Maritime scholarship programs are one of the best paths to become a seaman. Luckily, there are many shipping companies offering cadetship opportunities to deserving cadets. One of which is the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association also known as NSA Cadet Program. Cadets who belong to this project are called NSA Scholars
NSA Philippines Cadet Program is always looking for top caliber cadets. Their objective is to develop the next generation of Filipino maritime professionals. They do this thru scholarship grants and best maritime education.
“Be the best that you can be, and see the world for free…”
When you are an NSA Scholar, you will receive top-notch training on your chosen field. They will assign you to the best maritime schools in the country offering the best education. In short, the scholarship will groom you to become a brilliant officer or engineer in the future.
We all know that getting a degree in maritime education is very expensive. Furthermore, there are bills to pay for everyday expenses too during studies. After graduation, more challenges comes as applying for a company is very difficult.
But the scholarship takes care of that. NSA provides so many benefits to cadets that all you need to do is study and be the best.
Before you jump on board, let us first know something about the NSA Philippines Cadet Program.
Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) Philippines Cadet Program is the most outstanding and promising program of the Association of Shipowners’ Training and Education Project (ASO-ATEP, the objective of which is to develop young and competent Filipino seafarers through scholarship grants and best maritime education awarded to qualified applicants
Out of the 7,641 islands, we only have four recognized maritime academies that are part of the NSA Philippines Cadet Program.
Maritime Schools for NSA Scholars
-
University of Cebu – Lapu Lapu and Mandaue
-
Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
-
John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation – Bacolod
-
DMMA College of Southern Philippines
There are only two courses offered by the Cadetship Program.
-
Bachelor of Science in Marine Transportation (BSMT) – Deck Officer
-
Bachelor of Science in Marine Engineering (BSMARE) – Engine Officer
If you want to become a Captain someday, the BSMT course will take you there. The Captain is the owner’s representative and his words on board, whatever he says, is the law.
But if you love machineries, motors, and fixing engines, then BSMARE is for you. Knowing everything about the engine and all its parts and auxiliaries will be your field of work. On top of that ladder is the Chief Engineer.
Now that you have an idea on which course to take, let us see the qualifications in the application process.
Aspiring cadets must be:
-
17 – 23 years old on or before 30 April.
-
Graduates of Senior High School (K-12)
-
Existing college students and tertiary level graduates
-
Physically and Mentally fit
-
Natural Born Filipino Citizen
-
Single
-
No derogatory records or was convicted/accused of any crime of moral turpitude.
NSA Scholarship Application
Application for the cadetship program is very simple and divided into four steps. If you think you meet the criteria listed above, log on to http://www.ntcmanila.com/application.php. This link will take you to their online application form.
After submitting the form, wait for their call or text about your scholarship exam. They will give you the schedule and venue. There are series of exams that you have to go through. You have to pass every single one of them to be able to qualify for the scholarship.
If you do so, congratulations! You are one step ahead to “seeing the world for free”. Now, you are an NSA Scholar. You will be part of the Cadetship Program and enjoy amazing perks link. Their structured program will help you build a solid foundation on this career. This is very important for future Officers and Engineers.
As you can see on the image below, your benefits start right after the selection process. You will have FULL Scholarships on your first and second year. The NSA will pay for your board and lodging. Your meals are also taken care of by the Program. That means, everything will be provided for you for FREE! This is because NSA sponsors will pay for all those things.
What NSA Scholar Does
As an NSA Scholar, all you got to do is to study hard! On your third year, your learning will continue on an actual seagoing vessel. You will work there as an apprentice cadet. This is the real thing. You will apply everything you learned in school. Your shipboard training will expose you to the actual working conditions on board.
You may have heard about the myths old sailors told you about. There are stories about huge waves, minus 20-degree and plus 40-degree temperatures. You will find out if the legend about pretty ladies that will make you forget your girlfriends is true or not.
And best of all, you will be earning real dollars! After your 12-month sea service, you will continue your studies in your school. But this time, the program will strip you of all the benefits. Free tuition, free meals and free lodging are no longer covered. This is because its part of the training. But you will still be a member of the NSA Program. You will use the money you earned on your apprenticeship to fund your final year in the academe.
Upon your graduation, your company will give you two options. Either you go back working on board or proceed on taking the licensure exam. Whatever you choose, your company guarantees a job for you. You only have to persevere and commit your loyalty to them. Above all, they have career paths for scholars that will guide you from cadetship to Master or Chief Engineer.
May the winds be on your favor.
Leave a Reply