Application for LONG Empowerment Foundation Vocational Training Scholarship 2025

About the Scholarship Program:

In Nigeria, children from low-income families are often forced to drop out of school due to financial constraints. Over 10 million Nigerian children are out of school, and many who begin education never make it past junior secondary level with only about 55% of eligible students transition to senior secondary school, and fewer than 12% gain admission into higher institutions. For many, even getting a chance to write WAEC and JAMB is an impossible financial hurdle. At LONG Empowerment Foundation, we provide academic and vocational scholarships, mentorship, and a thriving support community to help youth rise above their circumstances and rewrite their stories. Because when given the tools, our youth don’t just survive they lead. The LONG Empowerment Foundation Vocational Training Scholarship seeks to foster self-reliance and empower young individuals to be change agents in their communities.

The LONG Vocational Training  Scholarship has 3 Impact Strategies; Provide career mentorship and entrepreneurial support for a successful vocational career, partner with established industry leader to train selected youth in a vocational skill on a fully funded scholarship and provide enterprise setup grants to kickstart a successful self-employed career.

Benefits of the Scholarship Program:

Awardees of this scholarship will receive the following benefits:

• Hands-on Digital and Vocational Training
• Post-training internship and mentorship support
• ₦1m funding for entreprenueral business startup

Available Programmes for the Scholarship Program:

Software Development:

You will learn to do the following in six (6) months;

• Build responsive websites and simple full-stack applications.
• Understand the software development life cycle and version control.
• Work collaboratively on a team software project.
• Deploy real-world apps to the web.
• Prepare for junior developer roles, internships, or freelance work.

Fashion Design:

You will learn to do the following in six (6) months;

• Accurately take body measurements and draft patterns.
• Operate both manual and electric sewing machines proficiently.
• Design and construct various outfits from start to finish.
• Create their own fashion sketches and client styles.
• Be prepared to launch their own tailoring business or work with fashion houses.

Catering and Event Planning:

You will be able to do the following in six months;

• Prepare a variety of local and international dishes and pastries.
• Plan and manage small to medium-scale events
• Apply food safety and hygiene best practices
• Create menus, budget plans, and event logistics checklists
• Be prepared to launch and manage your own small catering or event planning business

Eligibility Criteria of the Scholarship Program:

Interested applicants for this scholarship MUST fulfill the following requirements:

• Applicant MUST be a citizen of Nigeria and resident in the country.
• Applicants MUST be between 16–26 years old at the time of application. 
• Applicant MUST be from a low-income family with annual income of less than 3 million naira.
• Applicant MUST have completed at least Primary 5 and possess a certificate of completion. Applicants should not be enrolled or have completed any tertiary education (i.e OND, HND or bachelor degree).
• Applicant MUST demonstrate a genuine interest in learning a specific skill (evidence of past effort or self-learning is a plus).
• Applicant MUST be willing to fully commit a minimum of 40 hours weekly to the training, complete all tasks and projects, and adhere to the rules and regulations of the program.
• Children of Christian missionaries who are serving in Nigeria are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Applications are only open for states where Empowered by LONG has training partnerships per cohort.

To apply to the software development track you must also:

• Demonstrate basic computer literacy (i.e how to operate a computer and use the internet).
• Be proficiency in microsoft word and powerpoint
• Must possess problem-solving interest and aptitude which will be assessed through a short online aptitude test.
• Show passion for technology (will be assessed via personal statement, prior exposure, or self-taught efforts like tutorials and mini-projects reported through the online application form).

To apply to the fashion design track you must also:

• Demonstrate an interest in clothing, fashion design, or tailoring.
• 50% Aptitude test score – must possess problem-solving interest and aptitude which will be assessed through a short online aptitude test.
• Submit pictures or videos demonstrating their interest or prior informal exposure in fashion design.
• Must have an active social media presence.
• Must demonstrate a commitment to entrepreneurship post-training.

To apply to the catering/event planning track you must also:

• Demonstrate a strong interest in cooking, baking, or organizing events.
• Show ability to work in high-pressure, detail-oriented environments.
• Provide evidence of prior informal experience (cooking for others, baking and volunteering at events, etc.).
• 50% Aptitude test score – must possess problem-solving interest and aptitude which will be assessed through a short online aptitude test.
• Must have an active social media presence.
• Must demonstrate a commitment to entrepreneurship post-training.

Supporting Documents:

• Complete Application Form
• Proof of financial hardship
• Most current resume
• Educational certificate
• Short essays

Application Deadline:

Interested and eligible candidates are encouraged by apply before the 26th of September, 2026. Early applications are highly encouraged.

Application Process:

Interested and eligible candidates should apply for the scholarship program by accessing the scholarship application portal through the scholarship application link below:

We at Icanstudent wish you the very best in your scholarship application process. Don’t forget to follow the Icanstudent website for more information and guidelines on how to be a top applicant in your scholarship application process. Good luck!!!