The Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship 2026 pays tuition support for students from the communities the foundation serves who are in, or admitted to, a Nigerian university, polytechnic or college of education. The foundation gives about 100 scholarships a year based on academic promise and financial need, and pays the money directly to your school. Applications close on 30 October 2026.
The 2026 call names five communities in Ekiti, Kogi and Osun States, so check that list first. Secondary school students cannot use this form, but the foundation runs a separate WAEC and NECO registration sponsorship for them.
Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship 2026 at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Organiser | Dele Awe Foundation (DAF) |
| Running since | 2010, as an annual programme |
| Awards a year | About 100 |
| Selection basis | Academic promise and financial need |
| Institutions | Accredited Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education |
| Benefit | Tuition support for the academic year, paid directly to the institution |
| Extra support | Textbooks and learning materials for some scholars |
| Deadline | 30 October 2026 |
| How to apply | Google Form, a form requested by email, or your school’s coordinator |
| deleawefoundation@gmail.com | |
| Website | deleawefoundation.org |
Deadline
Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship 2026 applications close on 30 October 2026. Applying is free; never pay anyone for a form or a slot.
Communities covered by the Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship
You must come from, or live in, a community where the foundation works. The 2026 call lists these:
| Community | State |
|---|---|
| Irede LCDA | Ekiti |
| Ipoti-Ekiti | Ekiti |
| Omuo-Oke-Ekiti | Ekiti |
| Ayetoro Gbede | Kogi |
| Ora-Igbomina | Osun |
After School Africa’s listing groups Irede LCDA and Ipoti-Ekiti as one entry, so some sites count four communities and others five. The towns covered are the same either way. If your town is not on the list, the Dele Awe form is not for you. Look at open awards with wider eligibility, such as the Ruth Titilayo Foundation scholarship (closes 31 October 2026).
Who can apply for the Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship
- Community: you are from, or live in, one of the communities listed above.
- School: you have admission to, or are in good academic standing at, an accredited Nigerian university, polytechnic or college of education.
- Course: any field offered at an accredited Nigerian institution.
- Need: you can show financial need.
Fresh students can apply with an admission letter. If you got your place through JAMB, accept it on CAPS first; our JAMB CAPS guide shows how. Returning students use their latest results.
Eligibility edge cases
- Born in the community, schooling elsewhere: the listings say “from or living in”, so a student whose family is from Ora-Igbomina but who studies in Lagos appears to qualify.
- Living in the community without family roots there: the same wording suggests residents count. Your HOD letter and statement should make the link clear.
- Students at private universities: the call says “accredited” without excluding private schools. Tuition is paid to the institution, so a high private fee may only be partly covered.
- Past recipients: the award runs for one academic year with a fresh application each year. The foundation has not said whether past scholars get priority, so apply again if you still need help.
- Postgraduate students: the call names universities, polytechnics and colleges of education at the undergraduate stage. Master’s students are not mentioned.
WAEC and NECO sponsorship for secondary students
Secondary school students in the foundation’s communities apply separately for sponsorship of their WAEC or NECO registration. Ask your school’s coordinator or the foundation for that form. The amount and the selection rules for this strand have not been published.
Documents for the Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship 2026
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Completed application form | The Google Form or the form from your school coordinator |
| Admission letter or current results | Admission letter for new students; latest result for returning students |
| One-page statement of your goals | What you study, what you plan to do and why you need support |
| Head of Department’s attestation letter | Signed and stamped, confirming you are a student in good standing |
| Passport photograph | Recent |
Listings of the call differ slightly on the document list, so follow whatever the form itself asks for. The HOD letter takes the longest to get, especially near exams, so request it first. Fresh students who have not yet met their HOD can ask the department’s admissions officer what to submit instead, and explain the gap in the statement.
How to apply for the Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship, step by step
- Check your community: make sure your hometown or place of residence is on the list above.
- Request the HOD letter: take a short written request to your department, stating your name, matric number and level, and ask for a signed and stamped letter confirming good standing.
- Write your statement: one page on your goals and your need.
- Scan your documents: admission letter or results, HOD letter and a passport photograph.
- Fill the form: use the Dele Awe Foundation Google Form. You can also email deleawefoundation@gmail.com with your full name, school and year of study to request a form, or collect one from your school’s coordinator.
