The OWWA OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) is a financial assistance program for eligible dependents of OFWs who have a monthly salary of US$600 or less. So if you are an OFW who meets these criteria, you may apply for the scholarship program for your children to help you pay for their school fees.
OWWA or the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration is an agency of the Department of Labor and Employment that protects and looks after the welfare and well-being of overseas Filipino workers. Apart from that, OWWA provides many social benefits such as assisting Filipino migrant workers. These include health benefits, disability, and death benefits, and family welfare assistance for all registered OWWA members.
Also Read: How to Apply OWWA EDSP Scholarship Program
Additionally, OWWA provides a variety of scholarship programs for the dependents of overseas Filipino workers in the Philippines. One of them is the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP). This scholarship program is financial assistance for the OFW dependents and beneficiaries who wish to enroll in a 4-year or 5-year baccalaureate course in any college or university.
If you wish to further know about the OWWA – ODSP financial assistance or scholarship program, read the full article as we give you an in-depth guide on how to avail and apply to the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) and learn about the qualifications, requirements, as well as the procedures and the financial benefits the qualified OFW dependents will expect to receive.
What is the OWWA OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP)?
The OWWA – OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) is financial assistance to qualified dependents of OFWs who has a monthly salary of US$ 600. Qualified dependents of OFWs are entitled to receive Php 20,000 per school year. This financial assistance is only applicable to students who will enroll or are currently enrolled in a 4-year or 5-year baccalaureate course or associate course in any college or university.
This financial assistance is already a great help to the children of overseas Filipino workers in pursuing their tertiary or college education until they graduate. Hence, all OWWA members are encouraged to apply and avail of OWWA scholarship programs if they have children or siblings in college or are incoming freshmen college students.
Benefits
Eligible dependents of overseas Filipino workers who are active members of OWWA with a monthly salary not exceeding US$ 600 shall receive financial assistance amounting to Php 20,000 per academic year.
Qualifications
Here are the qualifications for the interested OFW dependents in applying for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP). Interested applicants must assess themselves first if they have met the following qualifications to become eligible for the scholarship program.
Applicants must be a child or a sibling of an overseas Filipino worker who is an active member of OWWA.
A. Incoming first year students
- They must be Single – status.
- Grade 11 graduate, incoming Grade 12 or currently enrolled in Grade 12.
- They must not be over or older than 21 years old.
- They must have a passing grade.
B. Currently enrolled 2nd year to 5th year students
- Must be Single – status.
- Must not be over or older than 30 years old.
- Must have a passing grade.
Applicants must pass the entrance examination of the college or university he/she plans to enroll in.
Important note: Interested student applicants must not be a recipient of any OWWA or other scholarship grant.
Requirements
Below are the requirements or documents required that student applicants must provide and secure when applying for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP).
- A duly accomplished Scholarship Application Form from OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO).
- An OFW Membership Record from OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO).
- Applicants must provide 2 pcs. I.D. picture with name tag Government Issued or Company Issued I.D.
- Additionally, at least one (1) valid I.D. or Government Issued or Company Issued of OFW member and/or Authorized Representative.
- A Proof of Relationship to OFW Members such as a Birth Certificate from PSA or LCR. An OFW Birth Certificate if the dependent is a sibling, OFW CENOMAR if single, and the Dependent’s Birth Certificate.
- A dependent’s Form 137 or Certified True Copy of Form 138 or a Transcript of Records (TOR) indicating 80% GWA without failing grades from the school registrar.
- A Certificate of Good Moral and a Medical Certificate.
- A copy of the contract salary of the overseas Filipino worker not exceeding US$ 600.
Step by Step Application Process for OWWA ODSP Scholarship
Here is a step-by-step guide to applying for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) financial assistance from OWWA.
Step 1: Visit the official website of OWWA here – https://owwa.gov.ph/ to read more about the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) financial assistance and send an online application.
You can also visit the OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO) near you to get the Scholarship Application Form.
Step 2: Complete and secure all the required documents as well as fill out the Scholarship Application Form completely and accurately.
Step 3: Then, submit all the documents together with the duly accomplished Scholarship Application Form to the OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO).
You may also send your application and the required documents through Courier Services addressed to the OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO).
Step 4: Wait for a call from OWWA. You will receive one if you got a slot for the scholarship program.
Important Reminders
Here are some of the reminders and important things that every student applicant needs to keep in mind when applying for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) financial assistance.
- The application period starts in June of every school year and ends every first week of August each year as prescribed by the Responsible Outgoing College Students (ROCS) based on the scheduled qualifying exam conducted by the Depart of Science and Technology (DOST).
- An applicant must belong to the graduating class at the time of application or Grade 12 following the K-12 curriculum.
- Applicants who have submitted incomplete documentary requirements will not be accepted.
- Only the qualified applicants shall take the national competitive exam conducted by the Department of Science and Technology will be notified. Those applicants who made it to the Top 200 in the results of the exam shall be given slots.
- The recipients or awardees shall avail the grant through vouchers to be claimed at the given period only. The scholarship grant is also non-transferable.
- Awardees shall also have no failing grades or marks in any of their subjects to maintain their scholarship.
