NOW OPEN: The Bridge Fellowship Program 2025 For Nigerian Undergraduates -

About The Bridge Fellowship Program

Applications are now open for the 2025 edition of The Bridge Fellowship Program (TBP)—Nigeria’s most prestigious and transformative leadership fellowship designed to nurture and empower the next generation of changemakers. This unique, fully funded opportunity targets passionate undergraduate students who are ready to create social impact, lead change, and build innovative solutions to national and global challenges. If you are driven, ambitious, and committed to becoming a leader in your community or industry, this is your chance to join a powerful network of changemakers across Nigeria.

The Bridge Fellowship Program (TBP) is a one-year, immersive, and free fellowship that begins with a residential leadership bootcamp in the summer (July–August) and continues with a year-long leadership journey. This journey includes a combination of:

Self-paced and interactive learning

Real-life leadership simulations
Group projects and personal development exercises
Portfolio building for professional and academic growth

TBP is designed to be hands-on, challenging, and transformative. Over the past few years, the program has grown significantly and is now preparing to host 500 undergraduates in its 2025 cohort. The focus for this upcoming edition is on identifying and developing entrepreneurial leaders—particularly students driving tech-based innovation or leading impactful social initiatives.

Upon completion of the program, fellows will gain access to a lifelong alumni network that offers continuous support, mentorship, and opportunities for collaboration and development.

Eligible Fields

The Bridge Fellowship is open to undergraduates in all academic disciplines. Whether you study engineering, law, medicine, social sciences, education, computer science, or any other field, as long as you have a passion for leadership and making a difference, you are eligible to apply.

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the 2025 edition of the Bridge Fellowship Program, you must meet the following criteria:

You must be currently enrolled in a Nigerian tertiary institution (university, polytechnic, or college of education).
You must have at least two years of schooling remaining before graduation. This ensures you have time to participate fully in the fellowship and apply your learnings within your academic environment.

You must demonstrate a clear interest in leadership, social innovation, or entrepreneurship.
You should show evidence of a strong drive to create positive change, especially in your local community, school, or through personal initiatives.

Students who are in their penultimate or final year of study are encouraged to consider applying for the Pathway Career Accelerator Program instead, which is designed to meet the needs of students closer to graduation.

Selection Criteria

The selection process for TBP is holistic and multi-stage. It is designed to evaluate your mindset, leadership abilities, values, and potential. While academic performance is considered, it is not the only metric of evaluation. Instead, the following criteria are used:

Experiences and Accomplishments: Your ability to take initiative, learn proactively, and face real-world challenges with resilience.
Leadership Potential: Evidence of leadership through small or large actions—this could be leading a group project, founding a school club, or initiating a community campaign.

Beliefs and Values: Empathy, courage, curiosity, and a commitment to larger goals beyond personal gain.
Impact: Demonstrated ability to influence or make a positive difference—academically, socially, or personally.

Each applicant is assessed in a contextual and well-rounded manner. Your background, experiences, values, and growth potential all matter in the selection process. No single component—such as your CGPA or a well-written essay—will determine your success alone.

Documents Required

Applicants must submit several key materials during the application process. These include:

General and Academic Information: Details about your academic program, year of study, institution, and academic performance.
Essays: Both short and long-form essays that reflect your leadership journey, goals, and motivations for applying to TBP. These essays help the selectors understand your story and your potential.

Video Interview: A short, pre-recorded video interview to assess your communication skills, thought process, and personality.
Panel Interview: For shortlisted candidates, a final interview with a panel of TBP team members and alumni will be required to assess suitability and fit for the program.

Make sure you prepare your responses thoughtfully and honestly, highlighting your experiences, values, and aspirations.

Eligible Countries

This opportunity is only open to Nigerian students enrolled in higher education institutions within Nigeria. International students and Nigerians studying abroad are not eligible to apply.

Benefits of the Bridge Fellowship Program

Participation in the Bridge Fellowship Program comes with several exclusive and high-impact benefits, including:

All Expenses Paid Bootcamp: Selected fellows will attend a summer residential bootcamp where all lodging and feeding expenses are fully covered by the organizers. Note that travel expenses to and from the bootcamp location are not covered.

Comprehensive Leadership Training: Fellows will participate in a robust, well-rounded training program that blends theory with practical leadership tasks, problem-solving workshops, and real-world project implementation.
Personal and Professional Growth: The program provides a structured environment to develop critical thinking, teamwork, communication, and innovation skills—tools necessary for success in any career.
Active Alumni Network: After completing the program, fellows become part of a vibrant and supportive alumni community that provides mentorship, job opportunities, training programs, and collaborative projects.

Access to Opportunities: Through the Bridge Fellowship Program and its partners, fellows gain access to internship opportunities, startup funding programs, entrepreneurship incubators, and global exposure.

The fellowship is more than just a training program—it’s a launchpad for students who want to lead and drive real, measurable change in their communities and beyond.

How to Apply

To apply for the 2025 Bridge Fellowship Program, you must complete the online application form available on the program’s official website. Applicants are advised to carefully read the instructions, complete all sections of the application accurately, and submit all required materials before the deadline.

Only applications submitted via the official online portal will be considered. Incomplete applications or those sent via email or other channels will be disqualified.

Note: The application deadline is June 27, 2025, but there are two application rounds, each with specific submission periods:

Round 1: April 12 (11:59 AM WAT) – May 31 (11:59 PM WAT)

Round 2: June 2 (11:59 AM WAT) – June 27 (11:59 AM WAT)

Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications early to increase their chances of being selected.

To learn more about the program and to begin your application, visit the official Bridge Program application page at:

This is a rare and prestigious opportunity for Nigerian undergraduates to grow into influential leaders while connecting with a nationwide network of like-minded changemakers. If you have the vision and drive to make a difference, don’t miss your chance—apply before June 27, 2025.