How to Apply For Covenant University Scholarship Online 2026
If you have been looking for a way to study at one of Africa’s most respected private universities without the burden of full tuition fees, the Covenant University scholarship is something you need to pay close attention to. Covenant University, located in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria, has built a reputation not just for academic excellence but also for actively supporting deserving students who cannot easily afford the cost of education there.
In this article, we are going to cover everything you need to know about the Covenant University scholarship, including the different scholarship programs available, who qualifies, what the award covers, how the application process works, and what you can realistically expect as a recipient. Whether you are a Nigerian student preparing for university, a young African looking for funded study opportunities in Nigeria, or an international student exploring postgraduate options, this guide is for you.
About Covenant University
Before getting into the scholarship details, it helps to understand exactly what kind of institution you are applying to study at. Covenant University is a private Christian university that has been operating since October 2002 in Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. It was founded by Bishop David Oyedepo, who is the presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide and serves as the Chancellor of the university. The institution is affiliated with the Living Faith Church Worldwide and is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the Association of African Universities, and is officially recognized by the National Universities Commission (NUC) of Nigeria.
The university was built around a clear and stated mission: to raise a new generation of leaders and to reinstate the dignity of the black race. That mission has shaped everything about how the institution operates, from its strict campus rules to its scholarship programs, which are designed to identify and support young Africans who have both the brains and the character to contribute meaningfully to their societies.
In terms of rankings, Covenant University has consistently performed at a level that puts it ahead of most universities in Nigeria and West Africa. According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Covenant was ranked the number one university in Nigeria and number four in Africa in 2020. In 2019, it became the first Nigerian university ever to be ranked in the top 401 to 500 category of world universities by Times Higher Education. The National Universities Commission (NUC) named it the best private university in Nigeria in multiple consecutive years, and Webometrics ranked it the best private university in Nigeria in 2021.
The university currently has four colleges: the College of Business and Social Sciences, the College of Science and Technology, the College of Engineering, and the College of Leadership Development Studies. It runs undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs and enrolls between 8,000 and 9,000 students. A 2017 study by Stutern, Jobberman and BudgIT identified Covenant University graduates as the most employable in Nigeria, and Techcabal has rated the school as having the best software developers in the country.
All of this is worth mentioning because a scholarship to study at Covenant University is not just financial support. It is access to a genuinely world-class education in Africa, and that is a significant thing to be aware of when you decide to apply.
Overview of Covenant University Scholarship Programs
Covenant University offers both fully funded and partially funded scholarships to students at various levels. These scholarships are available to international students as well as local Nigerian citizens, and they are designed to support academic excellence, leadership development, and research capacity across Africa. Here is a breakdown of the main scholarship programs associated with Covenant University in 2025 and 2026.
1. The David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship Programme
This is the flagship scholarship program associated with Covenant University, and it is the one most people are searching for when they look up a “Covenant University scholarship.” The David Oyedepo Foundation (DOF) Scholarship Programme is a full-ride scholarship that grants students the opportunity to study at either Covenant University or Landmark University in Nigeria, both of which are founded by Bishop David Oyedepo.
The David Oyedepo Foundation is a faith-based philanthropic organization that was established to display the love of Christ by creating platforms that will transform Africa’s economy. The foundation is committed to raising change agents on the continent through education, leadership development, and spiritual growth.
What the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship Covers
The scholarship covers full academic tuition fees for up to five years, in line with the stipulated duration of the chosen course of study. This means that if your degree program is four years, you are covered for four years. If it is five years, you are covered for five. The scholarship is a genuine full-tuition award for the entire duration of your undergraduate studies.
However, it is important to know what the scholarship does not cover. Based on available information, the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship does not pay for accommodation, feeding, travel, medical expenses, or other personal costs during your time at the university. You will need to make independent arrangements for these. Some sources have noted discrepancies in coverage details between cohorts, so it is always worth confirming the exact scope of coverage directly with the Foundation before accepting an offer.
In addition to the financial support, scholarship recipients gain access to leadership development training through the Foundation’s annual programs and mentorship initiatives. There are also personal and spiritual growth opportunities through regular engagement with the Foundation’s leadership team, plus networking opportunities with other scholarship recipients, alumni, and global leaders.
Eligible Programs at Covenant University Under the DOF Scholarship
For recent cohorts, the scholarship has been available for the following programs at Covenant University: Information and Communication Technology, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electrical Information Engineering, and Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering. The list of eligible programs may change between cohorts, so you should always check the official DOF portal for the most current list when applications open.
Eligibility Requirements for the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship
To qualify for the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship at the undergraduate level, you must meet the following conditions:
You must be a citizen and permanent resident of any African country. This is not limited to Nigeria. Any African national living on the continent is eligible to apply. You must be between the ages of 16 and 25 at the time you submit your application. You must demonstrate proficiency in reading, writing, and speaking English, as this is a hard requirement. You must have an outstanding academic record from secondary school. For Nigerian applicants, this is benchmarked by scoring at least 50 points above the official JAMB cut-off marks. For all applicants, including non-Nigerians, this is benchmarked by achieving a minimum of 80 percent or a 4.0 GPA out of 5.0 in your secondary school or high school transcript. You must have already begun the admission application process to either Covenant University or Landmark University at the time of applying for the scholarship. This is a critical point that many applicants miss. The scholarship is conditional on university admission, and you must secure your admission independently through the university’s regular admissions process. Simply winning the scholarship does not mean you have been admitted.
