It is not uncommon for women to experience a career break (e.g., for family reasons). However, some women who experience career break find it hard to return to their career paths especially whereby the break extends for a longer period. This problem is particularly common in low income countries.
Because there is often little or no targeted assistance for these women, career break contributes to the underrepresentation of women at the upper echelon of their chosen career ladder. Indeed, irrespective of gender, prolonged breaks after undergraduate studies also make it harder to access postgraduate opportunities.
Since returning to a career path often requires showing evidence of continuous learning, the ZNF initiated a scholarship specifically to encourage interested individuals to take advantage of online learning. This scholarship, now in its second year, is for women who have experienced career break and seek to undertake online learning as part of their efforts to return to their career path.
Benefits
The scholarship gives N100,000 to at least three women who win.
Requirements
1. Be a Nigerian female and resident in Nigeria
2. Be a graduate of any Nigerian higher institution (NYSC completion is not a requirement)
3. Has experienced a career break of 1 year or more (please explain this clearly in your statement of need)
4. Already has a laptop, tablet, or good mobile device for studies (if the goal is to use the scholarship money to support buying these tools, please explain that in your statement of need).
Selection Process
Timeline:
- April 7 – Application opens
- May 15 – Application closes (11:59 pm Nigeria Time)
- May 31 – Applicants informed about the review decision and interview invitation where applicable
- June 1-20 – Interviews
- August 1 – Announcement of the successful candidates
Application Documents
1. 1-page personal statement describing your education, work experience, motivation, and future career goals. If you intend to apply for graduate studies or a job at the end of the career break, please mention that in the paragraph addressing your career goals.
2. CV (not more than 3 pages).
3. Statement of need (max 1 page). This statement should cover why you need the scholarship and the nature/cause of the career break but without going into any sensitive/confidential information that you would ordinarily not wish to discuss.
4. List of prospective online course(s)/training to be pursued including the website link(s)
5. A letter of recommendation from a lecturer in the applicants’ former undergraduate or MSc department or a senior staff from a former/current place of work/NYSC (whichever is applicable – only one letter is required).
6. Transcripts from undergraduate or a scanned copy of undergraduate certificate/diploma as proof of study completion.
Method of Application
Application Deadline: May 15, 2025.