For children of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who dream of finishing college, there are private or corporate scholarships available, in addition to government programs. Some examples are the GBF STEM College Scholarship and the SM College Scholarship Program. Another option is the Aboitiz Future Leaders Scholarship Program.
Established in 2000, the program is offered by Aboitiz Foundation, Inc., the corporate foundation of Aboitiz Group, a leading Philippine conglomerate. Aside from providing scholarships, the foundation empowers people and communities by engaging in capacity building, digital skills training, and climate action through nature-based solutions.
Program Benefits
According to the Aboitiz Foundation’s official website, their scholarship program “empowers deserving students through full educational support, mentorship, and leadership development opportunities.”
Benefits include full tuition fee, monthly allowance, and learning development sessions. There are also incentives for academic excellence, graduating with Latin Honors, and becoming a board topnotcher.
The program covers scholars’ second year up to graduation, including midyear terms, as long as they continue to meet eligibility requirements.
Eligibility
To qualify for the program, an applicant must:
- Be a sophomore student enrolled in a partner university;
- Be enrolled in a degree identified by the Aboitiz Foundation;
- Have a first-year college general weighted average (GWA) of at least 88% or its equivalent;
- Have no dropped subjects, failing and/or incomplete grade in any academic subject; and
- Have no record of any form or disciplinary action.
NOTE: The scholarship program is open only to incoming sophomore students who have completed their first year in college.
Requirements
To register for the program, applicants need to prepare the following:
- Copy of Student ID;
- Copy of Certificate of Good Moral Character;
- Copy of College Grades starting freshman year (e.g. Transcript of Records or Certificate of True Copy of Grades);
- Copy of Certificate of Enrollment/Registration for the coming school year; and
- Copy of Certificates of College Leadership, Awards received, and Seminars attended.
Application Process
Applications for the program are processed through the scholarship offices of each partner university. Those who are interested are advised to coordinate with their school’s designated office.
Although there is no exam required, applicants must ensure that they meet the eligibility requirements, before registering though their school’s scholarship office or online portal.
After the registration period, the Aboitiz Foundation will contact shortlisted applicants for an in-person interview. Eventually, the final results will be posted on the foundation’s official Facebook and Instagram pages; these will also be sent to the partner universities.
After the Program
After graduation, scholars are not required to render “return of service.” However, they are expected to achieve the following throughout their period of scholarship:
- Join learning sessions, leadership development activities, and other events organized by the foundation;
- Maintain good academic standing and moral character; and
- Complete a 400-hour internship within the business units of Aboitiz Group.
Partner Schools and Courses
Here is a list of the foundation’s partner universities, along with the scholarship courses available in each school:
- Ateneo de Manila University – Engineering Courses, Technology and Data Science Courses;
- De La Salle University – Engineering Courses, Technology and Data Science Courses;
- Mapua University – Engineering Courses, Technology and Data Science Courses;
- University of Santo Tomas – Engineering Courses, Technology and Data Science Courses;
- University of the Philippines Baguio – BA Communication Major in Journalism, BS Computer Science;
- University of the Philippines Diliman – Engineering Courses, Technology and Data Science Courses;
- University of the Philippines Los Baños – BS Agriculture Major in Animal Science, BS Forestry;
- University of the Philippines Mindanao – BS Computer Science, BS Data Science; and
- University of the Philippines Cebu – BA Communication Major in Journalism, BS Computer Science.
For more details about the program, interested applicants can contact Aboitiz Foundation by sending an email to aboitizfoundation@aboitiz.com.
Through the Aboitiz Future Leaders Scholarship Program, students receive financial support, mentorship, and valuable support that guide them towards becoming future leaders and achieving their full potential.
Notably, courses that are covered by scholarships are often based on the country’s overall development goals. Read this article for the list of priority courses available under most scholarship programs.