10 Fully Funded International Scholarships Every Nigerian Student Should Know About

Pursuing higher education abroad can be a life-changing opportunity, but the cost of tuition, accommodation, and travel often discourages many bright Nigerian students. Fortunately, several prestigious global scholarship programs offer fully funded opportunities to ease this financial burden.

If you’re aiming to study overseas without worrying about expenses, here are ten reputable scholarships open to Nigerians, covering tuition fees, living costs, travel, and more:

1. Commonwealth Scholarships (UK and Commonwealth Nations)

Designed for Master’s and PhD studies, the Commonwealth Scholarships cover full tuition, monthly living stipends, airfare, and visa fees. Applicants must be from a Commonwealth country, demonstrate academic excellence, and show potential to contribute to their home country’s development.

2. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA)

This scholarship supports postgraduate studies and research in the United States. While funding levels vary by award, most include tuition coverage, monthly stipends, travel costs, and health insurance. Applicants are expected to return to Nigeria after completing their studies.

3. DAAD Scholarships (Germany)

Sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD scholarships fund a wide range of postgraduate programs. The package typically includes monthly stipends, travel assistance, health insurance, and sometimes full tuition waivers. Courses are available in English and German.

4. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Degrees (European Union)

This competitive scholarship offers the chance to study in two or more European universities through joint master’s programs. Benefits include full tuition, a monthly living allowance, insurance, and travel coverage. The programs often lead to multiple degrees from different institutions.

5. Gates Cambridge Scholarship (UK)

Open to outstanding non-UK applicants pursuing postgraduate degrees at the University of Cambridge, this scholarship covers the full cost of study, including a generous annual living allowance (over £20,000), visa expenses, flights, and additional academic development grants.

6. MEXT Scholarship (Japan)

The Japanese Government offers this fully funded scholarship for undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs. It covers tuition, a monthly stipend, round-trip airfare, and in some cases, accommodation subsidies. No Japanese language skills are required at the point of application for most courses.

7. Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarship (South Africa)

This postgraduate scholarship is awarded to African students under 30 years old. It covers full tuition, accommodation, meals, books, general allowance, and return travel costs. Scholars also participate in leadership development workshops throughout their program.

8. Leventis Foundation Scholarship (Greece)

Offered in collaboration with Alba Graduate Business School in Greece, this scholarship supports students pursuing an MBA or MSc in Finance. It includes full tuition, accommodation, and a modest monthly stipend (around €250). It’s ideal for students interested in business leadership.

9. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Canada)

Aimed at attracting top-tier doctoral candidates, the Vanier Scholarship provides CAD 50,000 per year for up to three years. It supports students in various fields, including health sciences, engineering, social sciences, and humanities.

10. Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships (Switzerland)

This scholarship supports international postgraduate researchers and artists. It includes tuition coverage, a monthly allowance, travel expenses, and health insurance. Candidates are selected based on academic merit and research potential.