Idris Aregbe Tech Scholarship Programme: Every week, thousands of young people all over the world wake up with big dreams about working in technology, but they quickly realize that the cost of quality tech education is a serious barrier. Tuition fees, software licenses, training materials, and even reliable internet access can put a proper digital education out of reach for many talented young people. That is exactly why it is so exciting that, right now in 2025 and 2026, so many organizations, governments, companies, and nonprofits are stepping up with tech scholarship programs specifically designed to change that story.
A tech scholarship equips youths for the digital economy by giving them the financial support, training, mentorship, and career connections they need to compete in a world that is increasingly driven by technology. Whether you are a high school senior trying to get into computer science, an undergraduate who wants to specialize in cybersecurity, or a young professional without a four-year degree who wants to break into software development or data analytics, there is a scholarship program out there for you.
This article will walk you through what tech scholarships are, why they matter so much right now, which programs are open in 2025 and 2026, who qualifies, how to apply, and what you can expect to gain from participating. By the end, you will have a clear picture of how these programs work and how you can take advantage of them to build a future in the digital economy.
What Is a Idris Aregbe Tech Scholarship Programme and Why Does It Matter?
Idris Aregbe Tech Scholarship Programme is a type of financial award given to students or learners who are pursuing education or training in a technology-related field. This can include computer science, software engineering, information technology, cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence, digital marketing, front-end web development, cloud computing, and more. Unlike student loans, scholarships do not have to be repaid, which makes them one of the most valuable forms of educational support available.
The reason these scholarships are so important right now comes down to one simple fact: the demand for skilled tech workers is growing much faster than the supply. According to labor analysts and reports from organizations like the World Bank and the International Labour Organization, the global tech sector is experiencing a widening talent gap. Cybersecurity alone is expected to have millions of unfilled positions worldwide. Data science, artificial intelligence, and software development are showing similar trends. Companies are struggling to find qualified workers, and young people who acquire these skills are stepping into one of the most financially rewarding and stable career paths available today.
At the same time, access to quality tech education is still deeply unequal. Young people from low-income backgrounds, underrepresented communities, rural areas, and developing countries often face enormous financial and structural barriers that prevent them from getting into the field. Tech scholarships are one of the most direct ways of addressing that inequality and creating a more inclusive digital economy.
The Link Between Tech Education and the Digital Economy
The digital economy refers to all the economic activities that rely on digital technologies, including e-commerce, fintech, digital health services, online education platforms, mobile banking, cloud computing, and software as a service. It is not a separate economy from the traditional one. It is actually becoming the backbone of the modern economy as a whole.
Africa’s digital economy alone is projected to contribute up to $180 billion to the continent’s GDP through basic digital adoption. In the broader global context, the World Economic Forum and other institutions have consistently highlighted digital skills as among the most critical competencies workers will need in the coming decades. Yet research shows that only a small fraction of young people, particularly in developing regions, currently receive structured digital skills training.
The gap between where things are and where they need to be is enormous. That is where technology scholarships come in. When a scholarship program covers the cost of learning to code, mastering data analytics, or earning a cybersecurity certification, it is not just helping an individual student. It is building the human infrastructure that entire economies need to grow and innovate. Every young person who completes a tech training program and enters the workforce becomes a contributor to the digital economy, not just a beneficiary of it.
Governments have started to recognize this. The World Bank’s Western and Central Africa Regional Education Strategy set a goal of training at least one million more youth in digital skills, with sixty percent of them moving into better job opportunities. These are ambitious targets, but they show how seriously policymakers are taking the connection between youth tech education and economic development.
Top Tech Scholarship Programs Equipping Youths for the Digital Economy in 2025/2026
Below is a detailed look at some of the most impactful tech scholarship programs currently available. These programs serve different regions, education levels, and fields of study, so there is likely something here that fits your situation.
1. ISACA Foundation Scholarships (Global)
The ISACA Foundation, previously known as One In Tech, runs one of the most well-respected scholarship programs in the technology sector. Since 2022, it has awarded over $1.4 million USD to more than 800 students from over 30 countries. The foundation focuses specifically on the fields of IT audit, risk management, cybersecurity, governance, and information assurance, all of which are among the fastest-growing and most in-demand specializations in tech.
What makes this program stand out is that scholarship recipients do not just receive financial aid. They also get access to an ISACA Career Building Bundle, which connects them with a global network of IT and information security professionals, helps them prepare for important industry certifications, and gives them access to mentorship. This kind of wraparound support is what genuinely equips young people to succeed in the digital economy, not just survive in it.
