The SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation scholarship, run as the One-Million Naira Initiative, gives ₦100,000 each to 10 undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions. It is meant for students aged 25 or younger who are orphans or pay their own fees. The 2026 round closed on 13 September 2026, and the deadline is 13 September 2027.
So if you missed this year, you have close to a year to get your documents ready. The money is small next to a full scholarship, but it is cash you can put toward fees, books or exam costs, and only 10 people share the ₦1 million pot. Below are the eligibility rules, the documents, how the foundation picks winners and how to apply.
SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation scholarship at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Programme name | One-Million Naira Initiative |
| Organiser | SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation, a Christian humanitarian foundation |
| Founder and President | Rev. Damilare K. Samuel |
| Number of awards | 10 students |
| Amount | ₦100,000 per student (₦1 million in total) |
| What it can pay for | School fees, books and materials, examination costs and other study expenses |
| Who it is for | Undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions, 25 or younger, orphans or self-sponsored |
| Where to apply | Online form on the foundation’s website |
| Cost of applying | Free |
| Deadline | 13 September 2027 |
SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation scholarship deadline and dates
| Stage | 2026 round | 2027 round |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline | 13 September 2026 (closed) | 13 September 2027 |
| Beneficiaries announced | 20 September 2026, 3:00 PM, on TikTok Live | 20 September 2027 |
(based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens)
One thing to know before you plan around 2027: the foundation launched this initiative to mark ten years of its work, and it has not said whether it will run every year. Prepare anyway, since the documents are the same ones most small Nigerian scholarships ask for.
Deadline
The 2026 One-Million Naira Initiative closed on 13 September 2026. The deadline is 13 September 2027, so have your documents scanned before the form opens.
Who can apply for the SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation scholarship
The foundation’s call lists these conditions. Listings phrase some of them differently, so treat the application form as final.
- Student status: you are an undergraduate in a Nigerian tertiary institution. One listing also mentions students still in the admission process, but the document list asks for an admission letter and proof of fee payment, so you should already be admitted.
- Age: you are 25 years old or younger.
- Financial need: money problems are affecting your education right now.
- Orphan or self-sponsored: you have lost your parents, or you pay for school yourself with no help from either parent.
- Documents: you can show identification and school documents.
- Your story: you are ready to explain your needs, your goals and your personal circumstances.
The organisers say plainly that anyone whose parent can pay their fees should not apply. With only 10 places, they want the money to reach students who have nobody else.
Eligibility edge cases
- Half-orphans: the rule is orphan or self-sponsored with no help from either parent. If one parent is alive but cannot or does not support you, you fit the self-sponsored route; explain this plainly in your story.
- Sponsored by an uncle, church or older sibling: the call talks about support from parents. Help from a relative or church does not obviously rule you out, but say who pays what, because the panel will compare your story with your receipt.
- Age 25 at the deadline: you are still inside “25 or younger”. If you turn 26 before the form closes, I would assume you are out.
- Private university students: the call says Nigerian tertiary institutions without excluding private schools.
- Postgraduates: not covered. The award is for undergraduates.
- Christian focus: the foundation describes itself as Christian, but the published rules do not make faith a requirement.
Who should apply, and who shouldn’t
Apply if you are an undergraduate aged 25 or under, you have lost your parents or you have been paying your own fees, and you can show a receipt and ID. Students who work, trade or rely on irregular help to stay in school are the people this award was written for.
Don’t apply if a parent pays your fees, even if money is tight at home. The organisers asked those students to stay out, and with 10 places a false claim takes a slot from someone with no other help. Postgraduates and anyone over 25 should look at the other awards in the comparison table.
Documents you need
| Document | What to upload |
|---|---|
| Admission letter | From your university, polytechnic or college |
| Proof of school payment | Your most recent fee receipt or payment evidence |
| School ID card | Front side, clear and readable |
| Government-issued ID | NIN slip, voter’s card, international passport or driver’s licence |
If you are self-sponsored, the fee receipt helps your case, because it shows you have been paying. Keep it with a short note of how you raised the money (a job, a trade, help from a church) so you can explain it if asked.
The foundation has not published file formats or size limits. Clear photos or PDFs are the safe choice. If you cannot find your admission letter, most schools let you reprint it from the student portal, and if you got in through JAMB, our JAMB CAPS guide explains the acceptance step you need first.
How to write your personal story
The form asks you to explain your needs, goals and personal circumstances. SpringUp has not published a word limit or scoring guide. Since need carries the most weight here, the story is where the 10 winners are decided. I would write it as if you were explaining your situation to a pastor who wants to help, and keep it to three short parts.
- Your situation: who you live with, when you lost a parent or how you came to pay your own way, and how your fees have been paid so far.
- Your gap: what you are short of this session and what ₦100,000 would pay for, in naira.
