<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>This study investigates the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process for bioethanol production from corn cobs with prehydrolysis (PSSF) and without prehydrolysis (OSSF). Two response surface models were developed with high coefficients of determination (>0.90). Process optimization gave high bioethanol concentrations and bioethanol conversions for the PSSF (36.92 ± 1.34 g/L and 62.36 ± 2.27%) and OSSF (35.04 ± 0.170 g/L and 58.13 ± 0.283%) models respectively. Additionally, the logistic and modified Gompertz models were used to study the kinetics of microbial cell growth and ethanol formation under microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions. Cell growth in the OSSF<SUB>microaerophilic</SUB> process gave the highest maximum specific growth rate (µ<SUB>max</SUB>) of 0.274 h<SUP>−1</SUP>. The PSSF<SUB>microaerophilic</SUB> bioprocess gave the highest potential maximum bioethanol concentration (P<SUB>m</SUB>) (42.24 g/L). This study demonstrated that microaerophilic rather than anaerobic culture conditions enhanced cell growth and bioethanol production, and that additional prehydrolysis steps do not significantly impact on the bioethanol concentration and conversion in SSF process.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> SSF processes with and without prehydrolysis for ethanol production is reported. </LI> <LI> Prehydrolysis steps do not significantly impact on the yield in SSF process. </LI> <LI> Microaerophilic culture conditions enhanced cell growth and bioethanol production. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>