If you’re like most Nigerians who are tired of the poor educational system, it’s better to look for international scholarships for Nigerian students and leave the country. No one enjoys what is obviously bad.
With strikes that occur almost every year, and sometimes last longer than expected, you may be forced to prolong your years of study.
I understand that most scholarship updates are not legitimate, while the ones that are, have requirements that an average Nigerian student cannot satisfy. The student ends up getting frustrated after a series of searches, applications, trials, etc.
But below you’ll find a list of scholarships, active and legitimate currently available for Nigerian students. Some are government scholarships, postgraduate scholarships and foundation scholarships.
I have covered the requirements for each scholarship. I have also discussed eligibility criteria and how to apply for and win these scholarships.
International Scholarships for Nigerian Students
Steve Weston and Trust Scholarships (University of Dundee)
Steve Weston and Trusts Scholarships is a scholarship program available for postgraduate students in the University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland, Uk.
The scholarship is targeted at helping citizens of developing countries who want to further their legal studies to a postgraduate level but do not have the funds.
There are three awards available from this scholarship, one from Steve Weston scholarships and two from Trust Scholarships.
Eligibility
- Must be a citizen of any of these countries: Africa – Botswana, Congo (Democratic Republic), Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Zambia.
- Americas – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago
- Asia – China, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Thailand
- Must already hold a 2nd class upper or above Honours degree in Law, Economics, Petroleum/Mining Engineering, Geology, and Finance.
Requirements
- First requirement is that you must hold the aforementioned degree. However, you can still apply, if you have very strong interest in LLM and have had a relevant legal work experience.
- Since the scholarship is available for International Mineral Law and Policy LLM, and International Oil and Gas Law and Policy LLM, you must have applied for any of these courses to commence in September 2024.
- Must have English language proficiency
- Display leadership potential and the prospect of rising to positions of influence
- Will go on to complete the degree within 12 months for which the scholarship would last.
How to Apply
There is no application form for this scholarship program. You are advised to first register for a full time program in International Mineral Law and Policy LLM, or International Oil and Gas Law and Policy LLM in the University of Dundee. (You can do that online by visiting the school official website). And then proceed to apply for the scholarship if you are given an unconditional admission to study any of the two courses. You cannot apply for the scholarship without an unconditional admission first.
The process of application is simple. You are to provide a 500-word personal statement with your CV attached, to be sent by email to Allison Anderson [a.e.anderson@dundee.ac.uk].
In your personal statement, you’re advised to write in the best way possible, to help you win, since you won’t be the only person applying for this scholarship. Your personal statement should contain;
- Your skills in communication
- Your ability to make a difference in the world
- Your networking ability and plans for the future
- Your interest and hobbies
Global Excellence Scholarship (University of Dundee)
Global Excellence Scholarship is automatically awarded to students with academic excellence who have applied for a full time degree program in any field of study in the University of Dundee, Scotland, UK.
The scholarship is valued at £6,000 per year of study and available for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Eligibility
- Must be an international student. Meaning that Nigerians are eligible.
Requirements
- You must have applied for a full-time degree program in the University of Dundee for September 2024, and have been offered admission.
- For a postgraduate applicant, you must have achieved a 1st Class Honours Degree.
- While as an undergraduate applicant, you must have a grade of BBB at A-Level.
- Hold International Fee Status as determined by the University of Dundee, as would be communicated to you via your offer letter.
- And if you are not already a beneficiary of any University of Dundee scholarships.
How to Apply
You do not have to apply for this scholarship. The scholarship is awarded automatically to applicants whom the University Admissions teams deem eligible.
Closing date is undisclosed but the scholarship started 8 January 2024.
The Flinders International Research Scholarship (FIPRS)
The Flinders International Research Scholarship is a scholarship award provided by the Australian government specifically for international students.
The scholarship is awarded to candidates who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability through independent research, academic merit, academic research training and research indicators and performance.
For a research doctorate degree program, the scholarship is available for 3 years, and 2 years for a research masters degree.
Eligibility
- Must be an international student with no Australian and New Zealand citizenship.
- Must have applied for a higher degree program by research, in Australia for the first time.
- You can be eligible, or easily guaranteed if you choose an area of research which the University has particular strength and which has attracted external funds.
- You must meet all requirements including English language proficiency.
Requirements
Successful applicants are required to undertake full time study and must be commencing a higher degree by research in Australia for the first time.
You are required to read the application guidelines before submitting an application.
You are also required to make contact with an academic staff member in your academic and research area who would agree to be your supervisor if you come out successful. This is necessary as applicants without a supervisor at the time of application will not be eligible for the scholarship. Your application must include the supervisor’s agreement.
You must include your university level academic transcripts and a research proposal of 500-words, outlining the problem, hypothesis or question and the methodology..
You will provide only five of your publications with a completed cover sheet. Publications must be written or translated into English and not more than 5 years old.
Attach in your application, a current CV stating your work experience, all research experience, and a full list of cited publications.
How to Apply
You must first apply for admission to a Higher Degree by research (PhD or Masters of Art by research), before applying for the scholarship. Details of how international students can apply for admission can be found in the application website.
Once you’ve read the information, you’ll complete a registration here, where afterwards you will complete your application for admission. A Flinders students ID card will be created within an hour.
You will need to activate your account using the student ID and your date of birth used during registration.
University of Heidelberg Hans-Peter Wild Scholarship
The University of Heidelberg, Germany, is currently carrying out its Hans-Peter Wild Scholarship 2024/2025 for Masters and Bachelor level international students in the MINT field (Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, and Technology).
The Hans-Peter Wild Scholarship is a partially funded scholarship available to students from all parts of the world who wish to pursue a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in any of the above mentioned fields.
