student is fit to attend school, only if the student has a medical pre-condition
- Proof of the OFW's monthly salary: employment contract, Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC), payslip, or similar
The Charter lists about 7 days and 4 hours of agency processing for ODSP, again ending in a notarized agreement and Landbank release.
Who Qualifies for CMWSP?
CMWSP is for students taking a priority Science and Technology course, and it pays the same up to ₱60,000 per school year as EDSP. The scholarship portal describes it as extended to "deserving migrant workers and/or their immediate descendants" and notes that it is funded through the PCSO. Its legal basis is Section 37 of Republic Act 8042, the Migrant Workers Act, which created the fund for migrant workers and their immediate descendants "below twenty-one (21) years of age" who pursue courses "primarily in the field of science and technology."
If your child is aiming for engineering, a natural science, math, or IT, apply to both CMWSP and EDSP when both are open. If the course is business, education, or humanities, CMWSP does not fit; use EDSP or ODSP. For a sense of which degrees DOST treats as priority S&T, see our DOST scholarship guide.
How Does ELAP Work for Children of Deceased OFWs?
ELAP is the only OWWA education benefit that covers Kinder to college, and it is meant for families who lost the OFW. Per OWWA's ELAP page and Citizen's Charter, it covers dependents of OFWs who were active members at the time of death, and families of OFWs convicted and sentenced to death abroad who made at least one contribution.
The education grant goes to one child per family: the eldest or first-born, not more than 21 years old. If that child is not qualified or able, the next child is chosen. Amounts per school year are ₱5,000 for Kinder to Grade 6, ₱8,000 for Grades 7 to 12, and ₱10,000 for college. A separate one-time livelihood grant of ₱15,000 goes to the surviving family.
ELAP education checklist from the Charter:
- Application form from the Regional Welfare Office
- PSA/LCR birth certificates proving relationship to the OFW
- Two 2x2 colored ID photos with name tag
- One copy of the OFW's death certificate
- School records of the child (Form 137/138, Transcript of Records, or Certificate of Grades for college)
- Certificate of Good Moral Character, and a medical certificate if the child has a medical pre-condition
The livelihood component adds an Entrepreneurial Development Training certificate from OWWA and a business plan. ELAP is filed in person, Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
What About SESP and the Seafarers' Upgrading Program?
These two are for training, not degrees. SESP pays up to ₱14,500 per course for a 6-month to 2-year tech-voc program at a school accredited by TESDA, MARINA, or another government training institution. The OFW can use it, and so can a spouse, child, or the sibling of a single OFW, if aged 24 and below. You bring the application form, two 2x2 photos, proof of OWWA membership, and PSA birth certificate (or marriage certificate for a spouse, CENOMAR where needed). The Charter lists about 7 days before you claim the Notice of Award. Check that the course is TESDA-registered first; our guide to TESDA-accredited training centers shows how.
SUP pays up to ₱7,500 per upgrading course at an accredited maritime training center. Per OWWA's Short-Term Courses page, one membership contribution entitles a seafarer to a first course, and later courses are allowed after every three recorded contributions. Bring your Seaman's Identification Record Book (SIRB), passport, membership record, and enrollment confirmation.
When Does OWWA Accept Applications?
There is no fixed calendar you can rely on year to year. OWWA's Citizen's Charter says college scholarship applications are accepted online "during the prescribed application period," and OWWA announces that period on scholarship.owwa.gov.ph and on Regional Welfare Office Facebook pages. Windows are short, often a few weeks, so prepare the PSA documents and certified grades before the announcement, not after. ELAP, SESP, and SUP are filed year-round during office hours.
For EDSP Category 1, the binding step is the DOST-SEI qualifying exam. OWWA endorses its pre-approved list to DOST-SEI and releases exam permits, so an EDSP applicant who misses OWWA's online window cannot simply sit the exam later through OWWA.
Tips Before You Submit
- Fix the membership problem first. Every college program needs an active member. If the OFW is between contracts, check whether the two-year window under RA 10801 has lapsed before spending on documents.
- Order PSA copies early. Siblings need three civil registry documents (OFW birth certificate, OFW CENOMAR, own birth certificate), which take time to request.
- Check the 80% rule against the right record. Grades must show no failing marks, not just an 80% average.
- Apply to more than one program if eligible. EDSP, CMWSP, and ODSP have different gates (exam, course field, income), so a strong student in an S&T course can file for more than one.
- Use the official portal only. Apply at scholarship.owwa.gov.ph. For questions, OWWA lists its 24/7 hotline 1348 and [email protected].
If OWWA aid will not cover the full cost, see our guides to government student aid and scholarships for college students. For help choosing the school itself, our guide for OFW families on courses and education planning for OFW children cover the next decision.
Ready to find the right school? Search schools on SchoolFinderPH to compare tuition, programs, and reviews across Philippine colleges and universities before your child's scholarship is approved.
Sources
- OWWA Citizen's Charter 2026 (official PDF)
- OWWA Scholarship Online Application portal (official)
- OWWA - Baccalaureate Courses (official)
- OWWA - Short-Term Courses (official)
- OWWA - Education and Livelihood Assistance Program (official)
- Republic Act No. 10801, OWWA Act (LawPhil)
- Republic Act No. 8042, Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act, Section 37 (LawPhil)
- SchoolFinderPH: OFW Scholarships, DOST Scholarship Guide, TESDA-Accredited Training Centers, Government Student Aid, Scholarships for College Students, Courses for OFW Children, OFW Children's Education