The program is ideal for students who are already pursuing or planning to pursue studies in cybersecurity, information systems, IT governance, or a related field. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the program is truly global in scope.
Apply for the ISACA Foundation Scholarship here
2. OneTen and Accenture Scholarship Program via Udacity (USA)
This is one of the most interesting and accessible scholarship programs for young people who do not yet have a four-year university degree. OneTen, Accenture, and Udacity have partnered to award scholarships in three career tracks: digital marketing, business analytics, and front-end web development. Learners can take their chosen course entirely online and at their own pace, and there are no academic prerequisites other than access to a computer and internet connection.
The scholarship is specifically targeted at Americans without four-year degrees who are aged 18 and older and want to develop marketable tech skills. This is a smart approach to workforce development because it meets people where they are rather than requiring them to first complete years of traditional schooling before they can access quality tech training.
Participants also get access to monthly Ask Me Anything sessions with industry experts, one-on-one mentorship, and practical, project-based learning that builds a portfolio employers actually want to see.
Apply for the OneTen and Accenture Scholarship Program here
3. LinkedIn Possibilities in Tech Scholarship (USA)
LinkedIn’s Possibilities in Tech Scholarship is designed for high school seniors from historically underrepresented communities who are planning to pursue a degree in computer science or computer programming at a four-year accredited university in the United States. Recipients receive $40,000 in scholarship funds spread across four years of college.
But the money is really just the beginning. What LinkedIn has built around this scholarship is a full ecosystem of support that includes community building events, college navigation assistance, technical training, mentorship from LinkedIn engineers, interview preparation, and even an all-expenses-paid kickoff event at LinkedIn’s headquarters. The goal is not just to help young people afford college but to ensure they actually complete their degrees and land strong tech roles afterward.
This scholarship speaks directly to a fundamental truth about equipping youth for the digital economy: financial support alone is not enough. Young people also need guidance, connections, role models, and structured pathways into the workforce.
Learn more and apply for the LinkedIn Possibilities in Tech Scholarship
4. iD Tech Scholarship Program (USA and Global)
iD Tech runs one of the largest and most established tech education scholarship programs for young people aged 7 to 19. The organization has provided tens of thousands of educational experiences to underserved students, exposing them to STEM fields at an early age through camps, online courses, and structured programs.
Current offerings include scholarships for programs in artificial intelligence and machine learning in partnership with NVIDIA, app development powered by MIT RAISE, and a range of other cutting-edge technology disciplines. This kind of early exposure is critical because young people who interact with technology as creators and builders, rather than just consumers, are far more likely to pursue tech careers as adults.
iD Tech’s scholarship programs are primarily funded through corporate sponsorships and nonprofit partnerships, which means costs to students and families are dramatically reduced or fully eliminated.
Explore iD Tech scholarship programs and apply today
5. IBT Learning Africa Tech Scholarship (Africa)
For young Africans looking to break into the tech industry, the IBT Learning Africa Tech Scholarship is one of the most directly relevant programs available. The scholarship addresses the skills gap by providing comprehensive training in cutting-edge technologies and ensuring graduates are well-equipped for real industry demands.
IBT Learning provides scholarships to thousands of students annually and focuses not just on technical skills but also on the networking and professional development opportunities that graduates will need to find and keep good jobs. The program recognizes that Africa has an enormous and largely untapped pool of tech talent, and that targeted investment in that talent has the potential to transform communities and national economies.
Apply for the IBT Learning Africa Tech Scholarship here
6. MTN and RLabs Youth Digital Skills Initiative (Southern Africa)
Launched in early 2026, this 12-month program from MTN South Africa in partnership with RLabs offers young people in the Western Cape access to scholarships, entrepreneurial training, networking opportunities, and partner-led courses in digital skills. The program is structured around quarterly Youth Expo events and includes workshops, mentoring sessions, and career guidance.
What is refreshing about this initiative is its focus on combining digital skills with entrepreneurship. Young people are not just being trained to find employment but to create it. In an economy where many young Africans work in the informal sector, equipping them with both technical and entrepreneurial skills is a powerful combination.
Read more about the MTN and RLabs Youth Digital Skills Initiative
7. Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award ($250,000)
This is not a traditional scholarship in the sense of supporting individual students in school, but it is one of the most significant funding opportunities for young tech leaders aged 18 to 30. The Global Citizen Prize, offered through a partnership between Cisco and Global Citizen, awards $250,000 to young leaders who are using technology to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals and end extreme poverty.