Applicants who do not meet the technical eligibility requirements will not be forwarded to the selection committee, so it is important to be honest and thorough when checking whether you qualify before investing time in your application.
Required Documents for the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship Application
When you apply, you will be required to submit the following documents: a completed online application form, secondary school transcripts, proof that you have applied to or been accepted at Covenant University or Landmark University, and original copies of all documents you uploaded. You will also be required to write three essays as part of the application. These are typically personal statement essays covering topics such as your background and motivation, how you plan to contribute to Africa’s development, and your leadership experience. Each essay is usually around 500 words long.
The Selection Process
The selection process for the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship is a need-dependent, merit-based open competition. After the application deadline passes, all eligible submissions are reviewed by a selection panel. Applications are assessed based on academic performance, leadership potential, clarity of vision, and the quality of the submitted essays. Shortlisted finalists are then invited to an interview conducted through an online video conferencing platform with the David Oyedepo Foundation team. After the interviews, successful candidates are notified by email. Those who progress to the final round are also required to provide original copies of all submitted documents and proof of their Covenant University or Landmark University application.
How to Apply for the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship
Applications are submitted through the David Oyedepo Foundation’s official scholarship portal at portal.davidoyedepofoundation.org. You should visit the portal, read all application instructions carefully before starting, gather all required documents and name them as instructed, then complete and submit the application form with all supporting materials before the deadline.
For the 2025 cohort, the deadline was June 27, 2025. Deadlines for future cohorts will be published on the official portal and on the Covenant University admissions page at admissions.covenantuniversity.edu.ng. Applying early is strongly advised, as late submissions are not considered under any circumstances.
2. The Covenant University International Excellence Scholarship
This is a separate scholarship program that Covenant University offers directly for international Master’s students. The Covenant University International Excellence Scholarship is specifically designed for non-Nigerian applicants who are seeking on-campus admission into any of Covenant University’s postgraduate Master’s programs.
To be eligible, you must hold citizenship other than Nigerian and must be applying for on-campus study. The scholarship lasts for a period of 18 months, which aligns with the duration of most Master’s programs at the university. This scholarship is tailored to attract talented international scholars to Covenant University and to strengthen the university’s international academic community.
If you are a non-Nigerian student looking to pursue a Master’s degree at one of Africa’s top-ranked universities, this scholarship is a compelling opportunity. Details about the specific programs covered and the application process for this scholarship are available through Covenant University’s official postgraduate admissions office.
3. The CApIC-ACE Scholarship (World Bank Funded)
Covenant University has also been home to the Covenant Applied Informatics and Communication Africa Centre of Excellence scholarship, which was funded under the World Bank’s African Centre of Excellence IMPACT project. This scholarship was introduced to strengthen research and innovation capacity in critical tech fields across West and Central Africa.
The scholarship invited highly motivated applicants from Nigeria as well as other countries in West and Central Africa into Master’s and Ph.D. programs at Covenant University. The programs it supported included Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Biochemistry, and Information and Communication Engineering.
While the World Bank ACE-IMPACT project operates in phases and cohort availability changes from year to year, Covenant University has been a designated host institution for this initiative, which reflects the university’s strength in science and technology research. Students interested in this type of scholarship should monitor announcements from both Covenant University’s postgraduate admissions office and the World Bank’s Africa Centres of Excellence program portal for new opportunities as they open.
4. The FIRST E&P 400 Level Undergraduate Scholarship
Another scholarship linked to students at Covenant University is the First Exploration and Production Development Company (FIRST E&P) 400 Level Undergraduate Scholarship. This annual initiative supports outstanding 400 Level students who are studying energy-related disciplines. It was launched in partnership with Covenant University and is open to students currently enrolled in eligible programs at the university.
The scholarship targets students in fields that are relevant to Nigeria’s energy sector, which aligns with the country’s need for homegrown expertise in petroleum and power. Applications for the 2025 to 2026 cycle were open in June 2025. Details and specific eligibility criteria for this scholarship are usually published through Covenant University’s scholarship openings page.
Why Covenant University Scholarships Are Competitive
You might be wondering why the competition for these scholarships is so intense, and the answer becomes obvious when you understand what you are actually competing for. A Covenant University scholarship is not just a fee waiver. It is a ticket to one of the most well-resourced private universities in Africa, with a campus that has world-class facilities, a strong research culture, and a track record of producing graduates who go on to lead organizations and contribute to development across the continent.
Graduates of Covenant University have gone on to occupy significant positions in government, finance, engineering, technology, and entrepreneurship across Nigeria and beyond. The university’s emphasis on character development and leadership alongside academic training sets it apart from many institutions that focus purely on coursework. When you study at Covenant University, you are being groomed in a very deliberate way to function as a leader in whatever field you enter.
