{"id":806,"date":"2026-08-14T08:36:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T08:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/schoolnews.com.ng\/scholarship\/fully-funded-scholarships-for-nigerian-students\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T16:37:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T16:37:09","slug":"fully-funded-scholarships-for-nigerian-students","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schoolnews.com.ng\/scholarship\/fully-funded-scholarships-for-nigerian-students\/","title":{"rendered":"Fully Funded Scholarships for Nigerian Students (2026\/2027)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Quick answer:<\/strong> These are the 13 scholarships genuinely worth a Nigerian student’s time in 2026\/2027<\/strong> \u2014 every one verified against its official portal (no aggregator recycling). Right now the biggest live deadlines are Chevening (closes 6 October 2026)<\/strong> and the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship (closes 16:00 UK time, 20 October 2026)<\/strong>. Nigerian corporate awards (NNPC\/SNEPCo, Agbami, MTN, NLNG) open annually \u2014 their next windows are not yet announced, so we show each scheme’s usual timing instead of made-up dates. All of them are free to apply<\/strong>: anyone charging you for a form or a “slot” is a scammer.<\/p>\n

At a glance: verified scholarships for Nigerians<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Scholarship<\/th>\nLevel<\/th>\nWhat it covers<\/th>\n2026\/2027 window<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Chevening (UK)<\/td>\nMaster’s<\/td>\nFull ride<\/td>\nOpen \u2014 closes 6 Oct 2026<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Commonwealth Scholarship (UK)<\/td>\nMaster’s\/PhD<\/td>\nFull ride<\/td>\nMaster’s closes 20 Oct 2026<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
DAAD EPOS (Germany)<\/td>\nMaster’s\/PhD<\/td>\nFull ride + stipend<\/td>\nPer course, roughly Jun\u2013Oct 2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Erasmus Mundus (EU)<\/td>\nMaster’s<\/td>\nFull ride<\/td>\nMost open ~Oct\u2013Nov 2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mastercard Foundation Scholars<\/td>\nUG + PG<\/td>\nFull ride<\/td>\nPer partner university<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Joint Japan\/World Bank (JJ\/WBGSP)<\/td>\nMaster’s<\/td>\nFull ride<\/td>\nCheck current-year guidelines<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fulbright (USA)<\/td>\nPhD\/research<\/td>\nFull ride<\/td>\nNext cycle TBA (closed 1 Jun)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Australia Awards Africa<\/td>\nMaster’s<\/td>\nFull ride<\/td>\nNext round TBA (closed 30 Apr 2026)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NNPC\/SNEPCo<\/td>\nUndergraduate<\/td>\nAnnual grant<\/td>\nNext cycle TBA<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Agbami Medical & Engineering<\/td>\nUndergraduate<\/td>\n\u20a6100k\u2013\u20a6200k grant<\/td>\nNext cycle TBA (closed Jan 2026)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
MTN Science & Tech<\/td>\nUndergraduate<\/td>\n\u20a6300k\/yr renewable<\/td>\nNext cycle TBA (closed 31 May 2026)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NLNG Undergraduate<\/td>\nUndergraduate<\/td>\n\u20a6300k\/yr renewable<\/td>\nNext cycle TBA (closed 28 Feb 2026)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NELFUND (loan, not scholarship)<\/td>\nUndergraduate<\/td>\nTuition + upkeep loan<\/td>\nRolling \u2014 open now<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Fully funded international scholarships<\/h2>\n

1. Chevening Scholarship (UK) \u2014 open now<\/h3>\n

The UK government’s flagship award: one-year Master’s with tuition, monthly stipend, flights and visa covered. You need a bachelor’s degree and at least two years’ work experience. The 2027\/2028 application opened 4 August 2026 and closes 6 October 2026<\/strong>. Apply free at chevening.org\/scholarship\/nigeria<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2. Commonwealth Scholarship (UK) \u2014 open now<\/h3>\n

UK government (CSC) awards for Master’s and PhD: tuition, stipend, travel and thesis grant. Master’s applicants need at least Second Class Upper (or 2.2 plus a relevant postgraduate qualification); NYSC completion is expected for the Nigeria nomination route through the Federal Scholarship Board. The Master’s round closes 16:00 UK time, 20 October 2026<\/strong> (study starts September\/October 2027). Apply at cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk<\/a>. Doing a PhD? See our Commonwealth PhD guide for Nigerians<\/a> (same 20 October deadline, FSB nomination).<\/p>\n

