How overseas Filipino workers can get up to ₱50,000 to complete a bachelor's degree

Dubai: For many overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), leaving college behind was a sacrifice made to provide a better future for their families. Years later, many have built successful careers overseas but never had the chance to complete a degree. A new government programme aims to change that.

The Philippine Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), in partnership with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), has launched the Lifelong Learning Education Assistance Programme (LEAP), giving qualified OFWs the opportunity to complete a bachelor's degree while receiving up to ₱50,000 in educational assistance.

The initiative also recognises the knowledge, skills, and work experience OFWs have gained over the years, allowing these to be credited towards a college qualification through the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Programme (ETEEAP).

In its initial rollout, 500 qualified overseas workers will form the first batch of LEAP-OFWs scholars.

How the programme works

Unlike the traditional route to a college degree, LEAP-OFWs allows applicants to build on what they have already learned in the workplace.

Through ETEEAP, applicants' professional experience, training, and acquired skills can be assessed and recognised as academic learning. CHED and a deputised higher education institution (HEI) will evaluate each applicant through a recognition of prior learning assessment to determine which competencies can be credited towards a bachelor's degree and what academic requirements, if any, still need to be completed.

Moreover, the programme offers flexible learning options designed to accommodate the schedules of OFWs, while micro-credentials earned during the process may later be credited towards degree programmes or career advancement.

Who can apply

LEAP-OFWs is open to active OFWs, returning OFWs in the Philippines, and qualified beneficiaries.

Applicants must be at least 23 years old, have at least five years of relevant work experience, and be either high school graduates or college undergraduates. They must also obtain a letter of acceptance from a CHED-deputised HEI offering ETEEAP before proceeding with the programme.

The programme may be availed once a year after returning to the Philippines.

How much financial assistance is available

Qualified beneficiaries may receive up to ₱50,000 in educational assistance to help pay for tuition fees and other assessment-related costs.

The assistance will be released in two tranches. The first ₱25,000 will be provided after the applicant has enrolled in an approved degree programme. The remaining ₱25,000 will be released after the scholar submits proof of enrolment for the next academic year or proof that all required academic requirements have been completed. The funds will be released directly to the partner HEI.

How to apply

The application process begins with OWWA, where applicants must submit their request through an OWWA Regional Welfare Office or the OWWA Reintegration Portal.

OWWA will verify the applicant's membership and overseas employment records before issuing a certificate of eligibility to apply (CEA) to qualified applicants.

Using the CEA, applicants must register through CHED's ETEEAP online enlistment system and upload the required documents. CHED will then endorse the application to an appropriate deputised HEI, which will assess the applicant's work experience and prior learning before determining eligibility for enrolment. Once approved, the applicant can enrol in the degree programme, with OWWA's educational assistance released directly to the partner institution.

Documents to prepare

Applicants are required to submit a Philippine Statistics Authority-issued birth certificate, passport, academic records such as a diploma or transcript of records, certificates of employment, and other documents that demonstrate their professional knowledge and skills.

Supporting documents may also include Technical Education and Skills Development Authority certificates, company commendations, and other credentials relevant to the applicant's chosen field of study.

A first for OFWs

For years, OWWA's scholarship programmes have primarily supported the education of OFWs' children. LEAP-OFWs shifts the focus to the workers themselves, giving them the opportunity to pursue a goal many postponed to support their families.

“After you prioritise your family's dream, it's time to support your own dream,” said OWWA in Filipino.

By converting workplace experience into academic credits, LEAP-OFWs aims to help more Filipinos earn a recognised bachelor's degree, improve their career prospects in the Philippines and abroad, and fulfil a long-held personal ambition.