A fully funded scholarship is one of the fastest paths to studying abroad without the financial pressure of tuition fees, living costs or flight tickets. For Nigerian students, the competition is real but so is the opportunity. Every year, thousands of Nigerians win fully funded scholarships to study in the UK, Germany, Canada, the US and beyond. Most of them simply prepared better than everyone else.
This article covers the most important fully funded scholarships available to Nigerians in 2026, what each one covers, who qualifies, and what you need to do to give yourself a real chance.
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship
Deadline: June 3, 2026
This is one of the most urgent opportunities on this list. Applications for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship Cycle 2 opened on April 9, 2026 and close on June 3, 2026 at 3pm UTC. If you are reading this before that date, you still have time.
The scholarship is offered by the Association of Commonwealth Universities and is open to Nigerian students. It covers a two-year masters degree at a participating university in a low or middle income Commonwealth country.
What it covers: full tuition fees, a living allowance for the full duration of the programme, return economy flights from Nigeria to the host country, an arrival allowance, and a research support grant available on request.
Who qualifies: you must hold at least a 2:1 undergraduate degree. You apply to a specific course at a specific participating university, not to the scholarship in general. Check the list of eligible courses on the QECS website before applying.
This scholarship runs two cycles per year. Cycle 1 opens in November and Cycle 2 opens in March. If you miss this June deadline, mark November in your calendar.
Chevening Scholarship
Next window opens: August 2026. Deadline: October 7, 2026
Chevening is the UK government's flagship international scholarship programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It is one of the most prestigious scholarships available to Nigerians and one of the most competitive.
Applications for the 2026-2027 cycle are currently closed. The next application window opens in August 2026 and closes October 7, 2026. If you are serious about Chevening, the time to prepare is now, not when the window opens.
What it covers: full tuition fees at any UK university for a one-year masters degree, monthly living stipend, return flights to and from Nigeria, arrival and departure allowances, and the cost of one UK visa application.
Who qualifies: Nigerian citizens with a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree and at least two years of work experience. The experience must show leadership, growth and responsibility. Chevening is not a scholarship for recent graduates with no professional track record.
What makes the difference: Chevening receives over 11,000 applications from Nigeria each year. Fewer than 40 Nigerians are typically selected. The candidates who win are not always the ones with the highest grades. They are the ones who can tell a clear story about their leadership impact and what they will do differently when they return to Nigeria. Your essays are everything.
Start working on your essays now. The window opens in August but the people who win typically spend months crafting their responses.
DAAD Scholarship (Germany)
Deadline: varies by programme, most close October to November 2026
The German Academic Exchange Service, known as DAAD, offers one of the most generous fully funded scholarship programmes for Nigerian students. Germany's public universities charge no tuition fees for international students. DAAD goes further by covering your living expenses, health insurance and travel costs on top of that.
There are multiple DAAD programmes for different levels of study and different fields. The most popular for Nigerian applicants are the Development-Related Postgraduate Courses which fund masters degrees in development-relevant fields, and the Research Grants for doctoral students.
What it covers: monthly stipend of approximately 934 euros for masters students, health insurance, travel allowance, and study and research allowances depending on the programme.
Who qualifies: Nigerian graduates with at least a 2:1 equivalent and two years of professional experience for most postgraduate programmes. Some programmes require applicants to be working in development-relevant fields.
The practical reality: Germany requires a blocked account of approximately 11,208 euros before your student visa can be issued. If you win a DAAD scholarship this requirement is handled through the scholarship itself. This is a significant advantage over self-funded applicants.
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Deadline: varies by partner university
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program partners with universities across Africa and internationally to provide fully funded scholarships to academically talented young Africans from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Partner universities include the University of Toronto, Sciences Po Paris, Cornell University, University of Edinburgh, African Leadership University, and several others. Each university manages its own application and deadline, so you apply directly to the university rather than to the Mastercard Foundation centrally.
What it covers: tuition fees, accommodation, living allowance, books, travel and mentorship support. The programme also includes leadership development activities and a strong alumni network.
Who qualifies: African students with strong academic records who demonstrate financial need and a commitment to giving back to their communities after graduation. The scholarship prioritises students who would not otherwise be able to access higher education without financial support.
Check each partner university website directly for current deadlines. Some close as early as December for the following academic year.
Commonwealth Scholarship (UK)
Applications typically open July 2026
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK offers fully funded scholarships for Nigerian students to pursue masters and PhD degrees at UK universities. This is different from the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship above.
Applications for the 2027 intake will typically open around July 2026 and close in October 2026. The scholarship is administered in Nigeria through the Federal Scholarship Board under the Ministry of Education.
What it covers: full tuition fees, monthly living allowance, return airfare, thesis grant for PhD students, and study travel grant.
Who qualifies: Nigerian citizens with at least a 2:1 undergraduate degree. PhD applicants must have a strong research proposal. You apply through the Federal Scholarship Board in Nigeria rather than directly to UK universities.
What These Scholarships Have in Common
Every scholarship on this list is looking for the same thing underneath the surface. They want evidence that you are serious, that you have thought about why this specific programme matters to your career, and that you have a genuine plan to use what you learn when you return to Nigeria or contribute to your community.
Generic applications that could have been written by anyone rarely succeed. Specific applications that show you understand the scholarship's values and have thought carefully about your own story perform significantly better.
The Visa Question
Winning a scholarship covers the cost of studying. It does not automatically handle your student visa. You will still need to apply for a student visa for whichever country your scholarship takes you to, and that application needs to be strong independently of the scholarship award.
A scholarship award letter is a powerful supporting document for a student visa application. But it does not override weak ties to Nigeria or a poorly prepared application. Officers assess scholarship holders the same way they assess self-funded students on questions of return intent and genuine study purpose.
Once you have your scholarship offer, use Komot to prepare your student visa application. Komot checks your profile against what the officer will look for, runs you through a mock document review, and gives you a score before you submit anything. The scholarship gets you into the programme. Komot helps you get into the country.
Start your visa preparation at getkomot.com. No account needed to begin.