Ejiro M Ukiri Scholarship Fund 2027: Up to ₦150,000 for SS3 Leavers Starting University

The Ejiro M Ukiri Scholarship Fund gives up to ₦150,000 toward first-year costs to Nigerian students starting higher education in Nigeria. It targets graduating SS3 students who have gained admission to a university, polytechnic or college. The 2026 window ran from 1 to 30 September 2026 and has closed; the deadline is 30 September 2027.

Many listings call it an undergraduate scholarship, which is half right. You apply as a school leaver with an admission, and the money covers your first year. The application needs a recent report card, proof of admission and a 500-word essay that you must write yourself, without AI.

Ejiro M Ukiri Scholarship Fund at a glance

Item	Details
Full name	Ejiro M Ukiri International Scholarship Fund
Founder	Ejiroghene Mary Ukiri, after whom the fund is named
Base	United States
Amount	Up to ₦150,000 toward eligible first-year expenses
Number of awards	Not stated in the call
Who it is for	Nigerian citizens finishing SS3 and starting higher education in Nigeria
Essay	Compulsory, at least 500 words
Contact	ejiromukiriinternational@gmail.com
Cost of applying	Free

The ₦150,000 is a ceiling. The fund describes it as help with first-year costs, so do not assume it will clear every bill.

Ejiro M Ukiri Scholarship 2027 dates

Stage	2027 round
Applications open	1 September 2027
Deadline	30 September 2027
Review and assessment	After the deadline
Winners announced	On the fund’s website

(based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens)

The fund’s tracker moves through four stages: Application Open, Under Review, Assessment Phase and Winners Announced. It has published winners for 2024 and 2025, studying courses such as Medicine, Engineering, Nursing and Pharmacy at universities including Lagos, Ibadan and Jos.

Who can apply for the Ejiro M Ukiri Scholarship

1. Citizenship: you are a Nigerian citizen.
2. Level: you are a graduating SS3 student, or you have just left secondary school and are starting post-secondary study.
3. Admission: you can upload proof of admission to a university, polytechnic, college or other higher institution.
4. Where you will study: in Nigeria.
5. School record: you can submit your most recent report card.

The fund’s main page says SS3 students, while the form describes applicants as attending or about to start a post-secondary degree in Nigeria. In practice, a fresh admission with your SS3 report card fits both. Students already in 200 level or above do not match the call.

Documents and details the form asks for

Item	Notes
Personal details	Name, date of birth, email, phone and home address
Parent’s contact	A parent’s email and phone number
School and course	Name of your university or institution and your course
Proof of admission	Upload; your admission letter or JAMB admission status
Report card	Upload your most recent one
Essay	Upload; at least 500 words

Your admission proof will usually come through JAMB. Our JAMB CAPS guide explains how to accept the offer and what each status means, and our JAMB result guide shows how to reprint your result slip.

The Ejiro M Ukiri essay question

The compulsory essay asks: what is the biggest challenge you are facing, and how could artificial intelligence help you solve it? It must be at least 500 words. An application without it counts as incomplete.

The fund warns that using AI to write the essay can get you disqualified. That sounds odd next to a question about AI, but the point is that they want your own thinking. Write it yourself, then ask a teacher to read it.

Here is how I would plan it:

1. Name one real challenge: something specific, such as no steady power to study at night, or having to teach yourself further maths without a teacher.
2. Show its effect: what it has cost you, with an example from SS2 or SS3.
3. Connect AI to it: a tool you have used or could realistically use, like an AI tutor that explains a past question step by step, and what you would still need to do yourself.
4. Close with your course: how solving that problem links to what you will study.

There is also an optional essay about who you were, who you are and who you are trying to become. If you have time, write it; it is one more chance to be remembered.

How to apply

1. Get your admission proof: print your admission letter or screenshot your admission status.
2. Scan your report card: the most recent one from your secondary school.
3. Write the essay: at least 500 words, in your own words, saved as a document.
4. Open the form: go to the application page on the fund’s website between 1 and 30 September.
5. Fill in every field: including your parent’s contact details.
6. Upload and submit: attach the three files and submit before 30 September.

Applying is free; never pay anyone. Questions can go to ejiromukiriinternational@gmail.com.

A sample essay opening

The first paragraph decides whether a reviewer reads the rest with interest. Start with your challenge, in concrete terms, and avoid opening with a definition of artificial intelligence. A good opening could look like this:

“In SS2, our school had no Physics teacher for two terms. I learned motion and electricity from a borrowed textbook and YouTube videos that used up my mother’s data. I passed with a B3, but I still freeze when a question is worded differently from the examples I memorised.”

That is only an illustration. Your own story, told plainly, is what the fund asks for. After the opening, give the effect in one paragraph, the AI idea in two or three, and close with your course and plans. Aim for 550 to 700 words so you clear the 500 minimum comfortably without padding.

