SIWES FAQ: All Your Questions Answered (Placement, Duration, Payment, Logbook & Report)

All your SIWES questions answered. Learn how to find placements, duration, payments, logbook and report tips, and free tools to save hours. Start here.

Mohammad Jamiu
Mohammad Jamiu
Published on Nov 16, 2025
SIWES FAQ: All Your Questions Answered (Placement, Duration, Payment, Logbook & Report)

Welcome. This master FAQ answers the most common SIWES questions Nigerian students ask. If you need more detail, each short answer links to full guides, examples, and free tools on MonoEd that save hours of work.

Quick links

1. What is SIWES?

SIWES stands for Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme. It is a supervised, industry-based training program designed to give Nigerian tertiary students practical exposure in their field of study.

SIWES is coordinated by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) together with schools and industry partners.

For background and history, see: The History of SIWES in Nigeria.

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/history-of-siwes-in-nigeria

⚡ SIWES Tools for Students 🔥

Stop struggling with your SIWES documents — use our free AI-powered generators:

📘 SIWES Logbook Generator – Instantly create weekly logbook entries.
📑 SIWES Report Draft Generator – Generate a full SIWES report draft in minutes.

🎓 Trusted by 1,000+ Nigerian students.
👉 Try them now and save hours of work!

2. SIWES vs IT: What is the difference?

SIWES is the official national scheme run under ITF guidelines. Industrial Training (IT) is the actual placement or internship experience.

All SIWES is IT, but not all IT is SIWES. If your course is SIWES-approved, you follow ITF and school requirements including logbooks and supervisor visits.

Read more: What is the Difference Between SIWES and IT in Nigeria?

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/siwes-vs-it-nigeria

3. Who must do SIWES?

Students enrolled in courses that require practical training must do SIWES. These typically include engineering, pure and applied sciences, agriculture, environmental sciences, medical laboratory sciences, and many technology programmes.

Students in these approved courses cannot graduate without completing SIWES.

See full list and eligibility details in our Ultimate Guide to SIWES.

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/siwes-guide-nigeria-logbook-report

4. How long does SIWES last?

  • Universities: typically six months (24 weeks). Some departments split into SIWES I and SIWES II.
  • Polytechnics and colleges: usually four months (16 weeks) depending on school policy.
  • Duration may vary by course and professional accreditation requirements.

More details: How Long Does SIWES/IT Last?

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/how-long-does-siwes-it-last-nigeria

5. Do SIWES students get paid?

There are two payment sources to be aware of:

  • ITF stipend: ITF pays a stipend to eligible students who submit required documents, but payments are often delayed and vary over time.
  • Company allowances: some host companies provide stipends or allowances; this varies widely.

For a deeper breakdown and realistic expectations, read: Do SIWES Students Get Paid in Nigeria?

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/do-siwes-students-get-paid-nigeria

6. How do I find SIWES placements?

Best practice:

  1. Decide your field and preferred state.
  2. Search verified organizations on SIWES Finder by course and state.
  3. Bookmark opportunities and prepare your documents.
  4. Apply to multiple companies early.

Start browsing verified opportunities: https://siwesfinder.monoed.africa/organizations

See step-by-step application guide: How to Get SIWES/IT Placement in Nigeria.

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/how-to-get-siwes-it-placement-nigeria

7. Top companies that accept SIWES students

You can target multinational and large national employers like Shell, NNPC, Dangote, Huawei, ExxonMobil, and also many SMEs, startups, and public agencies.

For a curated list and contact ideas, check: Top Companies That Accept SIWES Students in Nigeria.

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/top-companies-accept-siwes-students-nigeria

Tip: Use SIWES Finder to filter by company type and state to find nearby branches and verified contacts.

8. How to apply and what documents are required

Typical documents:

  • CV or resume (PDF preferred)
  • School introduction letter or official SIWES form
  • SIWES application/cover letter
  • Any certificates requested by the company

Use the MonoEd CV Maker to create an ATS-friendly CV fast. For email template and call tips, see the SIWES application guide.

