Do you know ABUAD pays students up to ₦200,000 for good grades? Share this guide to your class WhatsApp group right now. Most students have no idea these awards exist. {alertInfo}
Last Updated for the 2026/2027 Academic Session.
ABUAD school fees are not cheap. Whether you are paying ₦1.5 million or ₦6 million per session, every Naira counts. But here is something most students and parents do not know: Afe Babalola University has several scholarship programmes, cash rewards, and fee discounts that can save you hundreds of thousands of Naira every year. The problem is that nobody talks about them.
This guide breaks down every financial aid option available to ABUAD students. From the Founder's Merit Award (where you get paid for having good grades) to the 50% Agriculture tuition discount, sibling fee reductions, bulk payment benefits, and even external scholarships for Nigerian students that you can apply for right now.
Table of Contents
- 1. The Founder's Merit Award (Up to ₦200,000)
- 2. 50% Tuition Discount for Agriculture Students
- 3. 10% Indigent Student Discount
- 4. Sibling & Bulk Payment Discounts
- 5. External Scholarships: Can ABUAD Students Apply?
- 6. Postgraduate Scholarships After ABUAD
- 7. Student Finance: Payment Plans & Saving Tips
- 8. For Diaspora Parents: 10% USD Payment Discount
- 9. Frequently Asked Questions
ABUAD Founder's Merit Award: Get Paid for Good Grades
Aare Afe Babalola personally rewards students who do well in their studies. This is not a rumour or a story from the past. It is an active programme that happens every session, and the money is real.
Here is the exact breakdown of the Founder's Merit Award:
| CGPA Range | Cash Reward | Degree Class |
|---|---|---|
| 5.00 | ₦200,000 | First Class |
| 4.75 to 4.99 | ₦100,000 | First Class |
| 4.50 to 4.74 | ₦50,000 | First Class |
How the Payment Works
What happens is that a staff member or secretary from the Bursary comes to each college with a list of the students who qualified. They collect your bank account number on the spot. After that, the money is sent straight to your personal bank account. It is not removed from your school fees. It is not a voucher. It is real cash that lands in your account.
Pro Tip: Make sure you have an active bank account before the results come out. Students who don't have their account number ready sometimes miss the collection window and have to chase the Bursary themselves. {alertInfo}
Want to know exactly what grades you need to hit these targets? Use our free ABUAD CGPA Calculator to project your scores for the semester.
ABUAD Agriculture Discount: 50% Off Tuition and ₦250,000 Empowerment Fund
This is one of the biggest hidden chances at ABUAD that most applicants have no idea about. If you study B.Agric. Agricultural Sciences, ABUAD gives you a 50% reduction in your school fees throughout your five years of study. On top of that, you get a ₦250,000 empowerment fund when you graduate.
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Tuition Discount | 50% reduction on school fees for all 5 years |
| Programme Duration | 5 years (B.Agric.) |
| Graduation Bonus | ₦250,000 empowerment fund upon completion |
| Extra Benefits | Access to work and study on ABUAD's commercial farms |
This makes Agriculture one of the cheapest programmes at ABUAD. Aare Afe Babalola created this discount because he wants more Nigerian students to go into farming, food production, and agribusiness. If you want affordable private university education and a degree with a strong job market (agriculture is growing fast in Nigeria), this is a path worth looking at.
Good to know: ABUAD owns large commercial farms right on campus. Agriculture students get practical training on these farms as part of their coursework. That means you graduate with real farming experience that most other universities just cannot give you. {alertSuccess}
If you are an applicant thinking about switching your course, read our ABUAD Cut-Off Marks guide to see the entry requirements for Agriculture compared to other departments.
ABUAD 10% Indigent Student Scholarship
Every admission cycle, the university offers a 10% reduction in tuition for the most outstanding candidate who is found to be indigent before admission. This means if you are incredibly bright but your family is struggling to pay, the university will reduce your tuition by 10% for your entire programme.
How to Qualify
- Top Admission Result: The university also offers a separate 10% tuition reduction for the student with the highest admission result in their first academic session.
- Proof That You Need Help: For the indigent discount, you must prove your financial status before admission.