What reviewers are likely to look for

The fund has not published a scoring guide. Based on the question, a strong essay shows honesty about a real problem, a sensible idea of what AI can and cannot do, and the effort you are already making. Spelling and grammar matter too, so read it aloud before you upload it.

Preparing your files

1. Admission proof: the institution’s admission letter is best. If you only have JAMB CAPS showing “Admission in progress” or “Admitted”, screenshot it with your name and registration number visible.
2. Report card: your most recent term’s report card, scanned flat and in good light, with the school name and your name readable.
3. Essay: type it in a word processor and save it as a PDF or Word file. Put your full name and the question at the top.
4. File names: something like “Adebayo_Admission.pdf”, “Adebayo_ReportCard.pdf” and “Adebayo_Essay.pdf”.
5. Parent’s details: agree with your parent which email and phone number to use, and tell them the fund may contact them.

The fund has not published file size or format limits. PDF is the safest choice for all three uploads.

Eligibility edge cases

• Admission comes after 30 September: many Nigerian admission lists come out late. If you have no proof by the deadline, you cannot submit a complete form that year. Watch CAPS closely in August and September.
• Left school a year or two ago: the form speaks of students starting post-secondary study, so a gap year does not obviously rule you out. Your report card will be older; email the fund to confirm.
• JUPEB, A level or pre-degree students: you are not yet in your first degree year. The call does not mention these programmes, so ask before applying.
• Private universities: the published rules do not exclude them. Studying in Nigeria is what counts.
• Studying abroad: not eligible. The award is for higher education in Nigeria.

Common mistakes

• Submitting an essay under 500 words. Check the count before you upload.
• Letting an AI tool write or rewrite the essay. The fund says this can disqualify you.
• Answering a different question, such as “why I want to study Medicine”, without addressing your challenge and AI.
• Uploading a blurred report card photographed at an angle.
• Leaving the parent contact fields empty or giving a number that is always off.
• Paying anyone on social media who claims to “process” the application.

What happens after you apply

The fund’s tracker shows the stages it moves through after the window closes: Under Review, then Assessment Phase, then Winners Announced. Winners are posted on the fund’s website. The fund has not published a results date, the number of winners, or whether the money goes to you or to your school. If you are selected, ask how payment works and what receipts you need to keep.

Costs ₦150,000 may not cover

The award is “up to” ₦150,000 toward first-year costs. Your first year usually involves more than that, so plan for the rest:

• Acceptance fee, usually due soon after admission and before any award is decided
• School fees beyond what the award covers
• Hostel, feeding and transport
• Medical screening, textbooks and a laptop or phone suitable for study

How it compares with other awards for new students

Scholarship	What it pays	Who it is for	Deadline
Ejiro M Ukiri Scholarship Fund	Up to ₦150,000 toward year one	SS3 leavers with admission in Nigeria	30 September 2027
Indomie Scholarship	Full tuition, renewed yearly	2026/2027 entrants at public institutions	30 October 2026
ICON Scholarship	First-year tuition	Students newly admitted into Nigerian universities	15 November 2026
Rebecca Charles Trust Scholarship	Full tuition and a monthly stipend	New federal and state university students with 200+ in UTME	31 August 2027

Who should apply, and who should not

Apply if you are a Nigerian school leaver with admission to a Nigerian university, polytechnic or college, you can write 500 honest words yourself, and you have your latest report card. There is no published grade cut-off, so the essay carries a lot of weight.

Do not apply if you are already in 200 level or above, you are heading abroad for your degree, or you have no admission proof by 30 September. Use your time on awards built for your stage instead.

Once you are in university, keep an eye on awards for continuing students, such as the Ruth Titilayo Foundation Scholarship.

FAQ

Is the Ejiro M Ukiri scholarship for undergraduates or SS3 students?

It is for graduating SS3 students who have admission to start higher education in Nigeria. The money goes toward your first year, which is why listings call it an undergraduate award.

How much is the Ejiro M Ukiri scholarship?

Up to ₦150,000 toward first-year expenses. The exact amount you get may be lower.

Can I apply without an admission letter?

The form asks you to upload proof of admission, so you need it before you submit. If you only have your admission status on JAMB CAPS, a clear printout or screenshot is the closest you can offer.

When is the Ejiro M Ukiri scholarship deadline?

The deadline is 30 September 2027, with applications opening on 1 September 2027.

Sources and updates

The eligibility rules, the ₦150,000 limit and the application address come from the Ejiro M Ukiri International Scholarship Fund website, as quoted by Edugist and 88Lately. The essay question, the no-AI rule, the 1 to 30 September window, the form fields, the founder, the contact email and the 2024 and 2025 winners come from the iCanStudent listing, which reproduces the fund’s site and form. ScholarshipAir lists the same 30 September 2026 deadline. Last checked 24 October 2026; I will update this page when the 2027 window opens.