PHILIPPINES: Five hundred overseas Filipino workers will form the first group to receive educational support under a new program from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and the Commission on Higher Education.
The Lifelong Learning Education Assistance Program for OFWs, or LEAP-OFWs, offers up to PHP 50,000 for tuition, assessment, and other related costs.
Work experience may count toward a degree
LEAP-OFWs supports workers studying through the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program, or ETEEAP.
ETEEAP allows qualified Filipinos to use knowledge and skills gained through work, training, and life experience toward a bachelor’s degree.
However, work experience does not automatically become academic credit.
Applicants must submit documents and complete assessments required by a CHED-authorized college or university.
Assessments may include interviews, portfolio reviews, examinations, or practical tests.
The CHED ETEEAP portal explains the process from application to graduation.
Applicants must be at least 23 years old and have completed high school.
College undergraduates may also apply.
They must have at least five years of work experience related to the degree they plan to take.
The program is open to qualified active or returning OFWs and eligible beneficiaries, based on OWWA’s published information.
Applicants also need a Letter of Acceptance from a CHED-authorized school offering their chosen ETEEAP course.
The Philippine Information Agency lists several common requirements, including a Philippine Statistics Authority birth certificate, school records, work portfolio, training certificates, and employer recommendations.
Grant comes in two ₱25,000 payments
Each approved applicant may receive up to ₱50,000 in two payments.
The first ₱25,000 will be released after the worker enrolls.
The second ₱25,000 will be provided after the scholar submits proof of continued enrollment for the next academic year or meets the required academic conditions.
The assistance may be used only once.
Returning workers must also apply within one year of arriving back in the Philippines, according to OWWA’s program materials.
Application starts with OWWA screening
Interested workers should first apply through an OWWA Regional Welfare Office or the agency’s Reintegration Portal.
Qualified applicants will receive a Certificate of Eligibility to Apply.
They can then register through CHED’s online ETEEAP system and continue with school assessment and enrollment.
Applicants should monitor the official OWWA Facebook page and OWWA website for application schedules and updated instructions.
