We list 2 undergraduate Scholarships for Nigerian Students in the United Arab Emirates, with the deadline, study level and eligibility of each one taken from the award's own terms. 1 of them are fully funded. 1 state eligibility that includes Nigerian applicants.
Written from the 2 awards on this page — every figure below is counted from what the awards themselves state. 5 min read.
This page collects undergraduate scholarships in the United Arab Emirates that are open to Nigerian students. There are 2 awards listed. Both are for a first degree, and both are offered by universities in the UAE: the American University of Sharjah and the American University In Dubai.
It is a short list. That is worth saying plainly at the start, because a short list changes how you should use it. You are not scrolling through dozens of options and filtering. You are reading two award pages carefully, checking whether you meet what each one asks for, and deciding whether either is worth the cost of transcripts, courier fees and an English test. If neither fits, you will want to widen your search to other countries rather than wait on this page.
One of the two awards is labelled Fully Funded. The other does not state its funding on the award page, so this page does not describe what it covers. Read that award's own page for its terms.
Both entries carry the same deadline note: see details. Neither has a published closing date on this page, so nothing here tells you which one closes first. You will have to open each award page and read its own timeline.
Note the levels. The Sharjah award is listed across undergraduate, masters and PhD, so a Nigerian applicant at first-degree level is one of several groups it speaks to. The Dubai award is listed for undergraduate and master's. If you are applying for a bachelor's degree, you are within scope for both — but the competition on each page is not only from undergraduate applicants.
Of the two awards, 1 is open to Nigerian applicants. Within that one, Nigeria or the West African region is not named as a criterion, and the award carries no nationality restriction. In other words, it is open to you because it is open to international applicants generally, not because it names Nigeria.
For the remaining award, eligibility is not stated on the award itself. That is not the same as being closed to you. It means the page does not say either way, and you would need to confirm directly with the university before spending money on an application.
This is the single most important thing to check before you do anything else. Emails to admissions offices cost nothing. Transcript requests, WAEC verification and courier fees do not.
For a bachelor's degree abroad, the starting point is your secondary school result. The qualifications that lead into this level are WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and SSCE. If you have finished secondary school and hold one of these, you are at the right level for an undergraduate award.
Most undergraduate scholarships ask for your senior secondary results and an admission offer from the university. Each award page quotes its own entry requirement, and the two on this list are no exception. Some universities will also want to see a particular number of credits in relevant subjects, or a minimum grade in English. Where an award page states a requirement, treat that as the requirement.
If you are applying with a result you are not happy with, or you are waiting on a resit, check the award page before assuming you are out. Entry requirements for international applicants are set award by award, not by a single national standard.
The brief for this page records two requirements that appear across the awards: 2 of them ask for a minimum degree class, and 1 asks for letters of recommendation.
The degree class requirement is worth pausing on. At undergraduate level, this usually refers to your secondary school result rather than a university class of degree — you do not yet hold a B.Sc or HND. Where an award page states a class or grade threshold, read it against the qualification you actually hold.
Letters of recommendation are the requirement Nigerian applicants most often underestimate. A referee who knows your work and can write two specific paragraphs is worth more than a title. If the award asks for a letter, approach your referee early, give them your result slip, your personal statement and the award name, and give them a date. Do not ask a week before the deadline.
Beyond these, expect the usual document set: your secondary school result, a passport or birth certificate, a personal statement, and proof of application to the university. Budget for certified copies and courier charges, and start the WAEC or NECO verification process early — it is the step most likely to delay you.
Neither award on this page carries a dated deadline. Both are recorded as undated, and their entries say to see details. There are no awards listed as currently open, and no recurring deadlines recorded.
That means you cannot plan around a calendar here. You have to open each award page and read its own timeline, then work backwards from it. If a page gives an intake year — 2026-2027 for the Sharjah award, 2027 for the Dubai award — treat that as the cycle you are applying into and confirm the closing date with the university if it is not printed.
Where no date is published, the practical approach is to prepare documents as though the deadline were soon, then submit as soon as the application window opens. Universities in the UAE run admissions on their own cycles, and an early, complete file is easier to process than a late one.
Two awards is a narrow field. Apply to both if you qualify, but keep a wider list running alongside them — other countries, other universities, other funding routes. A short list is a starting point, not a plan.
Looking for a fully funded opportunity to study in the Middle East’s most dynamic academic hub? The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has emerged as a top destination for Nigerian students, thanks to its world-class universities, cutting-edge research facilities, and generous scholarship programs.
For the academic year 2025-2026, several fully funded scholarships in UAE are available to outstanding international students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. These scholarships typically cover tuition fees, monthly stipends, free accommodation, visa support, health insurance, and in some cases, travel expenses.
The UAE is home to prestigious universities such as United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), Khalifa University, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), and American University of Sharjah, all of which offer generous funding for exceptional students.
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