The Borno State Scholarship Board has opened applications for its 2025 scholarship programs, offering crucial financial support to indigenous students pursuing higher education. These initiatives are designed to empower students across various academic levels, from local tertiary institutions to international universities.
Who is Eligible for the Borno State Scholarship?
Core eligibility requirements are consistent across most programs offered by the Board. Applicants must be bona fide indigenes of Borno State. They must also be fully registered students at a recognised Nigerian tertiary institution, which includes public and private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
A key stipulation is that applicants should be in their first year of study. This encompasses students in 100 Level or Direct Entry 200 Level at universities, ND I or HND I at polytechnics, and NCE I at colleges of education.
However, it is important to note that eligibility criteria may vary depending on the specific scholarship. For instance, the National Undergraduate Scholarship requires students to be in their second year or higher and maintain a minimum CGPA of 3.5. Special provisions exist for persons with disabilities, who can apply regardless of their current level of study.
Types of Scholarships Available
The Borno State Scholarship Board administers several targeted programs to cater to diverse educational needs and aspirations.
Undergraduate Scholarships support first-year students in various tertiary institutions. Postgraduate Scholarships are available for indigenes admitted into Master's programmes, particularly in fields like Education, Arts, Social Sciences, and Management Sciences.
For those with global ambitions, there are International Scholarships for study in countries such as China, India, Malaysia, and Egypt, typically covering courses in Medicine, Law, Sciences, and Engineering.
Unique opportunities include the Pilot-Training Scholarship for youth interested in aviation and the Zulum Female STEM Scholarship. The latter is specifically for female indigenes who scored 250 and above in the 2025 UTME and wish to pursue STEM or technical/vocational courses.
Step-by-Step Application Process
All applications must be submitted digitally through the official Borno State Scholarship Board portal. The process is designed to be straightforward.
First, prospective applicants need to visit the portal and create an account. Registration requires providing personal details such as name, email, phone number, National Identification Number (NIN), Bank Verification Number (BVN), Local Government Area of origin, and date of birth. An email confirmation is necessary to activate the account.
After logging in, applicants must complete their profile by uploading a recent passport photograph with a red background and filling in personal and academic details. The next step involves selecting the specific scholarship they are eligible for and carefully reading its requirements.
A critical phase is the upload of all mandatory documents. These typically include the school admission letter, registration receipt, birth certificate, certificate of origin, First School Leaving Certificate (FSLC), statement of results showing CGPA, and JAMB admission letter if required by the institution.
Applicants should then pay any stipulated application fee, submit the final form, and ensure they print or save a copy for their records. All updates regarding the application status will be communicated via the portal or registered email.
Key Details and Deadlines
The application window for 2025 programs has specific closing dates. The postgraduate scholarship application period closed on 28 February 2025, while the undergraduate scholarship portal closed on 21 April 2025.
Applicants are encouraged to apply for multiple scholarships if they meet the distinct eligibility criteria for each and the deadlines do not conflict. To check the status of a submitted application, students can log into their account on the scholarship portal and view the application dashboard, which will indicate whether it is Pending, Approved, or Rejected.
This comprehensive scholarship scheme underscores the Borno State government's commitment to investing in the education of its youth, providing a vital pathway for academic and professional development.
