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Married Couples and Families

We are family-friendly at Newlife School of Midwifery! If you are married and have children please don't let that deter you from considering attending our school. More than a dozen married students have come to Davao during the past 13 years to study. Pictured here are five families and their 14 children.

Family Housing

Married couples are required to provide for their own room and boarding due to their unique needs unlike our single students. We do not maintain long-term apartments for families coming and going simply because each family has different needs.

A projected set-up cost for an apartment or house is estimated to be between $2000 - $3000 inclusive of the purchase of furniture and appliances. These costs vary depending upon the family and their respective needs. For example, a particular family may want a large refrigerator ($700+) whereas another family is content with a small $200 refrigerator. We strongly recommend budgeting for the higher set-up amount we've listed.

Rent varies depending on the size of the apartment or house. Typical rent prices run between $200 - $500 per month based on size and location. (The set-up cost listed above is not inclusive of rental deposits and advances.)

Utilities also vary depending on each respective family needs. A family desiring to aircondition their home will have a high electrical bill. Or families who choose to purchase expensive imported food will obviously spend much more than a family content on buying local Philippine branded groceries.

For these reasons its difficult for us to set a predetermined suggested budget for families.

In order to give adequate time to find and set up a new home we require families to arrive in Davao at least 2 months prior to the school start date.

Living Expenses

Families, of course, will need to have enough funding to adequately support their living and personal expenses. Some families are donor-supported and function very much as a typical field missionary relying on the financial support from family, friends and their home church. Other families prefer to be self-supported through personal savings.

Although the foreign currency exchange rate fluctuates constantly, we recommend that a family budget at least $1500-2000/month for living expenses. If the family is large with several childen obviously the expenses would be greater especially if they decide to enroll their children at Faith Academy (see below).

We also recommend that families seriously consider purchasing a used vehicle. Public transportation is always available here in the Philippines, but the logistical challenges of transporting children and groceries using jeepneys or taxis can be quite taxing. Initially it may be a new adventure, but after a few months it can tend to be a bit overwhelming.

Discounted Allowance

Newlife School is primarily set up to accommodate single students for which the school assumes responsibility to provide room and board. Newlife School does offer a $300 COLA (Cost of Living Allowance) credit to families each semester to help offset some of their living expenses.

Husband Commitment

Families that are seriously considering attending Newlife School of Midwifery must embrace the new role of the husband that will assuredly be required. Understanding this is a 'season' in their marriage that focuses on the wife's midwifery education, the husband must absolutely be willing to accept this new priority in order to allow his wife to fulfill her academic and clinic responsibilities. A definite change in spousal roles within the household will undoubtedly be essential concerning the husband if they have children.

Couples Without Children

We've had some married couples enrolled over the years who have not had any children. If this is the case, husbands obviously will not be dealing with the role reversal issue. However, the need for husbands to be completely supportive is essential if the wife hopes to meet the school's requirements and fulfill her desire to be a midwife. We ask husbands to genuinely 'lay-it-down' for the duration of his wife's schooling realizing that its only for a season.

Adjusted Timeframe Requirements For Families

Due to the unique needs of families, Newlife School has implemented a new policy that married students must extend their school program by one additional semester. Rather than a 4 semester program, as is typical for single students, we require 5 semesters for married students. Experience had proven that married students are simply too challenged due to the added time the student needs with her children and her husband, an issue that we are sensitive of and wish to support for the purpose of maintaining a healthy marriage.

Employment For Husbands

Foreigners are not allowed to work in the Philippines and earn a salary on a missionary visa. Some married applicants have assumed their husbands would be able to work while they are studying at the school. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Philippine law does not make provision for the employment of such.

There are concessions made if the husband works as an international consultant for a large corporation or if he makes a substantial financial investment in the country to start a new business venture in which Filipinos would be employed. But this requires a special visa and the documented sponsorship of a Filipino national representing a corporation or business partner.

Note: If the husband is retained by a US-based company doing IT work via his computer and is paid in the States or Canada then of course that is entirely doable. We would require a letter confirming employment and monthly income from the company to substantiate the financial capacity of the student applicant.

Ministry Opportunities For Husbands

We desire to see husbands fulfilled while here in Davao. If the husband and wife have children the ability to be involved with our additional ministry projects is obviously going to be limited. However, if the couple doesn't have children the opportunities for husbands are quite significant.

Husbands are encouraged to involve themselves with any of our various ministry projects that presently involve; community development, provincial outreaches, Outland Adventure, Agdao Violin Institute, pastoral training, conducting home Bible studies, etc. However, we do not require that husbands participate in any of the above ministries. They may be as involved as they wish. We only ask that husbands submit to the leadership as it relates to his participation in one of our existing programs or if he chooses to work with another mission organization.

A PERSONAL NOTE TO HUSBANDS - We encourage husbands to firmly understand the purpose of their time here as it emphasizes the midwifery training for their wives. Your personal or ministry interests are secondary in priority during her time at Newlife School if your wife is to fulfill her academic and clinical requirements. We really encourage husbands to allow this 'season' of training for your wife to be the primary focus in your marriage as it is designed to equip her to fulfill the vision God has laid before you as a married couple. She will need your absolute support if she is to be successful in this school.

Education Needs For Children

Most of our families home school their children. However, there is a formal school located here in Davao called Faith Academy which is the sister satellite campus to the internationally recognized Faith Academy located in Manila. Faith Academy Davao was established to serve the missionary community and incorporates an American based curriculum and standards. Faith Adademy Davao was established in the 1980's and serves all grades; K - 12. Tuition fees run about $3000/student per year. You may Google their website for more information.

Missionary Community

Davao City is home to a large missionary community. There are approximately 100 missionary families living and serving here in the city. Some of these missionaries are involved in translation projects, church planting, community development, health care, etc. In addition, there is a growing number of American expats listed with the American Embassy as residing in Davao City. Some of these people are here for business interests or they are retired. Therefore, the overall size of the American [and Canadian and European] population here in Davao gives opportunity to develop extended friendships.

Married Students Going It Alone?

Oddly enough, we have received several inquiries from married students requesting the option to leave behind their husbands and children in their home country and attend Newlife School in Davao City without their presence. Such a request is simply not compatible with our philosophy and values as it relates to families.