- Submit by 30 October 2026: keep a screenshot of the submission page, or a copy of the email if you applied that way.
How to write the one-page statement
The call asks for a one-page statement of your goals. The committee reviews academic promise, good standing, financial need and whether your documents follow the guidelines. The statement is where you show promise and need in your own words, so it deserves more time than the form.
- Your link to the community: name the town and your family’s tie to it in the first lines.
- Where you are now: school, course, level and latest result.
- Your need: who pays your fees and why it is hard this year.
- Your goals: one or two concrete plans for after school, ideally with a link back to home.
- What the support changes: a plain sentence on what tuition support frees you to do.
A sample opening, invented for illustration: “I am from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu LGA, and I am in ND2 Agricultural Technology at a federal polytechnic with a CGPA of 3.41. My father farms cassava on rented land, and two poor harvests have left my fees for this session unpaid.” It names the community, shows standing and states the need without drama. Our scholarship letter guide has more examples you can adapt.
Common mistakes
- No HOD letter, or one without a stamp: the attestation is listed as signed and stamped.
- Statement longer than one page: follow the limit; it shows you can follow instructions.
- Not naming your community: it is the first eligibility check, so make it obvious.
- Applying twice by form and email: choose one route, unless the foundation asks for both.
- Paying for a “form”: forms are free from the foundation or your school coordinator.
What happens after you apply
The scholarship committee reviews each application for academic promise, proof of good standing, financial need and complete documents. The foundation has not published whether there is an interview, how results are communicated or when. Keep your phone on, watch the email you used, and stay in touch with your school coordinator, who may hear first.
If you are selected, the tuition support goes directly to your institution, so expect the foundation to ask for your school’s fee details or an invoice. Ask your bursary for a receipt once it is paid. Some scholars also receive textbooks and learning materials.
Costs the scholarship does not cover
- Hostel or rent, feeding and transport, since payment goes to the school.
- Any fees above the support amount, which has not been published.
- Departmental dues and practical costs, unless your school bills them with tuition.
- Fees for later sessions, which need a new application.
Similar scholarships for South West and Kogi students
| Scholarship | Main benefit | Who it targets |
|---|---|---|
| Dele Awe Foundation | Tuition support paid to the school | Students from five communities in Ekiti, Kogi and Osun |
| Osun Indigenes Scholarship | ₦100,000 | Osun State indigenes |
| Ruth Titilayo Foundation Scholarship | Support at several levels | Secondary, undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational students |
| Liberty Career Academy Scholarship | Up to ₦200,000 plus mentorship | Students in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and vocational schools |
An Ora-Igbomina student, for example, could apply for both Dele Awe and the Osun Indigenes award, since they are run by different bodies.
Who should apply, and who should not
Apply if you are from or live in Irede, Ipoti-Ekiti, Omuo-Oke-Ekiti, Ayetoro Gbede or Ora-Igbomina, you are admitted to or studying at any accredited Nigerian tertiary institution, and fees are a real struggle. With around 100 awards a year for a handful of communities, your odds are better than on most national schemes.
Skip it if you have no tie to those communities. Secondary school students should apply for the WAEC and NECO sponsorship instead of this form.
FAQ
Can polytechnic and college of education students apply for the Dele Awe scholarship?
Yes. The call covers accredited Nigerian universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
How much is the Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship?
No naira figure is published. The award is tuition support for the academic year, paid straight to your institution, and some scholars also get textbooks and learning materials.
Can I apply if I am not from Ekiti, Kogi or Osun?
No. All the communities in the 2026 call are in Ekiti, Kogi and Osun States, and the scholarship is limited to students from or living in those communities.
When is the Dele Awe Foundation Scholarship 2026 deadline?
30 October 2026.
Sources and updates
This post follows the Dele Awe Foundation’s 2026 call as reported by ScholarshipAir, EduTimes Africa and After School Africa; the foundation’s website is deleawefoundation.org. Those reports give the details here, including the community list, the roughly 100 awards a year, the document list (After School Africa adds the HOD letter and the foundation’s email), the 2010 start, the Google Form and the 30 October 2026 deadline. The foundation has not published the award amount, interview arrangements or a results date. Last checked 24 October 2026; I will update this page when the foundation opens its next round.
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.
