In a post on its official X handle on Friday, the administrator of the student loan scheme clarified the eligibility criteria, addressing frequently asked questions by prospective applicants.

NELFUND specified that applications from citizens “convicted of fraud and forgery, drug offences, cultism, felony, or any offences involving dishonesty” would be rejected.

Additionally, the scheme will deny applications from anyone “proven to have defaulted in respect of any previous loan granted” by any licensed financial institution and anyone “found guilty of submitting fake/fraudulent documents and dismissed for exam malpractices by any school authority.”

This announcement coincides with the opening of the application portal for the first phase of the student loan scheme, which is currently available to students from federal institutions across the country.