The FLWi was designed to provide potentially life-changing opportunities to children of frontline workers and key suppliers in lower-income roles. Eligibility will be primarily based on admission to an approved top tier national or international university. The following is a full list of eligibility requirements: ​ The student's parent or legal guardian must be a full-time employee or supplier of IHS Towers in grade 7-10 working in one of the following countries: Cameroon Côte d’Ivoire Nigeria Rwanda Zambia Eligible supplier personnel must be working full-time at an IHS site in a role equivalent to an IHS grade 7-10 employee. Eligible roles may include field engineers, technicians, drivers, security personnel, and office support. Eligible supplier personnel will be notified directly by their HR department.​ Applications must be made by the employee’s or supplier’s biological child or legally adopted ward - proof of relationship will be required. Students must be under 21 years of age, and applying for their first year of a full-time undergraduate degree. Given the wide variety of academic calendars among the FLWi-eligible universities and the timing of this year’s program launch, it is possible that some students may already be enrolled in the first year of their undergraduate program when the scholarship award decisions are made. For the 2023-2024 cohort, as long as the students are under 21 years of age and did not begin their first year of undergraduate degree before July 1, 2024, they will be eligible to apply. The student must provide satisfactory school reports and national exam results; preference will be given to those demonstrating the strongest academic performance. Only applications to approved universities within a country of residence or accredited and approved universities outside of a country of residence will be considered. Scholarships may be awarded on a provisional basis, pending formal acceptance from an approved University and adequate results from standardized exams. A formal offer from a University or exam results are not required to complete the application for the Scholarship program. If formal acceptance and adequate exam results do not subsequently follow, the provisional Scholarship award shall be withdrawn. While there is no restriction on degree course subject, preference will be given to students who have selected a STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) program of study.

Each eligible child in a family may submit an application. The selection board will consider all applications.

No, only dependents of role-eligible employee or supplier personnel are eligible for the scholarship.

Yes, however the funding they have already received will be taken into account when finalizing the IHS education grant.​

No, any employee meeting the criteria can apply.​

Yes, providing your contract is for full-time employment.​

Yes, but it must be an eligible university. Please refer to the list of eligible universities above.​ There are more than 10,000 accredited universities outside of the five African operating countries. Therefore, the Selection Board will decide on a case-by-case basis if a university abroad qualifies, and they will make this assessment based on numerous factors including the reputation and academic rigor of the institution in question.

Download a list of eligible universities in PDF format here. While there is no restriction on degree course subject, preference will be given to students who have selected a STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) program of study.

Please indicate your preferred university on your application so that Bennett International can assess its suitability. We recommend that you also identify an alternative university from among the eligible university list and indicate it on your application.

If you have been accepted to multiple universities, please indicate so in your application.

IHS Towers is not likely to support changes in program or university once a student has started university. Therefore, students need to consider their university options and preferences carefully before applying for the scholarship.

If you meet the eligibility criteria outlined on this website, please apply via the online form via the "Apply For A Scholarship" button. Please note, the application form should be completed in full by the student applicant, not the IHS employee or supplier.

Applications close on June 6th, 2024.

Applications will be reviewed against the criteria.​ Documentation will be verified - you may be contacted for more information.​ Verified applications will be forwarded to the Selection Board for review.​ The review process is supported by Bennett International Education Consultancy. All applicants will be notified by email by July 31st, 2024.

Once an application has been verified and all appropriate documentation has been provided, applications will be assessed by a Selection Board appointed by Bennett International Education Consultancy, the third-party firm engaged to administer the program and ensure objectivity and transparency.​

Yes. Bennett International Education Consultancy has contributed to the development of this program and is now administering it in its entirety, in order to ensure objectivity and transparency.

Yes. While there is no restriction on degree course subject, preference will be given to students who have selected a STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) program of study, providing it is from a pre-approved university. Please refer to the list of eligible universities above.

All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by July 31st, 2023.

Should you feel that you have been unfairly treated regarding the selection of the scholarship, you should address any dispute or complaint to the Scholarship Selection Board; you may appeal the Scholarship Selection Board’s ruling to the IHS Group Legal Department. The ultimate arbiter of all disputes and complaints shall be the IHS Group General Counsel, whose decision on such matters shall be final and will not be subject to appeal.

There is a limited number of scholarships available for local and international universities.

Yes, and it will be reviewed annually (if spread over multiple years) and future payments will be subject to meeting the terms of the scholarship. Please refer to the Scholarship Terms & Conditions document linked above.​

In addition to tuition and fees, the educational grant will also cover accommodation, travel, food, a living stipend, and books and technology up to a maximum amount.​

Yes. The educational grant will cover the cost of the visa and related expenses (such as costs of medical and biometric testing) to the student’s first choice international university. If this visa is rejected, Bennett International will support the student in identifying an alternative international university, considering the reason for visa rejection and the likelihood of another rejection in an alternative country. The educational grant will cover the cost of this second visa application. If the student’s visa is rejected a second time, the educational grant will no longer cover the cost of the visa, and Bennett International will support the student in identifying a local university. The student may choose to defer their Scholarship for one academic year while working to resolve any visa issues.

The educational grant will cover the cost of overseas health insurance for international students only. Medical expenses such as medical office or emergency room costs will not be covered by the educational grant and will be the responsibility of the student.

For students who are awarded educational support through the Frontline Workers Initiative, Bennett International Education Consultancy will provide ongoing welfare, including a review of academic and other records and an assessment of student readiness (linguistic, academic, cultural, social, emotional) for the pending academic program. There will be regular check-ins with the student and guidance provided as needed.​

Course fees will be paid directly to the university.​

Given the wide variety of academic calendars among the FLWi-eligible universities and the timing of this year’s program launch, it is possible that some students may already be enrolled in the first year of their undergraduate program when the scholarship award decisions are made. For the 2023-2024 cohort, as long as the students are under 21 years of age and did not begin their first year of undergraduate degree before July 1, 2023, they will be eligible to apply. For applicants who are selected and who have already paid tuition, IHS will coordinate with the student and the university to facilitate tuition reimbursement.

Where possible accommodation costs will be paid directly to the university.​ How the payment of additional financial support will be made will be assessed and agreed upon depending on students’ circumstances and in collaboration with a third-party education consultant.​

If your parent ceases to be an employee or supplier of IHS, the education grant for you will continue subject to the terms of the scholarship being met.​

Students will be able to defer their place for one year only before the education support will expire and they will need to reapply.