For a scholarship recipient, all of this becomes accessible without the barrier of high tuition fees standing in the way. That is why these scholarships attract thousands of applicants from across Africa every year.
Applying to Covenant University for Admission
Because the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship and several other Covenant University scholarships require that you have already applied for or secured university admission, understanding the regular admissions process is important.
Covenant University admits students through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) system, which is Nigeria’s centralized university entrance examination body. Nigerian applicants are required to pass the UTME (Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination) and meet the university’s cut-off score. You will also need passes in five subjects at the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) or its equivalent at ordinary level, including relevant subjects for your chosen course of study.
International applicants who are not sitting JAMB exams are expected to provide equivalent qualifications. The academic year at Covenant University runs from September to June. Detailed admission requirements, including course-specific prerequisites and the exact JAMB cut-off for each program, are available on the official admissions portal .
It is important to note again that getting a scholarship does not guarantee admission, and getting admitted does not guarantee a scholarship. Both processes run independently and must each be completed successfully.
Tips to Strengthen Your Covenant University Scholarship Application
If you are planning to apply for the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship or any other Covenant University scholarship, here are some practical things that can improve your chances of being selected:
Start your application early. The David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship portal typically opens a few weeks before the deadline, and the deadline is firm. There are no extensions and late applications are automatically disqualified. Give yourself plenty of time to gather documents, write your essays, and review everything before submitting.
Take your essays very seriously. The selection panel uses your essays to evaluate who you are beyond your academic scores. They want to see a genuine understanding of Africa’s challenges, a real sense of personal direction, and evidence that you have already taken steps to develop your leadership capacity. Generic or vague essays will not stand out. Write from your own experience and be specific about your goals and your plan.
Make sure your academic record meets the threshold before you apply. The 80 percent or 4.0 GPA requirement is a hard floor. If you do not meet it, your application will not be reviewed by the selection committee regardless of how strong your essays are. Be honest with yourself about whether you qualify before investing time in the process.
Apply to Covenant University or Landmark University before or at the same time as applying for the scholarship. You need proof of that application as part of the scholarship submission. Delaying your university application could delay or disqualify your scholarship application too.
Practice for the interview stage. If you make it through the initial review, you will face a video conference interview with the Foundation team. Prepare for questions about your background, your academic record, your vision for Africa, and how you plan to use your degree. Be calm, confident, and authentic.
What to Expect After Receiving the Scholarship
If you are selected as a David Oyedepo Foundation Scholar, the foundation will notify you by email. You will then be required to provide original documents and proof of your university admission. Your scholarship will be activated upon resumption at Covenant University or Landmark University in line with the academic calendar.
As a scholarship recipient, you will be part of a community of scholars who are all going through the same leadership development journey. The foundation holds annual programs and mentorship activities that scholars are expected to participate in. These are not optional extras. They are part of what makes the DOF Scholarship experience different from a regular tuition waiver. The goal is to develop you into someone who will go back into your community and lead meaningful change, and the post-award support is structured around that mission.
Staying on the scholarship throughout your time at the university typically requires you to maintain satisfactory academic performance. Failure to meet the academic requirements of the program could affect your continued eligibility, though the specific conditions for scholarship maintenance should be confirmed with the Foundation directly.
What is the age limit for the Covenant University scholarship?
For the David Oyedepo Foundation undergraduate scholarship, applicants must be between 16 and 25 years old at the time they submit their application.
Is there a scholarship at Covenant University for postgraduate students?
Yes. The Covenant University International Excellence Scholarship is available for non-Nigerian students applying for Master’s programs on campus. The CApIC-ACE scholarship under the World Bank African Centres of Excellence program has also provided funded places for Master’s and PhD students at Covenant University in Bioinformatics, Computer Science, Biochemistry, and ICT Engineering.
What happens if I win the scholarship but fail to gain admission to Covenant University?
The scholarship is explicitly conditional on gaining admission to either Covenant University or Landmark University through the standard admissions process. If you do not secure admission, the scholarship award cannot proceed. You must go through both processes independently and successfully.
Where can I find the official DOF scholarship application portal?
The official David Oyedepo Foundation scholarship application portal is located at portal.davidoyedepofoundation.org. You can also check the current scholarship openings page on the Covenant University admissions website at admissions.covenantuniversity.edu.ng for the latest announcements and application links.
Final Thoughts
The Covenant University scholarship landscape offers genuine and meaningful opportunities for young Africans who are academically strong and personally driven to make a difference. Whether you are looking at the David Oyedepo Foundation Scholarship for your undergraduate studies, the International Excellence Scholarship for a Master’s degree, or one of the World Bank-supported research awards, there is a pathway worth exploring here.
The most important things to remember are that the scholarship and the university admission process are separate, that you need to start both early, and that the essays and interview are where you can truly set yourself apart from other applicants. The selection panels are not just looking for the student with the highest grades. They are looking for the person who is most likely to use this opportunity to become a leader who changes things for the better in their community and across Africa.
If that sounds like you, visit portal Bishop Oyedepo portal and admissions.covenantuniversity.edu.ng today to check for open applications and begin your journey. Scholarship windows open and close quickly, and the best time to take action is always right now.
