The SOHCAHTOA Foundation Scholarship pays up to ₦250,000 per academic year to Nigerian undergraduates in 200 level or above at public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. You need a CGPA of at least 3.5 on a 5.0 scale and five O’Level credits in one sitting, including English and Mathematics. The deadline is 30 August 2027.
The foundation is a non-profit that supports vulnerable children and young people, and the undergraduate scholarship is one of its education programmes. Winners also join the Sohcahtoa Scholar Network for mentorship and career guidance. Below is who qualifies, the documents in the 500KB size limit, how selection works and how to apply.
SOHCAHTOA Foundation Scholarship at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Sponsor | SOHCAHTOA Foundation |
| Value | Up to ₦250,000 per academic year |
| Other benefits | Membership of the Sohcahtoa Scholar Network: mentorship, career guidance, peer connections |
| Level | 200 level and above |
| Institutions | Public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria |
| Minimum CGPA | 3.5 on a 5.0 scale, or the equivalent |
| Courses | Any course |
| Deadline | 30 August 2027 |
| Where to apply | sohcahtoafoundation.org registration page |
SOHCAHTOA Foundation Scholarship deadline
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 30 August 2027 |
Deadline: 30 August 2027 (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens). The 2026/2027 round closed on 30 August 2026, though some listings gave 30 September, so plan for the earlier date and treat the date on the foundation’s form as final.
Before you apply
Use the months before the call opens to raise your CGPA above 3.5 and collect your documents. Keep each file under 500KB and make sure every scan is sharp.
Who can apply for the SOHCAHTOA Foundation Scholarship
- Nationality: Nigerian student.
- Institution: full-time at a recognised public university, polytechnic or college of education in Nigeria.
- Level: 200 level (second year) or above. Fresh students cannot apply.
- CGPA: at least 3.5 on a 5.0 scale, or the same standard on your school’s grading system.
- O’Level: at least five credits in one sitting, including English Language and Mathematics (WAEC, NECO or NABTEB).
- Course: any course. The foundation especially encourages STEM, Humanities, Administration, Law and Medicine.
- Other awards: you must not hold another scholarship, bursary or grant at the time you apply.
The one-sitting rule is easy to miss. If you combined two WAEC or NECO results to get your five credits, you do not qualify. Polytechnic students on a 4.0 scale should state their CGPA as their school reports it; the foundation accepts the equivalent of 3.5 out of 5.
Is the award paid every year?
The call describes the award as up to ₦250,000 per academic year, and most listings say it renews each session until graduation if you keep good grades. One listing describes it as a one-time payment. The terms and conditions on the application page are final, so read them before you submit.
Documents for the SOHCAHTOA scholarship application
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport photograph | Recent, plain background |
| School ID card or admission letter | Must show your institution |
| O’Level result | One sitting, with five credits including English and Maths |
| Last semester result | Statement of result or portal printout showing your CGPA |
Upload each file as a clear JPEG or PDF of no more than 500KB. Blurry scans are rejected, so use a scanner app and compress afterwards rather than taking a dark phone photo.
How to apply for the SOHCAHTOA Foundation Scholarship
- Check eligibility: 200 level or above, CGPA of 3.5 or more, five one-sitting credits, no other scholarship.
- Prepare your files: photo, ID or admission letter, O’Level result and last semester result, each under 500KB.
- Register: open the SOHCAHTOA Foundation registration page and create your account.
- Fill the form: enter your details exactly as they appear on your documents.
- Submit once: the foundation disqualifies multiple entries from the same person.
- Watch your email and phone: only shortlisted applicants are contacted.
Applying is free. Never pay anyone who offers to submit, “fast track” or guarantee your application.
Selection: aptitude test and consent letter
Shortlisted applicants may sit an aptitude test. The foundation has not described the test, so revise basic numeracy and English before the shortlist comes out. You may also be asked for a consent letter from a parent or guardian, so let them know early.
Beneficiaries from the first edition were invited to reapply through the renewal form and were given priority. If you win, keep your grades up so that route stays open to you.
For other cash awards for students already in school, see the Liberty Career Academy Scholarship and the Gabriel Ezenri Foundation Scholarship.
Step-by-step: preparing for the 2027 call
Most applicants lose this award on paperwork, not grades. The 500KB limit, the one-sitting rule and the single-entry rule each knock people out. Work through this list before the form opens.
- Confirm your CGPA: print your latest statement of result or portal result after your second semester exams. It must show 3.5 or more on a 5.0 scale, or the equivalent at your school.
- Check your O’Level: find the single WAEC, NECO or NABTEB sitting where you got five credits including English and Mathematics. Print the result from the exam body’s portal if you lost the original.
- Scan each document separately: passport photo, school ID or admission letter, O’Level result and last semester result. Use a scanner app in good light.
- Compress to under 500KB: save documents as PDF or JPEG and reduce size with a free compressor. Open each file afterwards and make sure your name and grades are still readable.
- Name your files clearly: for example “Okafor_OLevel.pdf” and “Okafor_200L_Result.pdf”, so you upload the right one in the right box.
- Tell your parent or guardian: shortlisted applicants may need a consent letter, and you do not want to chase a signature at the last minute.