- Your goal: what you are studying and what you want to do after school, in one or two sentences.
A sample opening
“I am a 200 level Microbiology student at Olabisi Onabanjo University. My father died in 2019, and since my second term in SS2 I have paid my own fees by plaiting hair on weekends. I paid this session’s school fees in three instalments, but I still owe for my practical manual and departmental dues.”
Specific amounts and dates make a story believable. The receipt you upload should back up what you say about paying in instalments. Write your own version with your real details.
How to apply for the One-Million Naira Initiative
- Scan your documents: admission letter, fee receipt, school ID and government ID, as clear photos or PDFs.
- Draft your story offline: write it in a notes app first so a dropped connection does not wipe it.
- Open the form: go to the One-Million Naira Initiative registration page on springuplife.org.
- Fill in your details: use the same spelling of your name that appears on your ID and school documents.
- Tell your story: paste in what you drafted and check it reads well.
- Submit before the deadline: keep a screenshot of the confirmation page.
- Watch for the result: winners get an email, and the list is read out on TikTok Live (@springup.life).
Applying is free; never pay anyone.
Common mistakes
- Applying when your parents pay: the organisers asked these students not to apply.
- A story with no numbers: “I am suffering” is weaker than “I owe ₦38,000 in hostel fees”.
- A receipt that contradicts your story: if you say you are self-sponsored, be ready to explain whose name is on the payment.
- Unreadable ID or school ID: a blurred card photo can get you skipped when only 10 are chosen.
- An email you never check: winners are told by email, so use an address you open daily.
How winners are chosen
The foundation picks 10 students and notifies them by email. It also announces the results live on TikTok, which it says is to keep the process open and fair. In 2026 the announcement came one week after the deadline, on 20 September at 3:00 PM.
SpringUp has not published whether shortlisted students are interviewed or how the money is paid. If you are picked, expect to confirm your identity and give bank details by email, and keep your original documents at hand. Nobody genuine will ask you to pay a “processing fee” to release the money.
What ₦100,000 will and won’t cover
The grant is a one-off sum. It can clear a fee balance, buy textbooks and a practical manual, or pay exam-related charges. It will not pay a full year of fees at most universities, rent for the session, or a laptop. Treat it as a gap-filler and keep applying to other awards in the same session; none of the published rules forbid that.
Similar scholarships for students who pay their own way
| Scholarship | Who it is for | Amount | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| SpringUp One-Million Naira Initiative (this page) | Orphaned or self-sponsored undergraduates, 25 or younger | ₦100,000 once | 13 September 2027 |
| Ruth Titilayo Foundation Scholarship | Secondary, undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational students | Up to ₦100,000 tuition plus upkeep | 31 October 2026 |
| Liberty Career Academy Scholarship | Students in universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and vocational schools | Up to ₦200,000 plus mentorship | 3 November 2026 |
| Ejiro M Ukiri Scholarship Fund | SS3 leavers starting at a Nigerian institution | Up to ₦150,000 toward first-year costs | 30 September 2027 |
If you live in Ajegunle and study STEM or Law, the Taiwo Bankole Scholarship is also worth a look.
About SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation
SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation works on education, livelihoods, youth skills and outreach to vulnerable people. Its founder, Rev. Damilare K. Samuel, was born in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The foundation launched the One-Million Naira Initiative to mark a decade of its work.
On its website it reports a back-to-school outreach that gave 200 children books, uniforms and a term’s fees, a widows’ care day for 80 widows, and tailoring and catering training completed by 42 women. You can reach it at springuplife@gmail.com or on TikTok and Instagram.
FAQ
Is the SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation scholarship still open?
No. The 2026 round closed on 13 September 2026 and the 10 beneficiaries were announced on 20 September 2026. The deadline is 13 September 2027.
How much does the One-Million Naira Initiative pay?
Each of the 10 selected students gets ₦100,000, which makes up the ₦1 million total in the name. You can spend it on fees, books, exams or other school costs.
Can I apply if my parents pay my school fees?
No. The award is for orphans and self-sponsored students with no financial support from either parent, and the organisers ask students whose parents can pay not to apply.
Can polytechnic or college of education students apply?
The call says undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions, which covers more than universities. Check the form when it opens, since it is the final word on eligibility.
Sources and updates
The foundation’s background, founder, contact email and field results come from the SpringUp Life Outreach Foundation website, which describes the One-Million Naira Initiative as support for ten lives. The amount per student, age limit, orphan or self-sponsored rule, document list, 13 September 2026 deadline and 20 September 2026 announcement come from the iCanStudent listing of the 2026 call. ScholarshipAir’s listing gives the same deadline and application link. The foundation has not published file rules, a word limit for the story, interview stages, payment method or whether the initiative will repeat in 2027. Last checked 24 October 2026; I will update this page when the 2027 call opens.
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.