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/how-to-get-siwes-it-placement-nigeria

Short email template:

Subject: SIWES Application — [Your Name], [Course], [School]

Dear [HR / Recruitment Team],

I am [Your Name], a [ND/HND/University] student of [Course] at [Institution]. I found your SIWES listing on SIWES Finder and would like to apply for a placement starting [start date]. Attached are my CV and school introduction letter. I am available for interview and orientation at your convenience.

Regards,
[Your Name]
[Phone Number]

9. SIWES Logbook: how to fill, common mistakes, and tools

Best practices

  • Write daily or weekly entries. Do not bulk-fill at the end.
  • Be specific and technical. Mention tools, software, and methods.
  • Link tasks to your course theory.
  • Get weekly supervisor signatures and comments.
  • Use correct tense and consistent formatting.

Common mistakes include copying from friends, vague entries, missing signatures, and messy handwriting.

Tool: Use the SIWES Logbook Generator to convert short weekly summaries into professional Monday–Friday entries you can copy into your logbook.

Read more: How to Fill Your SIWES Logbook Properly and 10 Common SIWES Logbook Mistakes.

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/how-to-fill-siwes-logbook-properly

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/common-mistakes-students-make-in-siwes-logbook-and-how-to-avoid-them

10. Writing the SIWES Report

Your final report should summarize objectives, company profile, activities, learning outcomes, challenges, recommendations, and conclusions.

Use real examples and link each activity back to course objectives. If you used the logbook consistently, drafting the report becomes much easier.

Tool: SIWES Report Generator creates a polished draft you can edit.

👉 https://report.monoed.africa

See full step-by-step guide: How to Write Your Final SIWES Report.

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/how-to-write-siwes-final-report

11. Challenges students face and practical solutions

Common issues:

  • Poor supervision. Fix: Seek clarity on tasks, request a mentor, report issues to school.
  • No pay. Fix: Ask about allowances early and budget accordingly.
  • Irrelevant tasks. Fix: Volunteer for project work and show eagerness to learn.
  • Logbook stress. Fix: write daily and use the Logbook Generator.

For a deeper dive on common challenges and solutions, see: Challenges Students Face During SIWES and Solutions.

👉 https://monoed.africa/blog/siwes-challenges-and-solutions

12. Resources and tools

Use these to speed up application and documentation work.

13. Quick FAQ (short answers)

  • Is SIWES compulsory? Only for approved courses that require practical training.
  • Can I do SIWES in a small company? Yes. Small firms often offer more hands-on experience.
  • When should I apply? Start 3 to 6 months before your training window.
  • Can I use AI tools for logbook writing? Yes. Use the generator then copy neatly by hand if required.
  • How to prove you did SIWES? Keep signed logbook pages and company letters. Upload or submit as your school requires.

14. Call to action

Ready to find and apply for SIWES placements? Browse verified companies now and bookmark the ones you want to apply to.

Use the Logbook and Report Generators to save hours and improve your submissions.

Save Time with the SIWES Logbook and Report Generator

Our tool doesn’t just spit out random entries—you provide the real information, and it organizes it into proper daily logs.

How it works:

  1. Write a short weekly summary of your tasks (e.g., “This week I troubleshooted network issues, installed Windows software, and configured printers.”).
  2. The generator expands it into professional daily entries (Mon–Fri), making each day unique but still based on your actual work.
  3. Copy into your logbook—accurate, consistent, and easy to maintain.
An image showing 3 weeks of logbook entries generated by MonoEd SIWES Logbook Generator
An image showing 3 weeks of logbook entries generated by MonoEd SIWES Logbook Generator

Why Students Love It

✅ Saves hours of manual writing
✅ Entries stay true to your real tasks
✅ Professional, specific wording that impresses supervisors
✅ Consistency—no more bulk-filling at the deadline

When training ends, the Report Generator works the same way: you provide your company details and training summary, and it creates a polished draft you can edit into your final report.

👉 Try it free: logbook.monoed.africa | report.monoed.africa

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