Scholarships, grants and fellowships for Nigerian applicants 2027

Every open call below closes within one week, between 29 September and 5 October 2026. That leaves no room for a slow start. The clock is the second problem. Funders set their cut-offs in Paris, Toronto, Abu Dhabi or Los Angeles time, and a deadline that reads like the evening of 30 September can fall in the late afternoon in Lagos.

What Nigerian applicants can apply for

The list behind this page holds 25 programmes that accept applicants from Nigeria, run by 23 different funders. It includes 10 fellowships, 5 grants, 3 scholarships, 3 competitions, 2 training programmes, 1 conference and 1 internship. One grant has already gone. The Africa No Filter climate storytelling grant closed on 25 September 2026, and the other 24 programmes close between 29 September and 5 October.

Five of the 25 name Nigeria in their eligibility rules. Indomie Scholarship Program 2026: full tuition for new Nigerian students (closed) and MTN mPulse Spelling Bee 2026 for Nigerian pupils aged 15 and under (closed) are for Nigerians only. UNESCO Japan Young Researchers Fellowships Programme (closed) and UNU Migration Management Diploma Programme in the Netherlands (closed) include Nigeria in a longer country list, as did the closed Africa No Filter grant.

Everything else reaches Nigerians through a wider rule. Health Innovation Hub (H2i) Pitch Perfect Africa Fellowship (closed) and 20th SEARCA Photo Contest 2026: USD 1,000 top prize for food-system photos (closed) take applicants from any African country. SEWA Grants 2026 for Early Warning Projects in Africa (closed) covers West, Central, East and Southern Africa, while Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarships 2027 (closed) is for sub-Saharan Africa. Senckenberg Global Fellowships in Germany for Global South researchers (closed), AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship 2027 in South Africa (closed) and World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp 2026 for Public Officials (closed) are open to applicants from developing countries. The remaining 13 accept every nationality, so the decision rests on your record and your project.

By level, 10 programmes accept any level and 9 are open to PhD candidates. Undergraduates have fewer options. Indomie Scholarship Program 2026: full tuition for new Nigerian students (closed) pays tuition at home, and TANGO2 Research Foundation TDD Research Pathways Grant (closed) gives up to USD 15,000 for 12 months of health research to applicants from undergraduate to postdoctoral level.

Not every call is a degree scholarship. IDP IELTS Future Award 2026 with six prizes of USD 5,000 (closed) offers six awards of USD 5,000 to people who tell their story. Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026 for AI tools that act on research (closed) puts up to GBP 25,000 behind AI tools that act on research, and the money can be split across more than one recipient. 20th SEARCA Photo Contest 2026: USD 1,000 top prize for food-system photos (closed) has a top prize of USD 1,000 for photos about food systems.

Fully funded and cost-covering options, by closing date

Only one programme here carries our fully funded label, which needs both tuition and a living stipend. It is Adelaide University Research Scholarships in Australia: a 100% tuition fee waiver, a stipend and insurance for master's or PhD research in Australia, in fields that include agriculture, health, environment and public policy. Expressions of interest close on 30 September 2026.

Nine others cover most or all of the cost of a stay abroad. In closing order:

• 30 September: IRENA Youth Forum 2027 in Abu Dhabi: fully funded places for young energy leaders (closed) selects up to 40 participants aged 35 or under and covers their travel, accommodation and visa support for the forum in Abu Dhabi.
• 30 September: UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship in Helsinki with EUR 2,100 a month (closed) pays PhD students EUR 2,100 a month for three months in Helsinki, plus travel and medical insurance.
• 30 September: UNESCO Japan Young Researchers Fellowships Programme (closed) gives up to USD 10,000 as a lump sum for a research stay in Japan, covering travel, accommodation, insurance and daily living costs, but not tuition, computers or publication costs. There are 10 awards.
• 1 October: Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarships 2027 (closed) gives full support for tuition, travel, housing, food and books during a Doctor of Public Health in Canada, with 7 places.
• 1 October: UNU Migration Management Diploma Programme in the Netherlands (closed) pays flights, accommodation, visa fees, meals, daily living costs, health insurance and field trips for the course in the Netherlands, which runs from 5 April to 24 June 2027.
• 1 October: Getty Conservation Guest Scholars Program in the USA (closed) pays USD 21,500 for a three-month residency, with an apartment, a travel stipend and a healthcare option.
• 1 October: Senckenberg Global Fellowships in Germany for Global South researchers (closed) pays EUR 1,600 a month to PhD students and EUR 2,700 to postdocs for three months in Germany, plus travel.
• 2 October: AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship 2027 in South Africa (closed) covers travel, insurance and accommodation for a three-month visit to South Africa, with a stipend of about USD 600 a month.
• 5 October: Bayreuth Academy Fellowships in African Studies, Germany (closed) pays EUR 2,500 a month to fellows without a salary from home and EUR 1,000 to those on paid sabbatical, plus travel and a mobility allowance, across 15 fellowships.