3. DAAD EPOS (Germany)<\/h3>\n

Germany’s development-track scholarships for young professionals: tuition waiver, monthly stipend (\u20ac992 Master’s \/ \u20ac1,300 PhD), flights, insurance and a German course, across 30+ English-taught programmes. There is no single deadline<\/strong> \u2014 each participating course sets its own (mostly June\u2013October 2026 for the 2027 intake). Pick a course in the EPOS list and apply directly: daad.de (EPOS)<\/a>. For a full doctorate outside EPOS, see our DAAD PhD research grant guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s (EU)<\/h3>\n

Fully funded two-year Master’s degrees taught across several European universities: tuition, travel, installation and a monthly allowance. Nigerians are eligible and regularly selected. Each joint programme runs its own application (most open around October\u2013November 2026<\/strong> for the 2027 intake) \u2014 search the official catalogue and apply to the programme directly.<\/p>\n

5. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program<\/h3>\n

Full-ride funding (tuition, living, mentoring) through partner universities. In Nigeria the partner is Pan-Atlantic University<\/strong>; African and international partner universities also admit Nigerians. There is no central application \u2014 you apply through the partner university’s own admissions: mastercardfdn.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

6. Joint Japan\/World Bank Graduate Scholarship (JJ\/WBGSP)<\/h3>\n

For mid-career development professionals: tuition, monthly stipend, airfare and insurance for approved Master’s programmes abroad. You must already hold unconditional admission to a participating programme. Check the current application guidelines at worldbank.org<\/a> \u2014 our JJ\/WBGSP guide<\/a> tracks the cycle.<\/p>\n

7. Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA)<\/h3>\n

Fully funded US study\/research; the Nigeria track currently favours doctoral candidates and faculty. The last cycle closed 1 June; the next has not been announced. Details: us.fulbrightonline.org<\/a> and the US Embassy Nigeria website. Full breakdown: how Fulbright actually works for Nigerian PhD students<\/a>.<\/p>\n

8. Australia Awards Africa<\/h3>\n

Nigeria is<\/strong> on the eligible list (a common misconception says otherwise). Fully funded Master’s for professionals aged 25+ with about five years’ experience, in priority fields like agriculture, climate, mining\/energy and inclusion. The 2026 round closed 30 April 2026; the next round is not yet announced: australiaawardsafrica.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nigerian corporate scholarships (annual)<\/h2>\n

These are grants \u2014 smaller than a foreign full ride, but real, free to enter, and paid in naira to students in Nigerian institutions.<\/p>\n

9. NNPC\/SNEPCo National University Scholarship<\/h3>\n

For second-year undergraduates in NUC-accredited public universities. Applications are free on the official Scholastica portal: candidate.scholastica.ng\/schemes\/SNEPCo<\/a>. Next cycle not yet announced \u2014 see our NNPC\/SNEPCo guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

10. Agbami Medical & Engineering Scholarship<\/h3>\n

\u20a6200,000 (medical) \/ \u20a6100,000 (engineering) for 200-level students with CGPA 3.5+. The 2025\/2026 round closed 17 January 2026. Portal: candidate.scholastica.ng\/schemes\/Agbami<\/a> \u2014 our Agbami guide<\/a> has the details.<\/p>\n

11. MTN Foundation Science & Technology Scholarship<\/h3>\n

\u20a6300,000 per year, renewable to graduation, for 300-level STEM students in public institutions (plus dedicated blind-students and medical categories). The 2026 window closed 31 May 2026; next cycle TBA at mtn.ng\/scholarships<\/a> \u2014 see our MTN scholarship guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

12. NLNG Undergraduate Scholarship<\/h3>\n

\u20a6300,000 per year, renewable, for first-year undergraduates (national and host-community streams). The 2025\/2026 deadline was 28 February 2026. Note:<\/strong> the old domain nigerialng.com is dead \u2014 the real site is nlng.com<\/a>. Our NLNG guide<\/a> covers both streams.<\/p>\n

13. NELFUND \u2014 a loan, not a scholarship (but open right now)<\/h3>\n

If you need funding today and can’t wait for a scholarship window, the Federal Government’s NELFUND student loan<\/strong> covers tuition plus a monthly upkeep allowance for students of public institutions. It is repayable after graduation<\/strong> \u2014 not free money \u2014 but applications are rolling at portal.nelf.gov.ng<\/a>. See our NELFUND guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Doing a PhD?<\/strong> Also see our verified guides to Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford<\/a> (closes 6 October 2026), the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships<\/a>, and Canada’s CGRS-D — the award that replaced Vanier<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How not to get scammed<\/h2>\n