Nifemi Brown Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship 2026
Applications are open for the Nifemi Brown Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship Programme — Fourth Edition, 2026, supporting financially disadvantaged Nigerian students studying at universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
The Foundation says the programme is designed for academically capable students whose financial circumstances may prevent them from completing their education. Selection considers not only academic performance but also financial need, character, community involvement and resilience.
Application deadline: Monday, 24 August 2026 at 11:59 p.m. WAT
Only two students will receive the 2026 scholarships. Results are expected in October 2026, and the Foundation says all applicants will be notified by email.
Who can apply?
Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:
Be a Nigerian citizen.
Be currently enrolled as an undergraduate at a Nigerian university, polytechnic or college of education.
Freshly admitted 100-level students are also eligible once they have received an admission offer.
Be studying full-time.
Demonstrate genuine financial need.
Be in good academic standing.
Not be under academic suspension, probation or disciplinary action.
Students enrolled through distance learning, part-time or sandwich programmes are not eligible for the current scholarship.
There is no restriction to a particular university type or course of study on the current 2026 page.
What does the scholarship cover?
The Foundation describes the award as a full-ride scholarship, but applicants should read the actual coverage carefully.
For the 2026 edition, the published benefits include:
full annual academic tuition shown on the institution's official fees invoice;
faculty and departmental fees appearing on that official invoice;
one paid professional training or certification each year related to the scholar's course of study;
an official NBF Scholar certificate;
access to the Foundation's student resource platform and book-club community; and
recognition as an NBF Scholar through the Foundation's website, social-media channels and annual report.
Expenses that are NOT covered
The scholarship specifically excludes:
hostel or accommodation fees;
feeding and general living expenses;
textbooks;
stationery and course materials;
transport or travel expenses; and
any charge that does not appear on the institution's official tuition invoice.
For this reason, applicants should understand the award primarily as full academic-fee support plus yearly professional training, rather than assuming that all living and study expenses will be paid.
Application documents
The 2026 application must contain four main components.
1. Essay response
Applicants must submit a properly structured Word document of between 600 and 750 words.
The Foundation says the essay carries significant weight in the selection process.
2. Academic transcript or result slip
Returning students should submit their most recent official transcript or result slip from their institution.
Freshly admitted students who have not yet written university examinations should instead submit:
their JAMB result; and
their O'Level result.
3. Evidence of enrolment
Returning students need a letter from their institution confirming that they are currently enrolled.
Fresh students may submit their admission/offer letter.
4. Three reference letters
Applicants must provide three separate reference letters.
The Foundation requires the letters to be written on authentic letterhead paper, and each referee must be contactable by email.
Applicants should therefore choose referees who know them well enough to speak meaningfully about their character, academic ability, leadership, community involvement or personal circumstances.
The 2026 scholarship essay question
A particularly important part of this year's application is the essay.
Applicants are being asked to discuss how artificial intelligence is affecting—or is likely to affect—their particular field of study and what they are personally doing to remain relevant in that changing environment.
The essay must be 600–750 words.
This is not supposed to be a general essay about the advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence.
The Foundation says strong answers should demonstrate:
knowledge of how AI applies specifically to the applicant's discipline;
real examples of changes already occurring in that profession;
credible predictions about future changes;
what the applicant is personally learning or doing in response;
intellectual honesty about both opportunities and limitations; and
original thought.
Example of the difference
A Computer Science student should not simply write:
“Artificial intelligence is changing the world and making jobs easier.”
Instead, the student could discuss areas such as generative AI, automated programming assistants, machine learning, cybersecurity, software testing or data analysis, and then explain the technical and human skills they are developing.
Similarly:
a Medicine or Nursing student could examine AI-assisted diagnosis, clinical decision support and patient-data ethics;
an Accounting student could discuss automated bookkeeping, fraud detection and financial analytics;
a Law student could examine legal research, document review, AI regulation and professional ethics;
an Engineering student could discuss predictive maintenance, digital twins, automation or AI-assisted design;
an Education student could discuss adaptive learning, automated assessment, lesson preparation and the changing role of teachers.
The key is to make the essay unmistakably connected to your own course and future profession.
Important warning about using AI for the essay
There is an interesting irony in this year's essay topic.
Although applicants are writing about artificial intelligence, the Foundation specifically warns against submitting content that appears to have been generated by AI.
It says its reviewers are trained to identify such responses and that generic, polished answers without genuine personal thinking will score poorly.
Applicants may research their field, but the final essay should reflect their own experiences, thinking, vocabulary and career plans.
The Foundation says it values clarity and authenticity more than perfect writing.
Financial need is important
This is not an academic-merit-only scholarship.
Applicants must demonstrate genuine financial need.
The initial application page does not specify one universal income threshold. Instead, the Foundation says applicants will be asked to provide supporting documentation concerning their household income and financial circumstances during the review stage.
Applicants should therefore be prepared to provide truthful evidence if shortlisted or contacted for verification.
Giving false information about income, academic results, enrolment or any other aspect of the application can lead to immediate disqualification.
If false information is discovered after the scholarship has already been awarded, the Foundation says the scholarship may be withdrawn.
How to apply
Unlike many scholarships, there is no online application form for the current edition.
Applications must be sent by email directly to:
There is no application fee.
The Foundation's current announcement does not specify a compulsory email subject line, so applicants should not rely on subject-line instructions copied from previous editions.
A clear subject such as “NBF Undergraduate Scholarship 2026 Application” may help identify the email, but applicants should treat this as an organisational suggestion rather than an official requirement.
Read the official 2026 Nifemi Brown Foundation Scholarship announcement
Before sending your application
Applicants should make sure that:
the essay is between 600 and 750 words;
the essay is submitted as a Word document;
the response discusses AI specifically in their own discipline;
the latest academic result or required fresher results are included;
proof of current enrolment or admission is included;
all three reference letters are attached;
referees can actually be reached through the email addresses provided;
all information supplied about financial circumstances is accurate; and
the completed email is sent well before 11:59 p.m. WAT on 24 August.
The Foundation explicitly advises applicants not to wait until the final day, because the deadline is absolute and late applications will not be considered.
What happens if you win?
Recipients must remain full-time students throughout the academic year covered by the scholarship.
Withdrawal from school, suspension or transfer to another institution without informing the Foundation may lead to the remaining scholarship support being withdrawn.
The Foundation may also ask successful scholars for permission to share their stories through its website, newsletter, social media or annual report. Participation in such publicity is not compulsory, and recipients may request anonymity.
How competitive is the scholarship?
Only two awards are available in the 2026 edition, so applicants should expect strong competition.
For context, the Foundation reported that its previous scholarship edition attracted 985 application emails, of which 290 met the qualification requirements. Those candidates then went through screening, document verification and interviews before two finalists emerged. That was the previous edition, so applicants should not assume that exactly the same selection stages will be used in 2026, but it demonstrates how competitive the programme can be.
Important rules
Applicants should also note:
late applications will not be considered;
applicants must remain truthful throughout the process;
recipients must maintain full-time enrolment;
the selection panel's decision is final;
unsuccessful applicants will not receive individual feedback; and
NBF does not use agents or intermediaries to award the scholarship.
Anyone asking applicants to pay money in exchange for guaranteed selection should be treated as suspicious.
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