For a whole degree, the choice narrows to Adelaide University Research Scholarships in Australia in Australia and Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarships 2027 (closed) in Canada, plus undergraduate tuition at home through Indomie Scholarship Program 2026: full tuition for new Nigerian students (closed).

Calls reserved for Nigeria or West Africa

Indomie Scholarship Program 2026: full tuition for new Nigerian students (closed) is the one scholarship on the list written for Nigerian students at home. It is open to undergraduates in any field and covers tuition fees for the length of the programme. The published award pays tuition, so plan rent, transport and books separately. The deadline is 30 September 2026.

MTN mPulse Spelling Bee 2026 for Nigerian pupils aged 15 and under (closed) is for Nigerian pupils aged 15 and under. First-round entries must arrive by 11:59 pm on 4 October 2026. The student prize package includes MTN CEO for a Day, mPulse Face for the Year, a 5 million naira scholarship grant, a laptop and a smartphone. If you teach or parent a strong speller of that age, plan around that date.

No call on the list is limited to West Africa alone. The closest is SEWA Grants 2026 for Early Warning Projects in Africa (closed), which ECMWF opened on 10 July 2026 to early warning projects from West, Central, East and Southern Africa. It accepts any level and closes at 14:00 CEST on 30 September, which is 1:00 pm in Lagos. If your work touches early warning or climate risk, read this call before the others that close that day.

Deadlines in Lagos time, closest first

Nigeria keeps West Africa Time, UTC+1, all year, and the list is sorted by closing time in Lagos. Where a page gives only a date, finish during that day and do not count on the evening.

• 29 September, 11:00 pm: UNESCO Japan Young Researchers Fellowships Programme (closed). The page says midnight Paris time on 30 September, and the strict reading is the midnight that opens that day.
• 30 September, 4:59 am: Health Innovation Hub (H2i) Pitch Perfect Africa Fellowship (closed), which closes at 11:59 pm Eastern Time on 29 September.
• 30 September, 1:00 pm: SEWA Grants 2026 for Early Warning Projects in Africa (closed) (14:00 CEST).
• 30 September, 4:59 pm: 20th SEARCA Photo Contest 2026: USD 1,000 top prize for food-system photos (closed) (23:59 GMT+8).
• 30 September, 8:59 pm: Africa Institute Fellowships 2027 in Sharjah for African studies (closed) (23:59 Gulf Standard Time) and IRENA Youth Forum 2027 in Abu Dhabi: fully funded places for young energy leaders (closed) (midnight in Abu Dhabi).
• 30 September, 9:59 pm: UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship in Helsinki with EUR 2,100 a month (closed) (23:59 UTC+3).
• 30 September, no time given: Adelaide University Research Scholarships in Australia, Indomie Scholarship Program 2026: full tuition for new Nigerian students (closed), Giving Joy Grant for Community Projects Worldwide (closed) and FrieslandCampina Global Traineeship 2027 for Graduates (closed).
• 1 October, 12:59 am: World Bank Group Young Professionals Program 2027 (closed) (23:59 UTC on 30 September).
• 1 October, 11:00 am: Senckenberg Global Fellowships in Germany for Global South researchers (closed) (12 pm CEST).
• 1 October, 10:59 pm: UNU Migration Management Diploma Programme in the Netherlands (closed) (23:59 CEST).
• 2 October, 1:00 am: Getty Conservation Guest Scholars Program in the USA (closed) (5:00 pm Los Angeles time on 1 October).
• 2 October, before 5:00 am: Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarships 2027 (closed) (11:59 pm EST, Toronto time, on 1 October).
• 2 October, 9:00 pm: AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship 2027 in South Africa (closed) (23:00 East Africa Time).
• 2 October, by 10:00 pm: TANGO2 Research Foundation TDD Research Pathways Grant (closed) (5:00 pm EST). Read as US standard time it would be 11:00 pm, but the earlier reading is the safe one.
• 2 October, 11:59 pm: IDP IELTS Future Award 2026 with six prizes of USD 5,000 (closed), which uses the local time where you live.
• 2 October, no time given: World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp 2026 for Public Officials (closed).
• 4 October, 11:59 pm: MTN mPulse Spelling Bee 2026 for Nigerian pupils aged 15 and under (closed), first-round entries.
• 5 October, 5:00 pm: Digital Science Catalyst Grant 2026 for AI tools that act on research (closed) (17:00 BST, the same clock time as Lagos in early October).
• 5 October, 10:59 pm: Bayreuth Academy Fellowships in African Studies, Germany (closed) (23:59 CEST).
• 5 October, no time given: Software Sustainability Institute Fellowship Programme 2027 (closed).

