Do SIWES Students Get Paid? The Allowance and What to Expect

SIWES does have a student allowance, but it is not the same as a salary, and it does not come from the company you work for. The allowance is paid by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) through your institution, and the amount and the timing vary. Treat it as a possible bonus, not as income you can count on.

The SIWES allowance

The ITF runs SIWES and is responsible for the statutory allowance paid to students who take part. A few things are worth knowing:

• It is arranged between you, your institution and the ITF. The placement provider does not set it and does not pay it.

• The amount is not the same in every report, and it can change, so ask your SIWES coordinator for the current figure instead of relying on a number you read online.

• Students and student bodies have repeatedly complained in the press about late or unpaid allowances. Plan your transport and feeding without it.

Do companies pay SIWES students?

That is each organisation's own decision. Some pay a small amount; a placement provider is not required to pay you on top of the ITF allowance. Before you accept, ask three things: whether there is any payment, whether it is a fixed amount, and who will sign your logbook. Get the answers in writing so that nothing is a surprise in week four.

Paid or unpaid: what to look for instead

Whether a placement pays matters less than what you leave with. Look for:

• Real work in your own field, with someone who supervises it

• A supervisor who reads and signs your logbook, week by week

• Tasks you can describe honestly in your industrial training report

• A project, a portfolio or a certificate that you can show afterwards

Be careful with any arrangement that only promises to sign your logbook. A signature without work behind it does not give you a report to write or a skill to show, and your supervisor and your department will notice.

What IMT Computers' SIWES placement costs

IMT Computers' SIWES placement in Lagos is not a paid internship and pays no stipend. It places Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering and IT students, and any student interested in coding and building websites, on a web development track for 3 or 6 months, and the course you are placed on is a paid one: as a SIWES/IT student you pay half price. The prices for each track are on the placement page, so you can see them before you register. In return you get supervised work on real projects, mentorship, support with your logbook, report and defence, and an IMT Computers certificate with its own link and QR code, which we help you add to LinkedIn.

If you are comparing places, read where to do SIWES in Lagos and what makes a good SIWES placement for Computer Science students. The real prices of IT training in Lagos are explained there too.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does SIWES pay?

No single figure applies to every student. The allowance depends on the ITF's current arrangements and on your institution, so ask your SIWES coordinator what the current amount is and when it is paid.

When is the SIWES allowance paid?

The timing is set by the ITF and your institution, not by the placement provider. Ask your SIWES coordinator, and keep your logbook and report complete and on time, because your institution will need them.

Can I get the ITF allowance if I do my SIWES at IMT Computers?

The allowance is arranged between you, your institution and the ITF, not by the placement provider. Ask your SIWES coordinator what your institution needs from us. We provide institution-ready completion documentation for university and polytechnic requirements.

Is there a free SIWES placement?

Some placements charge nothing and some, like ours, are tied to a paid course. Compare what you get for it: supervision, real work, a signed logbook and something to show at the end. See the difference between SIWES and IT if your school uses both words.