How Nigerian Students Can Win a Fully Funded Scholarship in Europe

What is and is not available to Nigerian students

Before going further: two schemes that many Nigerian students assume are active are no longer available for overseas study.

The Federal Scholarship Board BEA (Bilateral Education Agreement) overseas scheme — which funded places in Russia, China, Hungary and other partner countries — was discontinued in 2025. The Federal Government redirected funding to domestic institutions; existing recipients were being settled but new overseas BEA awards are suspended (Premium Times, 2025). Do not apply through FSB for an overseas scholarship and do not pay any agent claiming they can secure a BEA slot.

NELFUND (the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, established 2024) covers tuition and upkeep at Nigerian domestic tertiary institutions only — it does not apply to study abroad.

What remains — and what this guide covers — are international scholarships open to Nigerian citizens that are currently operating.

---

Overview: Scholarships open to Nigerian students for European study

Scheme	Destination	Level	Covers	Deadline (approx.)
Chevening	UK	Master’s (1 year)	Tuition + living allowance + return flights	November annually
Commonwealth CSC	UK	Master’s, PhD	Tuition + living allowance + return flights + extras	Annual (via CSC/UK universities)
Stipendium Hungaricum	Hungary	BA, MA, PhD	Tuition + stipend + accommodation + medical insurance	~January annually
DAAD (EPOS)	Germany	Master’s, PhD	Stipend (~€934/mo per cited figures — verify on daad.de) + health insurance + travel	Varies by programme
Erasmus Mundus	Multiple EU countries	Master’s, PhD	Full tuition + monthly allowance + travel grant	Varies by consortium
GOI-IES	Ireland	Postgraduate (mostly)	€10,000 + full fee waiver	Annual; check IES website
PTDF Overseas	UK, Germany, France, Malaysia	MSc, PhD	Tuition + bench fees + flights + health + accommodation/living	Annual (check ptdf.gov.ng)

All deadlines are approximate annual cycles — always confirm on the official scheme website before the cycle opens.

---

Chevening Scholarships (UK)

What it covers: Full tuition at any eligible UK university, a monthly living allowance, return economy airfare, and additional grants (e.g., study materials). The award is for a one-year master’s programme only — it does not fund two-year courses or PhDs.

Who is eligible: Nigerian citizens who meet all of the following:
– A bachelor’s degree equivalent to a UK 2:1 or above
– Approximately 2,800 hours of cumulative work experience (roughly two years full-time) before the application deadline — this is a hard threshold Chevening checks carefully
– A commitment to return to Nigeria for at least two years after your scholarship ends (strictly enforced — alumni have had future UK visa applications affected by non-compliance)
– Two references who know your work

Application window: Typically opens in August and closes in November. The application is entirely online via chevening.org. Results are communicated over several months; final awards are announced the following spring.

Where most applications fail: The essays. Chevening asks four questions about leadership, networking, career plan, and why you chose your specific course and university. Generic answers — “I want to contribute to Nigeria’s development” — are eliminated early. Successful applications are specific: named policies, named organisations, a clear line from your past work to your study plan to your return plan. Grades matter, but the narrative carries most of the weight at the competitive stage.

Nigeria eligibility: Confirmed (chevening.org/scholarship/nigeria).

---

Commonwealth Scholarships (UK)

What it covers: Full tuition, a monthly living allowance, return airfare, and (depending on the award type) additional grants for fieldwork or thesis costs. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) offers several award types; the main ones for Nigerians are the Taught Master’s Scholarship and the PhD Scholarship.

Who is eligible: Nigerian citizens (Nigeria is a Commonwealth member). A minimum 2:1 bachelor’s degree is standard for master’s entry; a master’s degree is typically required for PhD applications. The CSC specifies fields linked to development priorities.

How to apply: Applications go through the CSC online system and, for some awards, via nominated UK universities. The process is annual; check cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk for the current cycle.

Catch: Competition is intense globally. The CSC prioritises applicants who demonstrate a clear link between their proposed study, their country’s development needs, and their own career history. Strong academic records without a clear development rationale are less competitive.

Nigeria eligibility: Confirmed (Commonwealth member; not Zimbabwe or Egypt, both of which are ineligible).

---

Stipendium Hungaricum (Hungary)

What it covers: Full tuition waiver, a monthly stipend, an accommodation contribution, and medical insurance. Available for BA, MA, one-tier MA (medicine/law), and PhD level. Hungary has a wide range of English-taught programmes — engineering, IT, medicine, business, agriculture — making this accessible for various fields.

Who is eligible: Nigerian citizens. The scheme is administered by Hungary’s Tempus Public Foundation and requires a nomination from a Nigerian sending partner — historically the Federal Ministry of Education or a designated agency.

Important caveat: Given that Nigeria’s Federal Scholarship Board suspended its overseas scheme in 2025, the nomination pipeline for SH from Nigeria may be affected. Before investing time in an SH application, confirm directly with Tempus (stipendiumhungaricum.hu) whether Nigerian nominations are currently being processed for the upcoming cycle.

Deadline: Typically approximately January each year for the following academic year. Check stipendiumhungaricum.hu for the exact date.