Video: A Testimony from an ODSP Scholar of OWWA
This video will give you some insights on what it is like to avail of the scholarship program as well as how is the processing of requirements like as shared by the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) grantee or awardee until she graduated from college. She also shared how the scholarship program helped her and her family financially in her studies.
If you want to know more about the other scholarship programs of OWWA, you can watch this video below:
Learn more about the qualifications and the application procedures in an interview with OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac as he discussed the different scholarship programs of OWWA and the eligibility for each scholarship program. He discussed each scholarship program in detail and it is very helpful and informative to those individuals who wish to apply for a scholarship program of OWWA.
You may also visit the official Facebook page of OWWA here – https://web.facebook.com/OWWAofficial to stay updated for announcements. You may also visit their official website here – https://owwa.gov.ph/.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please check out these common questions about the ODSP OWWA program scholarship for Filipino students:
1. Who can apply for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) financial assistance?
Dependents of the overseas Filipino workers residing in the Philippines who wish to enroll or are currently enrolled in a 4-year or 5-year baccalaureate course or associate course in any college or university can apply for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) of OWWA, only if the overseas Filipino workers are active members of OWWA and their monthly salary does not exceed US$ 600.
2. Can Second Year college students avail the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) financial assistance?
Currently enrolled 2nd Year to 5th Year college students are eligible to avail of the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) financial assistance as long as they can meet the qualifications and their overseas Filipino worker parent or sibling is an active member of OWWA having a monthly salary of not over US$ 600.
3. How much shall the student dependents of the overseas Filipino workers receive when they became a recipient of the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) financial assistance?
Recipients or beneficiaries of the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) shall receive Php 20,000 per school year financial assistance for their school expenses.
4. Is there an age limit when applying for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP)?
Incoming freshmen or first-year college students shall not be over or older than twenty-one (21) years old and the currently enrolled 2nd Year to 5th Year college students shall not be over or older than thirty (30) years old.
5. What are the qualifications for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP)?
To become eligible for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP), student applicants must be a child or sibling of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who is an active member of OWWA with a monthly salary of not more than US$ 600.
Incoming freshmen or First Year students must be Single and should not be over or older than 21 years old. They must also be a Grade 11 graduate, incoming Grade 12, or currently enrolled in Grade 12. They must also have passing grades.
Currently enrolled 2nd Year to 5th Year college students who wish to avail the scholarship program must be Single, not over or older than 30 years old, and have passing grades.
6. What are the documents required that I need to secure when applying for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP)?
When applying for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP), you must secure the following documentary requirements:
- A duly accomplished Scholarship Application Form from OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO).
- An OFW Membership Record from OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO).
- Applicants must provide 2 pcs. I.D. picture with name tag Government Issued or Company Issued I.D.
- Additionally, at least one (1) valid I.D. or Government Issued or Company Issued of OFW member and/or Authorized Representative.
- A Proof of Relationship to OFW Members such as a Birth Certificate from PSA or LCR. An OFW Birth Certificate if the dependent is a sibling, OFW CENOMAR if single, and the Dependent’s Birth Certificate.
- A dependent’s Form 137 or Certified True Copy of Form 138 or a Transcript of Records (TOR) indicating 80% GWA without failing grades from the school registrar.
- A Certificate of Good Moral and a Medical Certificate.
- A copy of the contract salary of the overseas Filipino worker not exceeding US$ 600.
7. Where can I apply for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) of OWWA?
You can visit the official website of OWWA here – https://owwa.gov.ph/ and send an application online. You may also go to the nearest OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO) near your location to apply for the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) and bring all the required documents. Usually, applications start in June of each academic year and end every first week of August as prescribed by the Responsible Outgoing College Students (ROCS) based on the scheduled qualifying examination by DOST..
8. Can I share the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program with my sibling?
The scholarship program is non-transferable and only one (1) child or beneficiary is eligible for the scholarship program.
9. Is there a maintaining grade or a general weighted average to maintain the scholarship?
Awardees or recipients of the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) shall not have any failing grades or marks in any of their subjects to maintain the scholarship grant.
Summary
In conclusion, the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP) financial assistance is intended for the student dependents of the overseas Filipino workers who will enroll or are currently enrolled in any 4-year or 5-year baccalaureate or associate course that are active members of OWWA and have a monthly salary of not more than US$ 600.
This is to support their college or tertiary education until they graduate. The qualifications are very simple. As long you have an overseas Family worker in your household such as your parents or sibling and your age is within the age limit you can apply.
However, it is important to note that this scholarship program or financial assistance is only eligible for one (1) beneficiary in every household of the OFW. There is a qualifying exam that you must take and you must be on the Top 200 to avail of a slot. Additionally, you have to maintain a passing grade to continuously benefit from the OFW Dependent Scholarship Program (ODSP).
To apply, you just have to complete all the documentary requirements and fill out the application form completely and accurately. There are three ways to apply for the scholarship program. You can either apply by sending an online application through the official website of OWWA when the application period starts. You may also go to the OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO) near you and submit all the required documents or you may use Courier Services to apply addressed to the OWWA Regional Welfare Offices (RWO).
The scholarship programs by OWWA are a huge help to overseas Filipino workers’ households. Financial assistance is a great help to aid the tertiary or college education of their dependents in the Philippines. Hence, if you have an overseas Filipino worker in the family, take advantage of the scholarship programs and other benefits you may get from OWWA.