7 Fully-Funded Scholarships Nigerians Can Apply For by the End of 2023
In pursuing tertiary/higher education, the cost of tuition is a daunting hurdle to overcome. However, there is hope for Nigerian students seeking financial assistance to fund their academic dreams.
As we approach the end of 2023, the opportunity to secure scholarships is still very much alive.
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In this article, Legit.ng unveils the top seven scholarships with upcoming application deadlines, offering students a chance to ease the burden of their educational expenses.
Join us as we explore these valuable opportunities, providing a lifeline to a brighter future.
Chevening Scholarships
Chevening Scholarships empower exceptional emerging leaders worldwide to pursue fully funded one-year master's degrees in the United Kingdom (UK).
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These fully funded prestigious scholarships cover flights, accommodation, and course fees, offering scholars an unparalleled opportunity to live and study in the UK for a year.
Upon graduation, the scholars will depart the UK armed with the knowledge and invaluable networks needed to transform their innovative ideas into reality.
Eligibility criteria:
- Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory.
- First Degree (the equivalent of upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the UK).
- Have at least two years (equivalent to 2,800 hours) of work experience.
- Apply to three eligible UK university courses and secure an unconditional offer from one of them by the specified deadline in the application timeline.
Application deadline:
- The deadline for applications is Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at 12:00 GMT (midday UK time)
Award amount
- The scholarships are fully funded and cover flights, accommodation, and course fees.
Application process
- Click here to follow the application process.
Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarships
The Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship programme empowers African youth for graduate studies at the University of Oxford.
It's an integral part of the AfOx Graduate Scholars Program, facilitating African students' access to opportunities at Oxford and their post-university success.
Eligibility criteria
- All students with an African nationality and residence
- The students must have received a conditional offer from the University
Application deadline
- The deadline for your chosen course of study is usually around December/January.
Award amount
It’s a fully funded scholarship available to Master's students, covering:
- Tuition fees and living expenses for international students
- Logistics support, visa and Immigration Health Surcharge fees, settling down allowance, etc. are covered.
Application process
- Click here to apply for the scholarship
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (students)
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters scholarship allows students worldwide to study at several universities in Europe and beyond.
The scholarships involve at least three institutions from at least three different countries.
Eligibility criteria
- Students from all over the world can apply
- A bachelor’s degree (first degree) or be in your last year of bachelor studies graduate before the master’s programme starts.
Application deadline
- Apply between October and January for courses starting the following academic year.
Award amount
The scholarships cover:
- Participation costs
- Contribute to travel, visa and living allowance
- Full scholarships are available for the best students.
Application process
- Click here to apply for the scholarship
2023 NNPC-SNEPCo National University Scholarship Award
The 2023 NNPC-SNEPCo National University Scholarship Award is sponsored by the Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCO).
The scholarship aims to promote academic excellence and improve young Nigerians' skills. It provides yearly grants to successful applicants from their second year to the completion of their undergraduate degree programme.
Eligibility criteria
- Be a Nigerian citizen.
- Be in their second year of full-time study in a Nigerian University accredited by the NUC.
- Have a minimum CGPA of 3.5 in a 5-grade system or the equivalent in other grade systems and
- Not be a beneficiary of any other scholarship from an entity in the Oil and Gas industry, National or International.
Application deadline
- 10th November 2023
Award amount
- The scholarship is worth N150,000 every year till graduation.
Application process
- Click here to apply for the scholarship.
Nestle Nigeria Scholarship Scholarship
Nestlé Nigeria Scholarships are for Science and Technical Courses and are open to SS1 students only in specified secondary schools and First-year students only in accredited Universities and Polytechnics.
The beneficiaries are drawn from the company’s host communities (Obafemi Owode, Sagamu, and Agbara in Ogun State and Manderigi and Abaji in Federal Capital Territory).
Eligibility criteria
- Be 100-level students only of accredited Universities and Polytechnics studying Science and Technical Courses
- Have obtained five credits in WASSCE OR NECO SSCE at one sitting in Mathematics, English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology + at least 200 in UTME/JAMB
Application deadline
- October 25, 2023
Award amount
The scholarships cover:
- Full costs of tuition
- Accommodation
- Living expenses
- Books and study materials.
Application process
- Click here to apply for the scholarship.
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship programme is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and operated by the University of Cambridge.
Annually, the programme provides around 80 full-cost scholarships for exceptional candidates from outside the UK to pursue postgraduate degrees across various subjects at the University of Cambridge.
