The Oyo State bursary for 2025/2026 is open to final-year students of Oyo State origin in public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education anywhere in Nigeria. You apply online through the Oyo State Scholarship Board portal, and the application window closes on Monday, 2 November 2026 at 11:59 pm (WAT). If you are an Oyo indigene in your final year and your school is public, you should apply now; there is barely a week left.
The amounts announced for this round run from ₦100,000 for NCE students to ₦500,000 for clinical, aeronautics and aviation students. University undergraduates get ₦200,000 and HND students ₦150,000. About 5,000 students are expected to benefit this year, up from about 2,600 last year.
Oyo State bursary 2025/2026 amounts by course
The Federation of Oyo State Students’ Unions (FOSSU) announced these figures at a briefing at the Ministry of Education conference centre in Ibadan, and Voice of Nigeria reported them on 8 October 2026. The official portal itself does not print the amounts, so treat them as the announced rates for this round.
| Final-year category | Bursary amount |
|---|---|
| Clinical students | ₦500,000 |
| Aeronautics and aviation students | ₦500,000 |
| University undergraduates (other courses) | ₦200,000 |
| HND students | ₦150,000 |
| NCE students (colleges of education) | ₦100,000 |
Maritime students are on the eligible list too, but no separate rate was announced for them. Oyo indigenes at the Nigerian Law School have received ₦500,000 a year under the state bursary for six years running, according to FOSSU. That is a separate payment, and final-year law students in the universities are excluded from this portal.
Oyo bursary 2026 dates
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Registration opened | 12 to 13 October 2026 (reports differ by a day) |
| Registration closes | Monday, 2 November 2026, 11:59 pm WAT |
| Results | Check status on the portal with your application number; successful applicants are contacted |
Some news reports gave 1 November as the closing date. The Scholarship Board’s own bursary page says 2 November at 11:59 pm, and that is the date I would plan around. Even so, do not leave it to the last night, because state portals slow down badly near the deadline.
Who is eligible for the Oyo State bursary?
You must meet every condition below. Missing one gets the application rejected.
- You are an indigene of Oyo State, with a local government identification to prove it.
- You are in your final year of an undergraduate degree, HND, NCE, or a clinical, aviation or maritime programme.
- Your institution is a public (federal or state) university, polytechnic or college of education in Nigeria. It does not have to be in Oyo State.
- You are a full-time student. Part-time students and students studying abroad cannot apply.
- You are not a final-year law student.
Students of private universities and other private tertiary institutions are not eligible, and the Scholarship Board’s page states this plainly. If you are at a private school, look at foundation awards such as the Wole Ogunyemi Foundation undergraduate scholarship instead.
Documents for the Oyo State bursary application
Scan or photograph each one clearly before you open the form. A blurry upload can mean starting the whole form again.
| Document | Where to get it |
|---|---|
| Admission letter | Your school portal or the original letter from admission |
| Local government identification | The secretariat of your local government of origin in Oyo State |
| Current course registration form, endorsed by your HOD | Your department; it must be signed and stamped |
| Passport photograph | A recent one on a plain background |
| Proof of FOSSU membership | Register at fossu.com.ng/register |
Many schools had not started the new session when the portal opened, so some final-year students could not get a current course form. FOSSU said on 18 October that the Scholarship Board will accept a signed and stamped Part Three second-semester course form plus a letter from your HOD confirming you are in final year. That alternative came through a FOSSU statement reported by Naija Metro, not the portal page, so attach both documents and keep copies in case you are asked again.
How to apply for the Oyo State bursary online
- Register with FOSSU first: get your membership proof from fossu.com.ng/register, because the bursary form asks for it.
- Gather your documents: admission letter, LG identification, endorsed course form, passport photo and FOSSU proof.
- Open the official page: go to bursary.oyostate.gov.ng/2026 and click “Apply for bursary”, which takes you to app.bursary.oyostate.gov.ng.
- Fill in the form: enter your personal details, local government of origin, institution, course and level exactly as they appear on your documents.
- Upload and review: attach each document, then read through every field before you submit.
- Save your application number: print or screenshot the confirmation page. You need the number to check your status later.
- Check your status: log in at app.bursary.oyostate.gov.ng/bursary/login with your application number.
If something breaks on the portal, it lists a WhatsApp help line: +234 702 637 6105. I would message that number with your application number and a screenshot of the error. Never send anyone your password.
Avoid fake bursary links
Apply only on bursary.oyostate.gov.ng and app.bursary.oyostate.gov.ng. FOSSU warned students about fraudulent registration links this year. The official page lists no application fee, so anyone asking you to pay to “process” or “fast-track” your bursary is not from the Scholarship Board.
Mistakes that get Oyo bursary applications rejected
- Uploading last year’s course form without the HOD’s signature and stamp.
- Choosing a local government on the form that does not match your LG identification.
- Applying as a penultimate-year student. The bursary is for final year only, so a five-year course means you apply in your fifth year.
- Using someone else’s phone number or email. Successful applicants are contacted on the details they entered.
Final year also tends to be when you start applying for postgraduate funding. Our recommendation letter samples are worth reading before you approach your lecturers.
Getting your documents right, one by one
There is no essay or interview for the Oyo State bursary. The whole decision rests on whether your documents prove three things: you are from Oyo State, you are in final year, and your school is public. Each upload should prove one of those clearly.
- Local government identification: get it from the secretariat of your local government of origin in Oyo State, not where you live. If you grew up in Lagos or Abuja, a parent or relative at home can often help you start the process, but the letter must carry your own name. Requirements and charges differ from one local government to another, so ask at the secretariat.
