How to Find Local & Untapped Scholarships in Africa

Everyone talks about Chevening. Or DAAD. Or Mastercard Foundation. Great — they’re legit. But what about the scholarships hiding right in your backyard? The ones buried in university notice boards, WhatsApp groups, local NGOs, or forgotten government PDFs?

Welcome to the world of local and untapped scholarships — opportunities that are easier to qualify for, often less competitive, and deeply aligned with your immediate environment.

If you’ve ever said “there are no scholarships for me,” you probably just haven’t looked deep enough. And this blog is here to help you dig.

Why Local Scholarships Matter (Even if They’re Not Fancy)

Let’s get real for a second: not everyone can — or wants to — go study in Germany or Canada for 3 years. And that’s fine. Not every dream starts with a visa and a suitcase.

Local scholarships can be:

More accessible: fewer requirements, no TOEFL, no visa drama
Less competitive: smaller applicant pools = better odds
More relevant: often tied to your country’s development goals
More flexible: can be combined with work, family, or entrepreneurship
The stepping stone: one small scholarship today can lead to a bigger one later

Most of all, they show that you don’t need to leave Africa to build a future worth funding.

Types of Untapped Scholarships You Might Be Ignoring

1. University-Specific Scholarships

Every major public or private university in Africa has internal scholarships, often funded by:

Alumni
Philanthropists
Government partners
Religious institutions
Faculty departments (yes, even your stubborn engineering department might have money)

These scholarships might be called:

“Merit-based academic awards”
“Departmental support grants”
“Vice Chancellor’s Scholarships”
“Female student bursaries”
“Entrepreneurship prizes”

Where to find them:

University websites (financial aid or registrar tabs)
Physical notice boards (yes, the actual wall kind)
Faculty offices
Student affairs or international office
Ask your favorite lecturer — they know

2. Religious and Faith-Based Scholarships

Churches, mosques, and religious foundations often fund scholarships quietly. Some examples:

Catholic Dioceses funding seminarians or general students
Muslim foundations offering bursaries for youth in need
Christian ministries supporting girls’ education
Interfaith NGOs sponsoring peace studies, social justice, or health fields

Pro tip:
Check local parish bulletins, ministry WhatsApp groups, and NGO partners (like Caritas, Islamic Relief, World Vision).

3. Private Foundations & Local NGOs

Many small African nonprofits and family foundations sponsor scholarships, but their marketing budget is… nonexistent.

Common traits:

Local focus (students from specific regions or counties)
Often support girls, orphans, or low-income students
Application process is basic: essay, reference, maybe an interview

Examples:

MTN Foundation (Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda): STEM scholarships
GEANCO Foundation: Girls in Nigeria
Tony Elumelu Foundation: Entrepreneurship scholarships
Imbumba Foundation: Caring4Girls (South Africa)
Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE): Girls’ education across East Africa

Where to find them:

NGO websites
Local newspapers
Facebook pages of organizations
Community radio
Town hall announcements

4. Corporate & Employer-Funded Scholarships

Companies in Africa often sponsor education as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR). They just don’t shout about it.

Watch out for:

Telecom companies (MTN, Safaricom, Airtel, Glo)
Oil and gas companies (Shell, TotalEnergies, Tullow Oil)
Banks (UBA Foundation, Zenith, Standard Bank, ABSA)
Manufacturing and construction firms
Startups or tech hubs offering training sponsorships

Hot tip:
Check the “CSR” or “Careers” section of their websites — they love hiding the good stuff there.

5. Local Government Scholarships

Yes, your county, state, or municipality might actually have money sitting in a fund somewhere. These are especially common in:

Nigeria (state-level scholarships — e.g., Lagos, Rivers, Delta)
Kenya (county bursaries)
South Africa (municipal and provincial education trusts)
Ghana (District Assembly support grants)

Real talk:
You may need to:

Physically go to an office
Write a letter
Fill out a three-page form that looks like it was typed in 1999

But it could pay your tuition. Worth it.

6. Cultural, Language, and Ethnic Group Scholarships

Some scholarships are offered by:

Ethnic development organizations (e.g., Luo, Zulu, Yoruba foundations)
Cultural heritage preservation groups
Language promotion programs (e.g., Swahili studies scholarships, Arabic language training grants)

These tend to be niche but meaningful — and often under-applied for.

How to Find These Scholarships (Without Losing Your Mind)

Here’s the un-glamorous but effective strategy:

✔️ Ask. Loudly.

Post on LinkedIn, Twitter, and WhatsApp:

“Hey, I’m looking for scholarships in [country] for [subject/level]. If you know of anything — let me know!”

You’ll be shocked how many people know someone who knows someone.

✔️ Go analog.

Visit your:

Local education office
University financial aid desk
Town hall
Community radio station

People still pin things on corkboards in Africa. Go read them.

✔️ Use the right websites.

Bookmark these:

✔️ Search with country + scholarship.

Try Google searches like:

“Undergraduate scholarships Kenya 2025”
“Free university support Nigeria by state”
“Scholarships for girls in Uganda 2025”

How to Apply Without Losing Faith

Let’s be honest. Local scholarship processes are not always smooth. Sometimes:

Websites don’t work
Deadlines are confusing
Someone’s uncle is “helping” with shortlisting

So here’s what you do:

Apply anyway
Follow instructions to the letter
Make multiple copies of documents
Submit early
Keep a spreadsheet of what you applied for and when

And most importantly: don’t rely on just one.

Final Thoughts: You Don’t Need Fancy — You Need Funding

Stop waiting for a glamorous, viral opportunity with a TED Talk and a British flag attached. Local and lesser-known scholarships might not look fancy on Instagram — but they pay tuition. They open doors. They count.

The truth is, the scholarship you need is probably sitting quietly in a dusty folder at your university registrar’s office or somewhere in your aunt’s church WhatsApp group.

You just have to go find it.

And now, you know how.

How to Find Local & Untapped Scholarships in Africa

Why Local Scholarships Matter (Even if They’re Not Fancy)