MTN Foundation opens applications for 2024 undergraduate scholarship

The CSR arm of MTN Nigeria, MTN Foundation has announced the opening of applications for the 2024 edition of its scholarship program targeted at Nigerian undergraduates. 

The Foundation announced this via a statement released on Wednesday.

According to the company, the scholarship offers support through three specialised scholarships for students in Science, Technology & Mathematics (STEM), for Blind students, and for the top 10 UTME scoring candidates across various disciplines. 

 

Starting in 2024, the program has increased its annual award amount from N200,000 to N300,000. It added that these allowances will provide sustained financial assistance and capacity-building opportunities for scholars until graduation, as long as recipients maintain a minimum CGPA of 3.5. 

Scholarship expanded

This year, the Foundation said it has taken a step forward in its commitment to inclusivity by expanding the number of scholarships available to blind students from 60 to 100.  

It said this is to ensure that more individuals have access to the resources they need to succeed academically. 

Highlighting the Foundation’s long-standing commitment to equal educational opportunities, Odunayo Sanya, Executive Director of the MTN Foundation, stated,  

‘’Education is pivotal for national progress, and the MTN Foundation is unwavering in its commitment to empowering every Nigerian student to achieve academic excellence.  

“By expanding scholarship opportunities, particularly for blind students, we’re making a strategic investment not just in individuals, but in cultivating a more inclusive and diverse generation of leaders and innovators who will shape a better future for Nigeria.’’ 

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for the scholarship, the Foundation said applicants must” 

• Be Nigerian students in Nigerian Public Tertiary Institutions (Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education).
• Be 300-level students studying Science & Technology-related courses
• For blind students, it is open to 200 & 300 level Blind students studying any course in Nigerian Public Tertiary Institutions
• STEM Students in Public Universities and Colleges of Education must have a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) score of 3.0/4 or 3.5/5 (second-class upper credit)
• STEM Students in Public Polytechnics must have a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 (upper credit) from the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) Program and must have secured admission into the Higher National Diploma (HND) Program.
• Direct-level STEM students must have a minimum CGPA of 3.0 (upper credit) from the Ordinary National Diploma (OND) program and must have secured admission into 300 level/3rd year in a Public University.

Candidates who meet the specified criteria are encouraged to visit the scholarship’s website to apply before the deadline on June 12, 2024. 

Launched in 2010, the MTN Scholarship programme is said to have empowered 4,949 Nigerian students in the past twelve years.