Eligibility criteria
- A citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom
- Applying to pursue one of the following courses at the University of Cambridge: PhD (full-time or part-time*), MLitt (full-time)
- One-year postgraduate course (full-time), with some exceptions
Application deadline
- Applications for entry in the academic year 2024-25 opened in September 2023
- Deadline: either 5 December 2023 or 4 January 2024
Award amount
The scholarship covers:
- Full cost of studying at Cambridge
- Provides additional, discretionary funding.
Application process
- Click here to apply for the scholarship.
The Yenching Academy Masters Scholarship
The Yenching Academy scholarship enrols approximately 120 new students from both the Chinese Mainland and abroad to study, live, and learn together.
International students comprise roughly 80% of the student body.
Eligibility criteria
- Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in any field or be currently enrolled in a Bachelor degree program and be on track to graduate no later than August 31, 2024*;
- An outstanding academic record;
- Strong interest in the interdisciplinary study of China;
- A record of extracurricular achievement, community engagement, social responsibility, and leadership potential;
- English proficiency.
Application deadline
- December 3, 2023 (12:00 noon Beijing time).
Award amount
The scholarship covers:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation
- Monthly stipend
- One round-trip travel fare
- Field study costs.
Application process
- Click here to apply for the scholarship.
Important documents to prepare for scholarships
When applying for scholarships, you must prepare important documents to support your application.
The specific requirements may vary depending on the scholarship programme, so always check the scholarship provider's website or contact them directly for precise instructions.
However, some common documents you should prepare include:
- Personal statement or essay
- Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- Transcripts
- Letters of recommendation
- Proof of enrollment
- Test scores:
- Copy of your passport or identification
- Proof of citizenship or residency, etc
Note: Read the scholarship application guidelines thoroughly; some scholarships may have unique requirements or special documents they want you to provide.
Always keep copies of the documents you submit, and make sure to meet the scholarship application deadlines.
Tailor your application to each scholarship's specific requirements and emphasize your strengths and qualifications to increase your chances of success.
Why fully-funded scholarships are important?
Fully funded scholarships are pivotal in shaping countless individuals' academic and professional futures.
Olajide Salawu, a Nigerian PhD student at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, said getting fully funded scholarships allows students to focus on their studies without any distractions, including working some hours per week to raise funds.
"Postgraduate degrees without scholarship cost up to $40, 000 (over N30 million) here in Canada," Salawu said, noting that indigent students cannot afford such without securing full funding.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
Giving tips for successful scholarship applications, the PhD student who had a Masters in Literary Studies before proceeding to Canada for further studies said:
"Applying for scholarships takes a lot of time. It's not just about getting access to openings on various relevant platforms; you have to start preparing whatever interest you have in academia right from time.
"You have to tighten the loose ends in your academic portfolios/profiles. Scholarships are contests. This means that so many people will apply for it. There can be 300 applicants competing for three slots. So, you will compete with other applicants who are also brilliant as you are."
Salawu said to be successful, applicants, apart from getting good grades, need to boost their profiles by engaging in volunteer work, academic workshops, and so on.
"Having a good CV that contains a directory of academic activities, paper publications, workshops attendance, volunteer records, etc." boosts your application," he said.
The literary scholar added that scholarship applicants must know what school they want to apply to, the kind of programmes they run, and their requirements (e.g. IELTS, TOEFL).
"Once you have identified the programme you are interested in, the next step is writing a proposal, personal statement, statement of interest, and so on," he added.
"Make sure you personalise your proposal so they can feel your voice inside. You have to personalise the narrative. You are writing a story that you're interested in a project in their school and department, and you need them to fund it.
"So you need to convince them why they should give you the funding. Part of convincing them is having a good portfolio, a great CV and a statement of purpose.
"One of the ways to achieve this is to check only for winning statements of purpose or ask friends in graduate school to share theirs with you to use as a model. But beware, you cannot plagiarise. Plagiarism is a grave offence in academia. If you are caught dubbing someone else' idea, you are gone. So, you have to be original and that is why your voice must be heard inside. You have to personalise the narrative."
Salawu also advised against using a one-size-fits-all approach in scholarship applications.
According to the literary scholar and poet, scholarship openings have unique requirements, and applicants must tailor their CVs, statements of purpose, and other relevant documents to fit in with them.
"Also, get a good, convincing reference letter. The person will have to speak to your project topic. He has to talk broadly about what you have done and achieved together. This will convince the decision-makers that the person actually knows you and your work well. Don't just find someone to write a 2-paragraph reference for you to submit. Find someone who can write up to three pages.
"Also, your CV should be long and cover several pages. An academic CV is different from two or three-page resumes," he said.
Three scholarships Nigerian students can apply for in Canada
In a related piece, Legit.ng listed the top three scholarship opportunities Nigerian students can apply for in Canada.
Among them is the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship, which is worth $50,000 per year.
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Source: Legit.ng
