Looking for scholarships but worried about your grades?
This list features scholarships with no GWA requirement or low GWA cutoff, usually around 80%. These options may help Filipino students who need financial support but do not have very high grades.
Below, you’ll find 10 scholarships you can check, including CHED, BFAR, OWWA, and private foundation programs.
Table of Contents
What does “no GWA requirement” mean?
A GWA means General Weighted Average. It is the average of your grades for a school year, semester, or grading period.
A scholarship with “no GWA requirement” means the guide or eligibility list does not state a specific grade average needed to apply.
But this does not always mean everyone will be accepted. You may still need to pass other rules, such as income limit, course requirement, school requirement, age limit, or document screening.
What should students check before applying?
Before you apply, check these three things first.
- First, check if the scholarship is for your year level. Some are for incoming college students, while others are for current college students, medical students, or tech-voc learners.
- Second, check if your course is included. Some scholarships are open to many courses, but others are only for medical, fisheries, agriculture, pharmacy, or technical-vocational programs.
- Third, check if your family or background fits the program. Some scholarships are for OFW dependents, coconut farmers’ families, fisherfolk families, or students from specific areas.
Read this next: List of Government Scholarships in the Philippines
Which scholarships with no GWA requirement?
Here are scholarships that do not show a specific GWA requirement based on the listed eligibility details from the provided PhilScholar guides.
1. CHED Tulong Dunong Scholarship
The CHED Tulong Dunong Scholarship is a government scholarship program for qualified Filipino undergraduate students.
This may be a good option if you are looking for a scholarship where the listed eligibility details do not focus mainly on high grades.
Quick notes:
- GWA requirement: No specific GWA stated in the listed eligibility details
- Best for: Filipino undergraduate students
- Main thing to check: School, income, and other scholarship status
2. CHED UniFAST Tertiary Education Subsidy
The CHED UniFAST Tertiary Education Subsidy, also known as TES, helps qualified students with education costs.
This can help students who need financial support but are worried that their grades may not be high enough for stricter scholarships.
Quick notes:
- GWA requirement: No specific GWA stated in the listed eligibility details
- Best for: Qualified college students
- Main thing to check: TES rules, school eligibility, and available slots
3. CHED-SIKAP Grant
The CHED-SIKAP Grant is for qualified personnel in higher education who want to pursue graduate studies.
This is not for all students. It is more focused on those who are connected to higher education work and want to continue their studies.
Quick notes:
- GWA requirement: No specific GWA stated in the listed eligibility details
- Best for: Qualified higher education personnel
- Main thing to check: Employment and graduate study requirements
4. CHED Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program
The CHED Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program helps qualified students who want to study medicine.
This may be helpful for students who want to become doctors but need financial support for medical school.
Quick notes:
- GWA requirement: No specific GWA stated in the listed eligibility details
- Best for: Qualified medical students
- Main thing to check: Medical school admission and return service rules
Which scholarships have low GWA cutoff?
The next scholarships have grade requirements, but the cutoff is usually around 80% or similar.
For many students, this may feel more reachable than scholarships that need 90% or higher.
Still, remember this: meeting the grade requirement does not mean automatic approval. You still need to pass the full screening.
5. CHED Coconut Scholarship for Farmers and their Families
The CHED Coconut Scholarship, also called COSCHO, is for qualified coconut farmers and their families.
This is a good option for students from coconut farming families who want to study agriculture, agribusiness, engineering, and other approved courses.
Quick notes:
- GWA requirement: 80% or equivalent
- Best for: Coconut farmers and their dependents
- Main thing to check: NCFRS registration and priority courses
6. BFAR Scholarship Program
The BFAR Scholarship Program is for students who want to study fisheries-related programs.
This may be a good fit if you are from a fisherfolk family, part of an Indigenous Cultural Community or Indigenous Peoples group, or interested in fisheries education.
Quick notes:
- GWA requirement: Not lower than 80%
- Best for: Students interested in fisheries
- Main thing to check: Category, family background, and required documents
7. Mercury Drug Foundation Scholarship
The Mercury Drug Foundation Scholarship supports qualified students, especially pharmacy students and selected awardees.
This may be a good option for students in pharmacy who need help with tuition, school fees, and other school-related costs.
Quick notes:
- GWA requirement: 2.5 or 80% or higher
- Best for: Qualified pharmacy students
- Main thing to check: Partner school, year level, and other scholarship status
8. Iskolar ni Juan Tech-Voc Scholarship
The Iskolar ni Juan Tech-Voc Scholarship is for students who want technical-vocational training.
This is different from a full GWA requirement. It focuses on specific subjects, especially Math and Science.
Quick notes:
- Grade requirement: No grade lower than 80% in Math and Science
- Best for: Senior high school graduates and college undergraduates
- Main thing to check: Age, income, and training location
9. OWWA Scholarships
OWWA scholarships are for qualified dependents of active OWWA members.
Some OWWA programs, such as ODSP, EDSP, and ELAP, have grade requirements around 80%, depending on the program and student category.
According to OWWA, EDSP Category 1 requires Grade 12 graduating students to have a GWA of 80% or equivalent. ELAP also lists an 80% GWA requirement for qualified dependents.
Quick notes:
- GWA requirement: Around 80%, depending on the OWWA program
- Best for: Qualified OFW dependents
- Main thing to check: OWWA membership, relationship to OFW, and program category
10. KCC Foundation College Scholarship
The KCC Foundation College Scholarship is included here with a note.
Based on the PhilScholar guide, the scholarship requires a general average of at least 85% and no grade below 80% in any related subject.
This means it is not a “no GWA” scholarship. It is also not as low as 80% for the general average. But it may still be useful for students who have an 85% average and only need to check the subject-grade rule.
Quick notes:
- Grade requirement: At least 85% general average; no grade below 80% in related subjects
- Best for: Qualified students from SOCCSKSARGEN
- Main thing to check: Residency, grades, and application requirements
What is the quick comparison?
Here is a simple guide to help you compare the scholarships.
| Scholarship | Grade Requirement | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| CHED Tulong Dunong Scholarship | No specific GWA stated | Filipino undergraduate students |
| CHED UniFAST TES | No specific GWA stated | Qualified college students |
| CHED-SIKAP Grant | No specific GWA stated | Higher education personnel |
| CHED Medical Scholarship | No specific GWA stated | Medical students |
| CHED Coconut Scholarship | 80% or equivalent | Coconut farmers and dependents |
| BFAR Scholarship Program | Not lower than 80% | Fisheries students |
| Mercury Drug Foundation Scholarship | 2.5 or 80% or higher | Pharmacy students |
| Iskolar ni Juan Tech-Voc Scholarship | No grade lower than 80% in Math and Science | Tech-voc learners |
| OWWA Scholarships | Around 80%, depending on program | OFW dependents |
| KCC Foundation College Scholarship | At least 85% general average; no grade below 80% in related subjects | SOCCSKSARGEN students |
How to Choose the Right Scholarship?
Final thoughts
You do not need to have perfect grades to start looking for scholarships.
Some scholarships focus on financial need. Some focus on course or family background. Some only require around 80%, depending on the program.
Before applying, always read the latest official announcement or the full scholarship guide. Requirements, deadlines, and available slots may change.
References
- Unifast.gov.ph. (2023). UniFAST. [online] Available at: https://unifast.gov.ph/tes.html [Accessed 29 May 2026].
- Commission on Higher Education. (2025). Financial Assistance | Commission on Higher Education. [online] Available at: https://legacy.ched.gov.ph/stufaps/ [Accessed 29 May 2026].
Leave a Reply