Calls that close at midnight in the Gulf or in East Africa shut two or three hours earlier in Lagos. North American deadlines fall late at night or before dawn here, which helps only if you checked the conversion in advance.

Preparing an application from Nigeria

Check the fixed limits first, because no essay can change them. IRENA Youth Forum 2027 in Abu Dhabi: fully funded places for young energy leaders (closed) takes applicants aged 35 or under, and UNESCO Japan Young Researchers Fellowships Programme (closed) sets its limit at 40. World Bank Group Young Professionals Program 2027 (closed) wants a master's or PhD plus at least 2 years of experience. Getty Conservation Guest Scholars Program in the USA (closed) asks for 7 years.

Where a language rule is stated, it asks for ability, not a test score. World Bank Group Young Professionals Program 2027 (closed) calls an excellent command of spoken and written English mandatory. UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship in Helsinki with EUR 2,100 a month (closed) wants fluent oral and written English along with good quantitative or qualitative analytical skills, and IRENA Youth Forum 2027 in Abu Dhabi: fully funded places for young energy leaders (closed) accepts applications only in English. At the other end, Giving Joy Grant for Community Projects Worldwide (closed) accepts applications in any language that Google Translate can handle, for grants of up to USD 500.

Some calls depend on other people. UNESCO Japan Young Researchers Fellowships Programme (closed) is built around a proposed host institution in Japan, so contact a possible supervisor there before you write. World Bank GovTech AI Bootcamp 2026 for Public Officials (closed) covers travel and accommodation for two selected team members, so agree on a colleague before you apply. Bayreuth Academy Fellowships in African Studies, Germany (closed) asks fellows who claim the EUR 2,500 rate for a confirmation from their home institution or last funding organisation. Request that letter now. It needs someone else's signature.

AfricaLics PhD Visiting Fellowship 2027 in South Africa (closed) takes the application and all relevant attachments through its online form, so have every file ready before you open it. Health Innovation Hub (H2i) Pitch Perfect Africa Fellowship (closed) runs remotely and gives three ventures CAD 5,000 each to continue developing their work.

Frequently asked questions from Nigerian applicants

Which programme here does not require IELTS?

UNESCO Japan Young Researchers Fellowships Programme (closed) states that IELTS is not required. You still need enough reading and writing ability in the language of teaching or supervision at your host institution in Japan.

Is there a scholarship for studying in Nigeria?

Yes. Indomie Scholarship Program 2026: full tuition for new Nigerian students (closed) pays tuition fees for Nigerian undergraduates in any field and closes on 30 September 2026. For children aged 15 and under, MTN mPulse Spelling Bee 2026 for Nigerian pupils aged 15 and under (closed) includes a 5 million naira scholarship grant among its student prizes.

What can Nigerian professionals apply for?

UNU Migration Management Diploma Programme in the Netherlands (closed) suits people who work on migration, with costs covered for three months in the Netherlands. Africa Institute Fellowships 2027 in Sharjah for African studies (closed) offers 12-month fellowships in Sharjah to senior and postdoctoral researchers in the humanities, social sciences and arts. Software Sustainability Institute Fellowship Programme 2027 (closed) is a 15-month fellowship in the United Kingdom for computer science and IT professionals, starting on 1 January 2027.

What if I miss these deadlines?

Two programmes here run two rounds a year. Senckenberg Global Fellowships in Germany for Global South researchers (closed) has regular deadlines on 1 March and 1 October, and UNU-WIDER Visiting PhD Fellowship in Helsinki with EUR 2,100 a month (closed) takes applications until 31 March and 30 September each year. For the rest, the list on this page changes as new calls open.