- Maintain High Grades: To keep this 10% discount throughout your years of study, you must maintain a CGPA of 4.50 and above.
ABUAD Sibling & Bulk Payment Discounts
If your parents have more than one child attending ABUAD, or if they prefer to pay all fees at once, the university provides several special privileges to ease the financial load.
The Sibling Discount
- Two Children: Any parent with 2 registered students in the university gets a 10% reduction in tuition on one child.
- Four Children: Any parent with 4 children registered in the university gets a 10% reduction in tuition on 2 children.
To get this discount, you need to go to the Bursary Department during the fee payment period and show proof that you are siblings (bring birth certificates and admission letters for both students).
The Bulk Payment Discount
If your parents want to avoid future fee increments, they can pay for the entire programme in advance. Any parent who makes a bulk payment of tuition in advance for the whole programme receives a 5% reduction in tuition. Even better, such parents will not be affected by any subsequent increase in fees during the student's study period.
External Scholarships: Can ABUAD Students Actually Apply?
This is the part most students need to read carefully. The truth is that most big Nigerian government and corporate scholarships do not accept students from private universities. If you are in ABUAD, you are automatically locked out of several well known scholarship programmes.
Here is the honest breakdown:
| Scholarship | Can ABUAD Students Apply? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| PTDF Scholarship | No | Only for Federal and State university students |
| Shell (NNPC/SNEPCo) Undergraduate | No | Public universities only, for 200 level students |
| MTN Foundation Scholarship | No (with one exception) | Public tertiary institutions only. Exception: Top 10 JAMB UTME scorers can apply regardless of institution |
| Federal Government (FSB/NSA) | No | Only students in public tertiary institutions |
| Stanbic IBTC Scholarship | Check Annually | Eligibility changes each cycle; some years include private universities |
| State Scholarship Boards | Depends on State | Some states (like Edo, Rivers) award to students regardless of institution type |
The truth is: As an ABUAD student, your best chance for financial aid while in school is the university's own programmes (Founder's Award, Agriculture Discount, Indigent Scholarship). For outside funding, your real chance comes after graduation when you apply for postgraduate fully funded scholarships. {alertWarning}
What ABUAD Students Can Actually Apply For
- Your State Scholarship Board: Check with your state government. States like Edo, Rivers, Lagos, and Delta sometimes award bursaries to indigenes regardless of whether you attend a public or private university.
- Private Foundation Scholarships: Organisations like the Wole Ogunyemi Foundation and the NHEF Scholars Program accept students from all institution types.
- International Certifications: The College of Sciences provides international certification support. All Computer Science students are inducted into the Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN) upon graduation.
Postgraduate Scholarships After ABUAD: Where the Real Money Is
If you graduate from ABUAD with a good CGPA (especially a Second Class Upper or First Class), you can apply for some of the biggest fully funded scholarships in the world. These academic merit scholarships cover tuition, accommodation, flights, and monthly living allowances worth millions of Naira.
| Scholarship | Country | What It Covers | Key Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening Scholarship | United Kingdom | Full tuition, flights, monthly stipend, travel grant | 2 or more years work experience, Bachelor's degree |
| DAAD Scholarship | Germany | Full tuition (free), monthly allowance, health insurance | Bachelor's degree, good academic record |
| Fulbright Scholarship | United States | Full tuition, living expenses, flights, health insurance | Bachelor's degree, NYSC completion |
| Commonwealth Scholarship | United Kingdom | Full tuition, living allowance, return flights | First or Second Class Upper degree |
| Erasmus Mundus | Europe (several countries) | Full tuition, travel costs, monthly allowance | Bachelor's degree, good academic record |
| Shell Postgraduate | United Kingdom | Full tuition for UK Master's degree | Degree holder, NYSC completed, age 21 to 28 |
The Point: Your ABUAD degree and CGPA are your ticket to study abroad for free. Start preparing your applications in your final year, not after graduation. Most of these scholarships have deadlines between August and November every year. {alertInfo}
For a full guide on how your CGPA affects your eligibility, read our ABUAD Grading System post.
