Winning a scholarship is one of the best things that can happen to you as an undergraduate. Even if your family is well-to-do, there is no beating the feeling of having extra cash. Getting scholarship is possible. The people winning it, for starters, have one head too.
The most important step to getting a scholarship in Nigeria is to be informed. There is this saying that you miss a 100% of the chance you don’t take. How can you have any chance at winning a scholarship when you didn’t apply in the first place?
How can you apply when you are unaware of the application period?
No matter how smart you are, if you are not aware when undergraduate scholarships are announced, no test invitation will miraculously appear on your phone. Being informed involves you being connected to the internet or walking with friends that are always informed.
Every scholarship comes with its requirement which must be fulfilled before you are shortlisted for the test/interview. These requirements may slightly vary by scholarship but have many similarities. Sometimes, these scholarships will only allow a two-week registration window which may not be enough for you fulfill all the requirements. Anticipating the must-haves and getting them ready will help you apply for as many scholarships as you come across.
Below are the 8 must-haves for undergraduate scholarships in Nigeria;
- WAEC result
All undergraduate scholarships in Nigeria will need your WAEC result. You can take that to the bank. The minimum requirement is to have five credits inclusive of Maths and English. Some scholarships need only students with distinction in at least five subjects.
- Proof of LGA
The proof of Local government area is what tells people that you are from a particular local government. There are scholarships only available to people of certain communities and this document is essential in this regard. Also, this document proves that you are a Nigerian national.
- Letter from community ruler
This is similar to above in terms of its function. When it comes to community scholarships, issuing bodies have to be sure that you are a native of the community. This letter is like a normal attestation letter where the community ruler confirms that you are a ‘son of the soil’.
- Passport
White background, red background, any background, passports still remain a recurring decimal in virtually any application. A recently taken white passport photograph is the main requirement for scholastic scholarships. Using a passport you took when you were 10 is an error.
Always have your passport handy – both hard and soft copies. Personally, I make it a habit to have a passport in my wallet. You never know where it will be needed.
- Admission letter
Admission letter is what differentiates students from visitors in a university. The process for getting admission letter is much slower in some schools than others. Once your department announces that admission letter is ready, be the first to get yours. This requirement has been known to frustrate many applicants.
- School ID card
Not all schools release school ID card on time so you will be very lucky if your school does. Make sure to follow up on the process and secure yours even before scholarship announcements start rolling. If you cannot get one, you can also submit your student bio-page if your school does online registrations. Or use a confirmation of admission as is provided by some schools.
- First-year result
For scholarships targeted at 200-level students, you might be needed to submit your first-year results. If you attend a federal school where seeing your result is as difficult as ever then you have to be proactive. Immediately you get the information for the scholarship, write a formal letter of request to your department. Even if they can’t give you a comprehensive result, they should be able to write a letter to the scholarship body confirming your CGPA. Accepted CGPA is usually 3.0 and above but might be higher in certain cases.
- Jamb result
This requirement might look redundant when you’re asked to submit it with your admission letter, but is needed all the same.
Now that you have all the ammo you need, make soft copies and send it to your email. To scan your document for free you can download the android app Camscanner. The app allows you scan documents by taking a simple picture. What’s more? You can save it as pdf or jpeg. Make soft copies of all your important documents and email them to you today.
You are now ready to apply for any undergraduate scholarship.
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