In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the NHEF Scholars Program, the Nigeria Higher Education Foundation (NHEF) is pleased to announce a special expansion of access to the 2026 NHEF Scholars Program. For a limited 48-hour period, applications will be open to exceptional pre-penultimate and penultimate-year students from any Nigerian Federal University, extending this opportunity beyond NHEF Partner Universities.

The NHEF Scholars Program is a highly competitive initiative designed to identify, develop, and support some of the brightest and most promising Nigerian undergraduates. The program equips selected scholars with the exposure, professional development, and mentorship needed to reach their full potential as future leaders and innovators.

The NHEF Scholars Program identifies exceptional students in their pre-penultimate and penultimate year and equips them with:

● Exclusive Internship Opportunities: Meaningful work with leading organizations in Nigeria.
● Leadership & Career Development: Participate in impactful training sessions and workshops.
● Mentorship & Networking: Connect with accomplished professionals and NHEF alumni excelling across diverse industries.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
To be considered for the 2026 NHEF Scholars Program during this expanded access window, applicants must:

• Be pre-penultimate or penultimate-year students enrolled at any Nigerian Federal University.
• Be well-rounded individuals with demonstrated excellence in academics, extracurricular activities, and professional pursuits.
• Exhibit a strong commitment to community service, philanthropy, and a desire to make a lasting impact in society.
• During this expanded access window, the following universities (NHEF Partner Universities) are not allowed to apply: AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, BAYERO UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN, UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT.

• Applicants may submit an unofficial transcript at the initial stage. However, official transcripts will be required at a later stage of the recruitment process.
• This expanded access window is strictly time-bound and will only be available for 48 hours. Interested and eligible candidates are strongly encouraged to apply promptly.

SUBMISSION PROCEDURE

• All applications must be submitted via the NHEF Application Portal (https://portal.thenhef.org/)  latest by 11:59 p.m. (WAT) on Friday, March 20, 2026.

APPLICATION PORTAL GUIDE

• Log on to the NHEF application portal: https://portal.thenhef.org/.
• Register by creating an account on the portal: enter your first and last name, email address, phone number, and password.

• After registering, verify your email address by checking the inbox of the email address you registered with. Click the link or copy the URL to your internet browser.
• Once your account has been validated, log in using the email address and password you created.
• Proceed to the application by clicking on the APPLY tab from the dashboard.
• Complete all the bio-data information and the program essay questions on the application page.
• Candidates should be prepared to upload the following supporting documents: a one-page Curriculum Vitae (CV), a one-page Cover Letter and the most recent Statement of Result (All in PDF format).
• Review application responses and submit.
• Note: We suggest that interested candidates should have the responses to the application questions already filled on a separate document, e.g., Word Document, so it will be easier to copy and paste their responses into the application answer box. This is because the application cannot be saved. Hence, it must be filled and submitted at once. Applicants are also advised to complete their applications using a laptop or desktop computer rather than a mobile device and to ensure access to a strong and reliable internet connection to support a smooth application process.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Please take note of the following ways to confirm the successful submission of the application:

• The applicant’s dashboard will show this message upon application submission: “Scholars Program – Application Submitted on YY-MM-DD and the time it was submitted”.
• An email confirmation stating that the application has been successfully submitted will be sent to the applicant’s email address.
• Also, when the Scholars Program application tab on the dashboard is clicked, it will no longer be accessible.

The above three steps are how applicants can know if their application has been submitted successfully.

APPLICATION RESOURCES

Eligible candidates are encouraged to take the time to prepare a strong and thoughtful application, as the program is highly competitive. Application quality and eligibility criteria are key factors in the selection process. A strong application will fully address all essay questions, clearly articulate the applicant’s career goals and ambition, and be supported by a well-prepared CV and cover letter.

• How to write a good CV and Cover Letter – Getting Started – NHEF (thenhef.org)
• Answers to Frequently Asked Questions – FAQS – NHEF (thenhef.org)
• Industry Areas & Partner Firms – Industry Areas – NHEF (thenhef.org)

We advise eligible applicants to apply early, as the application closes on March 20, 2026, by 11:59 PM WAT.