Many different scholarships provide support to Nigerians with academic potential and those who cannot afford to study in the UK. However, they are often highly competitive and winning one of these aids can strain students to specific challenges. In this guide by DexTravl, you’ll find out about various scholarships for Nigerians to study in the UK and learn how to improve your chances.
Getting a scholarship can subsidise your study-related expenses in the UK, including your tuition fees. They usually cover 100% or a substantial amount of the student’s tuition and provide stipends or allowances for living expenses, travel costs, and even offer career benefits.
Top 5 Scholarships for Nigerians to study in the UK
1. Chevening Scholarships
Type: Fully funded scholarship.
Sponsor:
- The UK’s government, through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and its partner organisations.
Benefits:
- Pays your annual tuition fees in full.
- Offers monthly stipends.
- Visa application fee.
- A homeward departure allowance.
- An arrival allowance.
- A grant to attend Chevening events in the UK.
- Round-trip airfare or travel costs.
Main eligibility criteria:
- Demonstrated willingness to return to Nigeria and stay there for at least two years after your graduation.
- Up to 2,800 hours of work experience from the time you complete your undergraduate studies. This requirement is equivalent to two years of full-time employment.
- An undergraduate degree that qualifies you to enrol in a master’s program at a UK university. You must have graduated from the program at least two years before the scholarship’s application deadline.
- An unconditional offer of admission from at least one course after applying to three different courses in one or multiple UK universities.
How to apply:
- Eligible students must apply online by completing a registration form on the scholarship website. They also have to answer the eligibility questions. Once passed, they’ll receive an email with a link to complete their application.
Application timeline:
- Varies, but usually opens during the first week of August and ends around October 7.
2. GREAT Scholarships:
Sponsors:
- The GREAT Britain Campaign, together with the British Council and participating institutions.
Benefits:
- £10,000 to cover part of your tuition fees.
- Invitation to a welcome event in the first semester and a networking event in the second semester.
Eligibility criteria:
- Nigerian nationality or any other eligible country.
- Enrollment in a one-year postgraduate program at a UK university.
How to apply:
- You can apply once offered admission at a participating higher education institution. Visit the university’s website or contact their admissions office for instructions on the appropriate steps.
3. Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships:
Sponsor:
- Majorly funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Benefits:
- Full tuition fee coverage.
- Living allowance that is worth £1,452 or £1,781 (for schools located at universities in the London metropolitan area) per month.
- Allowance to purchase warm clothing.
- Travel grant to cover related travel within the UK or overseas within the UK or overseas.
- Child allowance for those with children or who have become single parents after losing their spouse to death or divorce. £622 per month for the first child and £154 per month for the second and third child below 16 years old.
- Round-trip travel costs or airfare.
Eligibility criteria:
- Be a British Protected Person or a citizen or refugee in an eligible Commonwealth country. The applicant must also be residing in the country.
- Readiness to commence studies in the school when the program starts in September.
- Have earned a bachelor’s degree with Second Class: upper division or higher honors. If you hold a lower second-class degree, you must also possess a postgraduate qualification like a Master’s degree certificate.
- Proven inability to study in the UK without self-funding, family support, or financial aid like scholarships.
- Be prepared to submit all the required documents, such as your international passport or identity card, at least two references, and academic transcripts.
How to apply:
Requires award nomination through a nominating agency. Use the CSC Central application system to express interest in these scholarships. The committee will select scholars based on academic performance, quality of research proposal, and possible contribution to the betterment of your home country.
4. Gates Cambridge Scholarship
School to study at: The University of Cambridge
Sponsor:
- The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through a US$210 million donation it made in 2000.
Benefits:
- Covers the University Composition Fee.
- A maintenance allowance of £21,000 for 12 months. If the recipient is pursuing their PhD, they’d receive the award for up to four years.
- Economy class airfare to and from the UK.
- The Immigration Health Surcharge and inbound visa costs.
Eligibility criteria:
- Nationality of any country other than the UK.
- Intent to pursue a PhD program, a full-time MLitt program, or an eligible one-year postgraduate program at the University of Cambridge.
How to apply:
Apply for the scholarship through the University’s Graduate Application Portal, which is the same system used for admission submissions. They also have to answer all selection questions.
5. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program:
School to study at: The University of Oxford.
Sponsor:
- A one-time donation of Mastercard when it went public.
Benefits:
- Financial support for tuition fees, accommodation, books, and other learning materials.
- Reimbursement for admission application fee.
- Career benefits, such as mentoring, counselling, and leadership development.
- A round-trip airfare.
Eligibility criteria:
- Undergraduate applicants must be 29 years old or below, while graduate students pursuing their master’s degree must be 35 years old or less.
- Exceptional academic achievements.
- Demonstrated commitment to improving other people’s lives.
How to apply:
Apply through a partner institution, ensuring that you follow their application guidelines carefully. For more information, they’ll have to contact the institution’s admission office.
Start your application with DexTravl
At DexTravl, our travel consultants usually recommend universities in the UK and other study destinations like Europe that offer scholarships to international students from Nigeria. We’ll help you prepare a strong application that automatically qualifies you for an institutional or government-sponsored scholarship.
Whether you want to pursue a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degree overseas, we can help secure admission with automatic scholarship into any UK university.