Winners receive the full amount directly for their organizations without any equity requirements, which means they retain full control over their work. To apply, candidates need to demonstrate measurable outcomes from their technology projects, show how their technology improves efficiency and reach, and submit a short video pitch along with detailed responses about their work.
If you are a young person who has already built something meaningful using technology and you want support to scale it, this program is worth exploring seriously.
Learn more about the Global Citizen Prize for youth-led tech solutions
Who Can Benefit from a Tech Scholarship?
One of the most encouraging things about the current landscape of tech scholarships is how broad the eligibility criteria have become. There truly is something for nearly every type of learner. Here is a breakdown of the common categories of students and young people who benefit most from these programs.
High School Students and Seniors
Many programs, including LinkedIn’s Possibilities in Tech Scholarship, iD Tech, and several programs listed on platforms like Bold.org, specifically target high school students and seniors. If you are still in high school and thinking about a future in technology, this is actually the perfect time to start applying for scholarships. Many of the best programs want to get involved with young people before they even start university so they can guide the whole journey from the ground up.
Undergraduate Students
The majority of tech scholarships are aimed at undergraduate students studying computer science, information technology, software engineering, cybersecurity, data science, electrical engineering, or related fields. Undergraduates can apply to dozens of scholarships simultaneously through platforms like Bold.org, which aggregates hundreds of tech-focused awards in one place.
Graduate Students
Some programs, including those offered by the ISACA Foundation and various university-based scholarships, extend to graduate students who are deepening their expertise in specialized tech fields. If you are pursuing a master’s degree or a research-focused program in a technology area, there are dedicated scholarships available to you as well.
Non-Traditional Learners and Working Adults
This is perhaps the most exciting development in tech scholarship programs right now. Programs like the OneTen and Accenture Scholarship via Udacity are specifically designed for people who do not have four-year degrees and are looking to transition into tech from other careers or from unemployment. These programs recognize that the traditional university path is not the only valid route into the tech industry, and they are building alternative pathways that work for people at different stages of life.
Women and Underrepresented Groups
A significant number of tech scholarship programs focus specifically on women, people from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and first-generation college students. Programs like the New Face of Tech Scholarship from 1000 Dreams Fund and HARMAN, the Dynamic Edge STEM scholarship for women, and many others are specifically addressing the demographic imbalances that still exist in the tech sector. Since its launch in 2017, the New Face of Tech program alone has distributed over $300,000 to young women in STEM.
Youth in Developing Countries and Africa
Programs like IBT Learning Africa, the MTN and RLabs initiative, the World Bank’s regional skills programs, and the Global Citizen Prize are specifically designed to address the needs of young people in developing economies. Given that over 70 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under 30 and the continent is projected to have 830 million young people entering the workforce by 2050, the investment in tech skills for African youth is not just socially important but economically essential.
What to Expect from a Tech Scholarship Program
If you are new to the world of scholarships, it helps to understand what these programs actually offer beyond just money. Modern tech scholarships, especially those funded by major technology companies and foundations, tend to bundle several types of support together.
Financial Support
The most direct benefit is financial. Scholarship awards can range from a few hundred dollars for smaller essay-based programs to $40,000 or more for multi-year university scholarships. Some programs, like the Global Citizen Prize, offer transformational grants of $250,000 to youth-led organizations. The financial support can cover tuition, fees, books, equipment, software, internet access, and other educational expenses depending on the program.
Mentorship and Career Guidance
Many of the best programs pair scholarship recipients with experienced mentors from the tech industry. The LinkedIn scholarship matches students with LinkedIn engineers. The ISACA Foundation connects recipients with established IT and cybersecurity professionals. Having a mentor who has already navigated the tech industry can be just as valuable as the financial award itself, especially when it comes to understanding how to land internships, prepare for technical interviews, and build a career trajectory.
Networking Opportunities
Tech scholarships often come with access to exclusive networks of peers, alumni, and industry professionals. Events like the LinkedIn scholarship kickoff at company headquarters or the quarterly Youth Expos in the MTN and RLabs initiative give young people real opportunities to meet potential employers, collaborators, and future colleagues.
Certification and Portfolio Development
Some programs, especially those offered by platforms like Udacity or ISACA, include access to certification programs and portfolio-building projects. In the tech industry, demonstrating what you can actually build and do is often more important than the credentials on your resume. Scholarships that help you build real-world projects give you a significant advantage when you start applying for jobs.