- Register and submit once: fill the form on sohcahtoafoundation.org, check every field against your documents, then submit. A second entry can disqualify both.
If the form asks you to write about yourself
The 2026 listings do not mention a set essay, but scholarship forms often include a short “why you need this award” box. If yours does, keep it under 300 words and cover three things in order: your academic record in numbers, your financial situation in plain facts, and how the money keeps you on track to graduate.
An opening built on facts reads much better than a general one:
“I am a 300 level Civil Engineering student at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, with a CGPA of 4.21. I pay most of my fees from a weekend job at a printing shop, which leaves less time for my design projects than I need.”
That is a sample to show the shape. Write your own, with your real course, school and grades.
How to prepare for the aptitude test
The foundation has not said what the test contains or whether it is online or in person. A general aptitude test for undergraduates usually mixes numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning and basic logic, so a sensible plan is:
- Revise percentages, ratios, simple interest and reading data from tables.
- Practise comprehension passages and word meaning questions under time.
- Do a few free timed tests online so the format does not surprise you.
- If it is online, test your phone or laptop and data the day before.
Eligibility edge cases
- Direct entry students in 200 level: you meet the level rule, but you may not have a university CGPA yet. The call does not cover this case, so contact the foundation before applying.
- HND students: HND 1 is your second year of tertiary study only if you count your ND years separately. The listings do not address this; state your exact level on the form.
- Final year students: nothing published bars you, but if the award renews, a 200 or 300 level student gets more years from it.
- Students on a departmental prize or small bursary: the rule says no other scholarship, bursary or grant when you apply. Declare it and ask the foundation rather than hiding it.
- Two O’Level sittings with all credits combined: not eligible, even if each subject is a credit.
- State or federal college of education: eligible, as long as it is public.
Common mistakes
- Uploading a 3MB phone photo that the form rejects, then compressing it until it cannot be read.
- Submitting twice “to be safe”. Multiple entries are disqualified.
- Rounding a 3.48 CGPA up to 3.5 on the form. Your result sheet will show the real figure.
- Using a name spelling on the form that differs from your O’Level certificate.
- Planning for 30 September because one listing said so, then finding the form shut on 30 August.
- Ignoring calls from unknown numbers in the weeks after the deadline. Only shortlisted applicants are contacted.
What happens after you apply
After the form closes, the foundation screens entries against the rules above. Shortlisted applicants are contacted by email or phone and may be asked to sit the aptitude test and send a parent or guardian consent letter. The foundation has not published how many awards it gives, the date results come out, or whether money goes to you or to your school. Ask these questions if you are shortlisted, and keep copies of everything you send.
Winners join the Sohcahtoa Scholar Network. If the award renews, you will most likely need to show your new result each session, so keep your CGPA at or above 3.5.
Costs ₦250,000 will not cover
School charges differ widely between institutions, so ₦250,000 may cover a full year’s fees at one school and only part of them at another. Check your own fee schedule, and budget separately for:
- Hostel or rent, feeding and transport
- Textbooks, laptop and data
- SIWES, project and practical costs
- Departmental dues and any fees due before the award is paid
SOHCAHTOA compared with similar scholarships
| Scholarship | Amount | Main rule | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOHCAHTOA Foundation | Up to ₦250,000 a year | 200 level and above, CGPA 3.5, public institution | 30 August 2027 |
| Gabriel Ezenri Foundation | Up to ₦500,000 a session | CGPA 3.5, universities and polytechnics, financial need | 30 September 2027 |
| GOSEF Scholarship | Tuition and study needs | Public tertiary students aged 16 to 25, CGPA 4.50 | 14 August 2027 |
| Bridge Scholarship Program | Funding until graduation | Public university students with financial need | 12 September 2027 |
Because SOHCAHTOA asks that you hold no other award when you apply, think about order. If you win another scholarship first, you may no longer qualify here.
Who should apply, and who should not
Apply if you are in 200 level or above at a public university, polytechnic or college of education, your CGPA is 3.5 or more, you made five credits including English and Mathematics in one sitting, and you hold no other award. Any course is accepted, so arts and social science students have the same chance as STEM students.
Do not apply if you are in 100 level, attend a private school, used two O’Level sittings, or already hold a scholarship or bursary. Those applications will be screened out.
FAQ
How much is the SOHCAHTOA Foundation Scholarship?
Up to ₦250,000 per academic year, plus a place in the Sohcahtoa Scholar Network for mentorship and career guidance.
Can 100 level students apply for the SOHCAHTOA scholarship?
No. You must be in 200 level or above, with a CGPA of at least 3.5 on a 5.0 scale.
Can polytechnic and college of education students apply?
Yes. Students of public universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in Nigeria are eligible. Private institution students are not.
When is the SOHCAHTOA Foundation Scholarship deadline?
The deadline is 30 August 2027. Confirm it on the foundation’s page when the call opens.
Sources and updates
This post uses the SOHCAHTOA Foundation call as listed by ScholarshipAir, Smartyacad, CrispNG, Success Tonics and ICAN Student for 2026, and MySchoolGist for the 2025 first edition, which also gave the contact address scholarship@sohcahtoafoundation.org. Where listings disagreed on the deadline and on renewal, I have said so above. The foundation’s application form and its terms and conditions are final. Last checked 24 October 2026.
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.