Eligibility
- The scholarship is opened to international students for any nationality.
- Applicants who have previously completed a course at the Heidelberg University are not eligible.
Requirements
- You must be a first-semester MINT student in a Bachelor’s or Master’s program.
- You must have received a confirmation of a university place at Heidelberg University for the next winter semester before applying.
Note that applying for the scholarship is not the same as applying for a university place; consequently, you must apply for a university place at Heidelberg University separately, before applying for the scholarship.
How to Apply:
Visit the Hans-Peter Wild Scholarship website to submit your application.
Note that you’ll be required to upload some of your credentials. You’ll find this information on the website.
Boston University Presidential Scholarship
Boston University is currently offering a number of fully funded scholarships for international students, including the Presidential Scholarship, which is only accessible for undergraduate degree programs.
The Boston University Presidential Scholarship is one of the best international scholarships for Nigerian undergraduate students as those who receive this scholarship are granted a generous amount of $25,000 every academic year.
Eligibility
- The Boston University Presidential Scholarship is available to international students from all nationalities.
Requirements
- You must rank in the top 5% of their high school class.
- For international students, achieving SAT scores above 1500 and ACT scores above 33 is recommended.
- Demonstrating remarkable successes in extracurricular activities within your school and community will enhance your chances of getting the scholarship.
- You must have a solid academic record to be considered for the scholarship.
How to Apply:
The application process for the BU presidential scholarship is quite simple as no additional essays or application forms are required.
By December 1st the application portal will be open, you can follow up the school application link for latest info, so that once the portal is open, you can apply.
Central South University Scholarships
The Central South University (CSU) scholarships program targeted at helping students from all over the globe achieve a cross-cultural rewarding academic experience in a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs in various fields.
The CSU scholarship is a fully funded one and is available to international students of all nationalities. Central South University is located in China.
Eligibility
- The CSU scholarship is open to all non-chinese students for all nationalities (Nigerians included).
Requirements
- Candidates for bachelor’s degree programs must be between the ages of 18 and 25 and possess a high school diploma or an equivalent.
- Candidates for master’s degree programs must be between the ages of 18 and 35 and have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
- Candidates for doctoral degree programs must be between the ages of 18 and 40 and possess a master’s degree or its equivalent.
- Different levels of linguistic proficiency are needed depending on the language structure:
- Candidates must have a minimum HSK4 score of 260 for non-medical programs taught in Chinese and 200 for medical programs.
- Candidates for programs where English is taught must obtain a minimum TOEFL score of 85 or an IELTS score of 6.
- If you do not meet the requirements for Chinese proficiency, you must complete a one-year course in the language and pass all necessary exams before commencing your program.
- There may be additional entrance requirements for some programs which must be satisfied before applying. You can visit the 2024 Program Catalog for further details.
How to Apply:
- Log in to the CSU website and click on the admission online application or APPLY NOW button.
- Fill in the application form and click submit.
University of Oxford Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship 2024 is a prestigious free scholarship program sponsored by the University of Oxford, UK. It offers Masters, MPhil, and PhD Scholarships at Oxford University to international students from different parts of the world.
Each year the Rhodes Scholarship awards a number of scholarships to eligible international students and in 2024, it will be awarding over 103 free scholarships.
Eligibility
- The scholarship is open to all international students from all nationalities.
Requirements
- The requirements for the Rhodes Scholarship varies from country to country. You can find what’s required of applicants from your country here. However, generally applicants are required to:
- Have an outstanding academic record
- You must have completed your bachelor’s degree program by July 2024.
How to Apply:
At the time of writing this, the application form for the Rhodes Scholarship 2024 has not yet been posted. However, you can visit the Rhodes Scholarship website to get further details on the 2024 application process.
University Of Miami Stamps Scholarship
The University of Miami, United States, is offering a Bachelor’s degree scholarship program to all outstanding students from all parts of the world. If you’re a Nigerian student wishing to pursue your studies in the United States, then you should apply for this scholarship.
The University of Miami Stamps Scholarship is fully funded, covering all expenses like tuition fees, campus accommodation, meal plans, health insurance, laptop allowance, textbooks, and a $12,000 enrichment fund.
Eligibility
- The Scholarship is open to international students from all nationalities.
Requirements
- You must be an international student.
- You must have received a bachelor’s degree program offer from the University of Miami.
How to Apply:
- Visit the University of Miami website, click on the Get Started icon by the right side and select apply.
- Fill the application form and click submit.
FAQS on International Scholarships for Nigerian Students
How Can I Get Scholarship From Nigeria to Abroad?
To get a scholarship from Nigeria to study abroad, research reputable programs, meet eligibility criteria, submit a strong application, and seek guidance from mentors or educational consultants.
Is There Any Scholarship Available in Nigeria?
Yes, Nigeria offers scholarships from government bodies, private organizations, corporations, and educational institutions. A very popular one is PTDF scholarship.
Final Thought on International Scholarships for Nigerian Students
The list above contains International Scholarships for Nigerian Students. Some of them are for students pursuing undergraduate studies and those who want to pursue postgraduate studies.
One of the problems with applying for international scholarships for Nigerian students is that most people don’t know how to go about it, especially in writing personal statements.
So, before applying for any scholarship opportunity for Nigerians, take your time to write a good personal statement. You can hire an expert to do that for you if you cannot.
Also, carefully read the instructions, the scholarship terms and conditions of the schools, and to apply where you meet the requirements.
Winning a scholarship award won’t be possible if you do not have the requirements.
Also, note that almost all the scholarships are targeted at helping students with financial aid – the scholarships cover tuition. These scholarships, like Chevening scholarship are most favourable to those with outstanding academic performance and achievement. The scholarship committee determines this through your short application essay, with attached documents.
