We list 26 fully Funded Scholarships for Nigerian Students in the United States, with the deadline, study level and eligibility of each one taken from the award's own terms. 12 state eligibility that includes Nigerian applicants. Awards with a known closing date are listed soonest first.
United States
United Kingdom
25
China
12
Australia
11
Canada
10
Italy
9
Japan
8
Switzerland
8
Belgium
7
Germany
7
United Arab Emirates
7
Russia
6
Thailand
5
Brazil
4
Denmark
4
Saudi Arabia
4
Singapore
4
France
3
Netherlands
3
New Zealand
3
Norway
3
Sweden
3
Turkey
3
Austria
2
Qatar
2
Spain
2
Written from the 26 awards on this page — every figure below is counted from what the awards themselves state. 4 min read.
This page collects 26 fully funded scholarships in the United States open to Nigerian students. Every award here is labelled fully funded by the body offering it. They are not all the same kind of award, and they do not all sit at the same study level. Ten are for Bachelors study. Nine are fellowships. Nine are for Masters. Six are for PhD. Six are for Postdoctoral work. Three are for High School. Two are short courses.
Some awards appear under more than one level, which is why the level counts add up to more than 26. A scholarship that funds both a Masters and a PhD is counted under each.
Nigerian students are not a small presence in American higher education. According to the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 16,632 Nigerian students were studying in the United States in 2023, the second highest number from any country. That figure covers students at every level, funded and self-funded alike.
It matters for a practical reason. Where a large Nigerian cohort already exists, there are usually people on campus who have handled the same transcript requests, the same courier delays and the same visa timing. The award itself will not tell you this. The numbers do.
Fully funded does not mean the same thing on every page. These are the benefits awards name in their own text:
Read those as what each award states in writing, not as a promise that every cost is met. An award that names tuition and living costs but not travel leaves you to fund the flight. An award that names travel but not accommodation leaves you to fund housing. Check the individual page before you build a budget.
Of the 26 awards, 12 are open to Nigerian applicants. Within that group, none names Nigeria or the West African region as a restriction, and 12 carry no nationality restriction at all. Those two figures describe the same 12 awards, not separate sets.
For the remaining 14, the award page does not state nationality eligibility either way. That is not a refusal. It means the information is not on the page, and you will need to confirm it with the provider before you spend money on transcripts or test fees.
The requirements below are counted from what awards state in their own text. They are the tasks that will cost you time, and in some cases money.
The recommendation letters are the item that catches most applicants out. Fourteen awards ask for them, and referees in Nigeria are often asked at short notice. Approach your referees early, give them your CV and your statement, and give them a date. Do not assume a lecturer will remember your project two years after you graduated.
Twelve awards ask for an English test score. Where an award does not ask for one, do not assume a waiver applies to you. Confirm the position with the department.
13 awards carry a stated date. 13 are still open. 13 are undated, and 13 run on a recurring cycle. The busiest months are October with 3 deadlines, then September and November with 2 each.
These are the awards closing soonest:
One more date worth noting: the University of Minnesota Fellowship 2026-2027 Fully Funded closes 15 December, which gives you more room but also more time to delay.
The subject spread is wide rather than technical. Social Sciences appears on 4 awards, Arts & Humanities on 3, Business & Management on 3, Law on 2, and Medicine & Health Sciences on 2. Computer Science & IT, Education, Engineering and Natural Sciences each appear on 1.
On duration, 3 awards state a term of 2 years. One runs for 1 semester (4–5 months). One is the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program, which funds up to the first t. One fellowship year runs from July 1 to June 30. Where a duration is not stated, plan around the standard length of the degree and confirm with the provider.
Start with the 12 awards that are open to Nigerian applicants and carry no nationality restriction. Those are the ones where your nationality is not the question. Then work down the five closing dates above in order, because the first three fall within days of each other.
Before you pay for anything, read the individual page and check three things: whether the award states your nationality is eligible, what it says it covers, and what it asks you to submit. Where a page is silent on nationality, email the provider and ask directly. Keep the reply.
Have your documents ready before a deadline appears. Transcripts from Nigerian universities take time to process and courier, and referees need notice. An award closing in October is not the moment to begin requesting a transcript.
Studying in the United States is a dream for many international students due to its world-class universities, cutting-edge research opportunities, and global recognition. However, the high cost of tuition, living expenses, and travel can be a significant hurdle. Fortunately, a wide range of fully funded and partially funded scholarships are available specifically for international students, offered by US universities, government initiatives, and private organizations. These programs can cover tuition fees, living stipends, health insurance, and even airfare, depending on the scholarship type. Below is a comprehensive list of the top 10 scholarships in the USA for international students for 2026–2027, including opportunities for undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs. By applying to these scholarships, you can access world-class education while minimizing financial burdens and focusing on academic and professional growth.
*UNESCO Institute for Statistics, inbound internationally mobile students from Nigeria, 2023.
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