An Externally-Sponsored Scholarship is a grant offered to DSWD by external institutions, agencies, sponsors, either locally or abroad to support DSWD employees who want to pursue further academic studies by earning a post-graduate degree, diploma, certificates, and the like, or complete a baccalaureate or bachelor's degree.

Offered by Local Institutions

These are grants or financial assistance offered by other government and private agencies or institutions in the Philippines to allow employees to pursue further academic studies such as but not limited to those offered by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP), and National Defense College of the Philippines (NDCP).

Offered by Foreign Institutions

These are grants extended by educational institutions or organizations to DSWD employees to avail of academic courses or short-term non-degree training, seminar, or courses to be held in a foreign country on official business.