How to apply: Through the Tempus online application system, following nomination by the sending partner. You simultaneously apply to a Hungarian university through the same portal.

---

DAAD Scholarships (Germany)

What it covers: DAAD’s flagship development-oriented programme, EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses), funds master’s and PhD study in Germany for professionals from developing countries. Awards typically include a monthly stipend (approximately €934/month per figures cited in DAAD reference material — verify the current rate on daad.de before applying, as this figure should be confirmed against the live DAAD programme page), plus health insurance and a travel allowance. Programme-specific awards vary.

Germany’s public universities charge €0 tuition at most (except Baden-Württemberg at €3,000/year for non-EU students and some technical/professional programmes). A DAAD living-cost stipend combined with zero tuition is effectively a full funding package for most master’s degrees.

The Deutschlandstipendium (€300/month) is a separate, partial merit scholarship offered by individual German universities — not a full scholarship, but worth applying for alongside other funding.

Who is eligible: All 8 of our African origins, including Nigeria, are eligible for DAAD. Programme-specific conditions apply (field of study, career stage, national development relevance).

Application: Through daad.de — each sub-programme has its own window and portal.

---

Erasmus Mundus Joint Degrees

What it covers: The EU’s flagship international scholarship for master’s and doctorate programmes. Awards cover full tuition at participating European universities (often across two or three countries in one programme), a monthly living allowance, and a travel contribution. All eight of our African origins are eligible.

How it works: Erasmus Mundus programmes are run by consortia of European universities — you apply to a specific programme, not to the EU centrally. Each programme has its own application window, field focus, and selection criteria. Search the current catalogue at erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu.

Catch: Competition is genuinely global — applications come from every eligible country. A strong academic record, a clear research or professional focus, and a well-tailored motivation letter are essential. Many of the highest-ranked programmes receive thousands of applications for fewer than 30 funded places.

---

GOI-IES (Ireland)

What it covers: The Government of Ireland International Education Scholarship (GOI-IES) awards €10,000 plus a full fee waiver — effectively covering most of a postgraduate year in Ireland — across approximately 60 awards per cycle. All eight of our African origins are eligible.

Application: Check the Irish Higher Education Authority (hea.ie) website for the current cycle. Awards are competitive and assessed on academic merit.

Context on Ireland costs: Irish universities are not free — non-EU postgraduate tuition typically runs €9,500–36,000/year for an MA (and up to €60,000 for medicine). The GOI-IES is one of the few funded routes into Irish higher education for African students.

---

PTDF Overseas Postgraduate Scholarship (Nigeria)

What it covers: Tuition, bench fees, return economy flights, health insurance, and accommodation/living allowances for MSc and PhD study in the UK, Germany, France, or Malaysia.

Who is eligible: Nigerian citizens working in or studying fields related to oil and gas; minimum 2:1 degree (or 2:2 with relevant experience); NYSC completion certificate required.

Deadline: The 2026 cycle deadline was 27 February 2026 (now closed). PTDF runs an annual cycle — check scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng for the next cycle’s opening date and requirements.

Catch: PTDF is sector-specific. If your field of study is not connected to petroleum technology, geosciences, engineering relevant to the energy sector, or related disciplines, you will not meet the eligibility criteria regardless of your academic results.

---

Building a competitive scholarship application: what actually matters

Start early — six to twelve months before the deadline. Most fully funded scholarships require several components that take time to assemble: two or three references (from people who know your work, not just your professors), official transcripts, a personal statement or essays, a research proposal (for PhD), and sometimes an English-language test result. Rushing any of these weakens the application.

Tailor every essay to the specific scheme. Chevening asks about leadership; DAAD asks about development relevance; Commonwealth asks about your country’s needs. A generic essay recycled across applications is detectable and unconvincing. Spend as much time on the essays as on your grade average — for most schemes, the essay carries more weight in the final round.

Be specific about your return plan. Schemes like Chevening explicitly require a two-year return commitment; DAAD’s development focus implicitly requires career intentions in Nigeria. Vague statements about “giving back” are weak. Name the organisation, policy, sector or role you plan to return to.

Address weaknesses proactively. A 2:2 on an otherwise strong application is not automatically disqualifying if you can show relevant work experience, a publication, or a professional achievement that demonstrates capacity. Leaving a weakness unaddressed is worse than acknowledging it directly.

Apply to multiple schemes in the same cycle. There is no rule against it for most scholarships (check individual terms). Applying to Chevening, DAAD and Erasmus Mundus for the same academic year is a reasonable strategy. You can decline one offer after receiving another.

---

How World Study Africa helps

Our core advisory service is free — we earn a 15–25% commission from partner universities and do not charge students for institution guidance. If you want structured support with your scholarship essays or visa application, a separate paid service is available; we will always be clear about which is which. We never charge a fee to “secure” a scholarship or visa.

Explore the full picture at /scholarships/for-nigerian-students/, then run the eligibility check to see which corridors — and which scholarship routes — fit your academic profile and intended field. For a fast read on which European country offers the best overall package for Nigerians, see our destination comparison. Questions? Reach us on WhatsApp.