Student Finance: Payment Plans & Saving Tips
Even with scholarships, managing your money on campus is something every ABUAD student struggles with. School fees eat up most of the budget, but your daily expenses (food, printing, data, textbooks) add up fast. Here are practical tips that actually work on campus:
The MBBS Installment Payment Plan
If you are a parent who cannot pay 100% of the school fees for the Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) programme for wards in 200 Level and 300 Level, the university allows installment payments. Approval has been given to pay in 3 tranches: 40% in the first semester, 30% later, and the final 30% on or before 6 weeks to the Second Semester Final Examination.
Note: All 100 Level Pre-Medicine students MUST pay 100% School Fees, otherwise admission is forfeited.
Budgeting Your Allowance
- Track Every Spend: Use a simple phone app or notebook to write down what you spend daily. Most students are shocked when they see how much goes to Cafe One and Abuad Mall alone.
- Set a Weekly Limit: Break your monthly allowance into weekly portions. Once the week's money finishes, stop spending until the next week.
- Save Before You Spend: Put at least 10% of your allowance into a savings app the moment it lands. Platforms like PiggyVest and Cowrywise let you lock money away and earn interest on it.
Making Extra Money on Campus
- Tutoring: If you are good at a course, charge younger students for tutorial sessions. This is common and accepted on campus.
- Freelancing: If you have skills in graphic design, writing, or coding, platforms like Fiverr and Upwork let you earn dollars while in school.
- Campus Businesses: Many students run small businesses from their hostels: selling snacks, printing services, or hair styling. Check the ABUAD campus policies before starting.
Smart Move: Open a savings account with PiggyVest or Cowrywise and set it to automatically save a small amount every week. By the end of the semester, you will have emergency money without even thinking about it. {alertInfo}
For Diaspora Parents: 10% USD Payment Discount
If you are a parent or guardian paying ABUAD school fees from the UK, US, Canada, or anywhere outside Nigeria, the university offers a huge incentive for you.
- 10% Tuition Reduction: Any parent who pays annual tuition fees in US Dollars into the University's domiciliary account gets a 10% reduction in tuition.
- Foreign Student Discount: All foreign students admitted from 2021 onwards who pay in US Dollars also get a 5% reduction in tuition.
- Exchange Rate Tip: When paying fees, use platforms like Grey, Lemfi, or Wise to handle international transfers smoothly if you aren't paying directly in USD.
To see the full list of what your child needs to pack before coming to campus, check out our ABUAD Packing List.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ABUAD give scholarships?
Yes. ABUAD offers the Founder's Merit Award (up to ₦200,000 for students with 5.0 CGPA), a 50% tuition discount for Agriculture students, a 10% discount for indigent students, bulk payment discounts, and sibling discounts for families with more than one child enrolled.
How much is the ABUAD scholarship for best students?
Students with a perfect 5.0 CGPA receive ₦200,000. Those with 4.75 to 4.99 receive ₦100,000, and students with 4.50 to 4.74 receive ₦50,000. The money is paid straight into the student's bank account.
Does ABUAD give sibling discounts?
Yes. Any parent with 2 registered students in the university gets a 10% reduction in tuition on one child. Parents with 4 children registered get a 10% reduction on 2 children.
What CGPA do you need for ABUAD scholarship?
You need a minimum CGPA of 4.50 on the 5 point scale to qualify for the Founder's Merit Award at ABUAD. A 4.50 earns ₦50,000, a 4.75 earns ₦100,000, and a perfect 5.0 earns ₦200,000.
Does ABUAD give agriculture students a discount?
Yes. B.Agric. Agricultural Sciences students receive a 50% discount on school fees for their five years of study. They also receive a ₦250,000 empowerment fund when they finish the programme.
How do I apply for ABUAD indigent scholarship?
You must prove that you are indigent before admission. The most outstanding candidate who meets this criteria receives a 10% reduction in tuition throughout the programme, provided they maintain a CGPA of 4.50 and above.
Written by the Everything ABUAD Team
Verified with the ABUAD Directorate of Student Affairs and official University fee policy documents. Updated for the 2026/2027 session.
Drop a Comment! 👇 Did you receive the Founder's Award before? Or do you know any other scholarship that ABUAD students can apply for? Drop your experience or question in the comments below, and the Everything ABUAD team will answer you!{fullWidth}
