SmartHub Academy runs a Tech Scholarship every cohort. The scholarship is designed to make a SmartHub programme accessible to applicants who would otherwise struggle to afford the standard fee. This post walks through who it is for, how it works, and what selection looks like.
If you are about to apply: read this carefully. If you have already applied: this is what is happening on the other side of your application.
Who the scholarship is for
In one sentence: anyone serious about a tech career who would benefit from a structured cohort programme. There is no degree requirement, no age limit, no gender restriction, and no requirement to currently be a student.
What we are looking for, in priority order:
- Demonstrated genuine interest in the track applied for
- Aptitude — the willingness and capacity to learn at the pace a cohort moves
- Need — the financial situation that makes the scholarship meaningful
- A clear use case for the skill after graduation — what you will actually do with it
You do not need to be a current top performer to qualify. You do need to be ready to put in the time the cohort demands, which is significant.
The three tiers
The scholarship has three tiers reflecting the depth of support:
- Full Scholarship — N0 commitment fee. The full programme fee is waived. Reserved for applicants whose situation makes any out-of-pocket cost a real barrier.
- Partial Scholarship — N20,000 commitment fee. A meaningful reduction with a token contribution. Most awards land in this tier.
- Standard Scholarship — N40,000 commitment fee. Still a substantial reduction from the full fee. Goes to applicants who would benefit from cohort access but have somewhat more flexibility.
Tier is decided at the end of the selection process. You do not apply for a specific tier; you apply for the scholarship and the committee places you.
How applications work
The pipeline has four stages:
- Application form. A few minutes. You pick the track you want and answer some basic questions about your background and goals.
- Aptitude test. A short, timed multiple-choice test that needs no prior coding knowledge. It measures pattern recognition, logical reasoning, and basic numerical reasoning. We use it to filter for the cognitive baseline a cohort assumes.
- Stage 2 — motivation submission. Applicants who pass the aptitude test submit either a short video or a written essay explaining why they want to be in the cohort. This is read by the selection committee.
- Interview. A 20-minute conversation with someone from the academy. This is where we discuss the specifics of your situation, your goals, and which tier makes sense.
The full process typically takes three to four weeks from application to outcome.
What "qualified" means at each stage
A few specific things help, beyond having the right answers:
- Aptitude test. Strong performance moves your application forward faster. There is no magic threshold; we look at the score distribution per cohort.
- Motivation submission. Specific, concrete reasoning beats general enthusiasm. "I want to learn web development because I want to build software for the credit union where I am treasurer" lands harder than "I love technology."
- Interview. Honesty about your situation matters more than performance. We are trying to place you in the right tier — that is easier when you are direct about what you need.
Referral milestones
The scholarship has a referral element. Every applicant gets their own referral code. If three friends apply with your code and pass the aptitude test, that guarantees you a Stage 2 spot. Five qualifying referrals adds a partial boost; ten earns an automatic Full Scholarship subject to passing the rest of the process.
The system rewards applicants who are actively bringing other serious candidates into the funnel. It is not a substitute for the rest of the application; it is a multiplier on it.
What happens if you are admitted
Admission to a tier triggers a small commitment fee payment (zero, N20k, or N40k depending on tier). Once that is paid, you are formally enrolled in the cohort. From there:
- You are added to your cohort's LMS account, where all classes, recordings, materials, and assignments live
- You join the cohort community group (WhatsApp or similar)
- You receive your weekly schedule for the duration of the programme
- For SIWES-eligible applicants, you are added to the placement support pipeline
If you are not admitted
Re-applying for a future cohort is encouraged. We see strong applications from people who did not make the first cut and were admitted the second time after specific skill-building. The most common improvements between attempts:
- Building a small portfolio that shows genuine interest in the track
- Practising the kind of reasoning the aptitude test measures
- Sharpening the motivation submission
What the scholarship is not
It is not a stipend. There is no monthly payment to scholarship students. The award is in the value of the programme fee that is waived or reduced.
It is not job placement. Cohort completion plus a strong capstone gets you interview-ready. The interviews themselves are still yours to do.
It is not a credential employers will recognise the way a degree would. It is a focused training programme with a job-ready output. Combined with a degree, it is a strong CV; on its own, it is competitive in many product-engineering hiring contexts.
Related: how selection committees evaluate scholarship applications