- Course registration form: it must be for the current session, signed by your HOD and stamped by the department. If your school has not opened registration yet, use the FOSSU alternative described above (Part Three second-semester form plus an HOD letter).
- Admission letter: the one that shows your course and school. Direct entry students should upload the direct entry admission letter.
- FOSSU membership proof: register on fossu.com.ng/register before you start, then save the confirmation as a screenshot or PDF.
- Passport photograph: recent, plain background, face clearly visible. A selfie against a busy wall is a common reason for a weak upload.
The bursary page does not publish file size or format limits. As a habit, scan each document as a clear PDF or JPG, check that every stamp and signature is readable when you zoom in, and name the files sensibly (for example, “Adewale-LG-ID.pdf”) so you pick the right one at each upload field.
Oyo State bursary eligibility edge cases
- Oyo origin, studying outside Oyo: you qualify. An Oyo indigene in final year at UNILAG, ABU or a federal polytechnic in another state can apply, as long as the school is public.
- Living in Oyo but from another state: you do not qualify. The rule is origin, proved by the local government identification.
- Six-year and five-year courses: you apply in your actual final year. A medical student applies in the last clinical year; an engineering student applies in 500 level.
- ND students: the eligible categories list degree, HND and NCE students. ND is not named, so an ND final-year student does not fit the published criteria.
- Extra-year (spillover) students: the bursary page does not address this. If your school still registers you as final year for the session, your course form is your evidence. If in doubt, ask on the portal’s WhatsApp line before you submit.
- Final-year law students: excluded from this portal. Oyo indigenes at the Nigerian Law School are covered by a separate bursary payment, according to FOSSU.
- Private universities, part-time and foreign schools: all excluded, whatever your origin or need.
What happens after you apply for the Oyo bursary
The Scholarship Board has not published a payment date for the 2025/2026 round. From what the portal and past rounds show, the process after 2 November looks like this:
- Screening: the board checks your documents against the eligibility rules. Mismatched names, wrong local government or a missing HOD stamp are where most rejections come from.
- Status update: log in at app.bursary.oyostate.gov.ng/bursary/login with your application number to follow your status. Successful applicants are also contacted on the phone and email they entered.
- Payment: the state announces when payment starts. For an earlier round, the Oyo State Government said in March 2025 that payment had begun to about 2,950 beneficiaries out of roughly 3,000 applicants, with ₦554.9 million approved for the awards.
That earlier round shows two useful things. Most eligible applicants with clean documents were paid, and the gap between applying and being paid can be several months. Do not plan your final-year project budget around the bursary arriving by a set date.
What the bursary does not cover
The bursary is a single cash payment, not a tuition scholarship. It is not tied to any particular expense, and for most students it will not cover the full cost of final year. Plan separately for:
- School fees and acceptance or registration charges for the session
- Final-year project costs: printing, binding, lab materials, data collection and travel
- Clinical and professional exam fees for medical and health students
- Convocation, clearance and transcript fees at the end of the programme
- Costs of getting your LG identification and travelling home to collect it
Similar state and community awards to compare
If you are from Ibadan, the Ibadan Descendants Union award is the obvious one to add, since you can hold both. Students from neighbouring states have their own options.
| Award | Who it is for | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Oyo State Bursary | Final-year Oyo indigenes in public tertiary institutions | ₦100,000 to ₦500,000 by course |
| Ibadan Descendants Union Scholarship | Ibadan indigenes in Nigerian higher institutions | Full tuition |
| Osun Indigenes Scholarship | Full-time Osun State students in financial need | ₦100,000 paid to your school |
| Gbemiga Abiodun Foundation Scholarship | Ogun State students | ₦50,000 to ₦250,000 plus learning materials |
Who should apply for the Oyo State bursary, and who shouldn’t
Apply if you are an Oyo State indigene, full time, in the final year of a degree, HND, NCE or a clinical, aviation or maritime programme at a public school in Nigeria. The eligibility list on the bursary page has no financial need test and no grade cut-off, so you do not need to be struggling or top of your class. If you meet the conditions, the bursary is simply yours to claim.
Do not apply if you are in a private university, a part-time programme, a foreign school, final-year law, or any year before final year. A rejected application costs you nothing but time, but an application with false details, such as a borrowed LG identification, is dishonest and puts you at real risk if the board checks with your local government.
FAQs on the Oyo State bursary
When is the Oyo State bursary deadline for 2026?
Monday, 2 November 2026 at 11:59 pm WAT, according to the Oyo State Scholarship Board’s bursary page.
How much is the Oyo State bursary for university students?
₦200,000 for most final-year university undergraduates. Clinical, aeronautics and aviation students get ₦500,000.
Can private university students apply for the Oyo State bursary?
No. Only students of public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria are eligible.
Is FOSSU membership compulsory for the Oyo bursary?
Yes. Proof of FOSSU membership is on the required document list, and you can register at fossu.com.ng/register before you start the bursary form.
Sources and updates
Eligibility, documents, steps and the 2 November deadline come from the Oyo State Scholarship Board’s 2025/2026 bursary page and the application portal. Amounts and the 5,000 beneficiary figure come from FOSSU’s briefing as reported by Voice of Nigeria and Daily Times. The alternative course form arrangement comes from a FOSSU statement reported by Naija Metro. The March 2025 payment figures for the earlier round come from an Oyo State Government statement reported by Gazette Nigeria. Checked on 24 October 2026. I will update this page when the Scholarship Board publishes the beneficiary list.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
