We list 3 partially Funded Masters Scholarships for Nigerian Students in Ireland, with the deadline, study level and eligibility of each one taken from the award's own terms. Awards with a known closing date are listed soonest first.
Written from the 3 awards on this page — every figure below is counted from what the awards themselves state. 5 min read.
This page collects 3 partially funded masters scholarships in Ireland that are open to Nigerian students. Every award here is at masters level, every one is in Ireland, and every one is partial rather than fully funded. That is the whole list as it stands — three awards, from three different providers.
Partial funding means the award covers part of your costs, not all of them. You will still need a plan for the balance, whether that is personal savings, a family contribution, or another award. Read each entry carefully to see what is actually named in the award's own text before you build your budget around it.
The providers are University College Dublin, Maynooth University, and Dublin City University Business School. Each appears once.
One of the three sits in the Business & Management field. The other two are not tagged to a field on this page, so check the individual award pages for the department or faculty that hosts them.
One of the three awards names tuition in its own text. That is the only benefit stated in writing across this set. For the remaining two, the award text does not spell out what the money covers, so do not assume it will be tuition, stipend, or anything else until you have read the terms on the award page.
None of the three states a cash value on this page, and none states a number of awards available. Where those figures are absent, they are genuinely absent — not zero. Contact the provider directly if you need a number before you apply.
Partial awards in Ireland are often applied as a reduction against your fee invoice rather than paid to you. Ask the university's international office how the award is disbursed, and whether it affects any other funding you hold.
The three awards run across different lengths. One is listed as 1 year, one as 1–2 years, and one as up to 2 years. That matters for your budget: a partial award spread over two years leaves a larger gap than the same award across one.
If you are applying from Nigeria and intend to bring dependants or to work part-time alongside study, the length of the programme also affects your visa and accommodation planning. Confirm the exact programme length with the university, not from the award title alone.
For all 3 awards on this page, the eligibility text does not state a nationality restriction. That is not the same as saying Nigerians are named as eligible — none of the three names Nigeria or the West African region. It simply means the award text, as recorded, does not shut anyone out on nationality grounds. Treat that as a prompt to read the full terms, not as a green light.
The pathway in is straightforward: you hold a first degree or HND. The qualifications that lead into this level are B.Sc, B.A, B.Eng, LLB, MBBS and HND. These are taught and research masters, and awards at this level usually state a minimum class of degree. An upper second in an Irish or UK award corresponds to Second Class Upper (2:1) on a Nigerian transcript. Whether an HND is accepted is decided by each university individually, so ask before you pay for a transcript evaluation.
For context, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics recorded 539 Nigerian students in Ireland in 2022, placing Nigeria 28th among sending countries. That is a small community, which is worth knowing when you weigh how much peer support will be available on arrival.
The requirements stated across these three awards are modest in number but specific in kind:
The work experience requirement sits with the MBA, which is normal for that qualification. If you are applying straight from a Nigerian undergraduate programme, the Maynooth and John Thompson awards are the ones to look at first, since neither states a work experience condition.
On the English test: only one award states it as a requirement. Many Irish universities waive the test where your previous degree was taught and examined in English, which is the case for most Nigerian B.Sc, B.A, LLB and MBBS graduates. That waiver is granted by the university, not by the scholarship body, so confirm it in writing before you book a test date. An IELTS or TOEFL slot costs money you may not need to spend.
Two awards ask for recommendation letters. Approach your referees early — a Nigerian lecturer writing in July for a September application is a common bottleneck. Give them a draft, your transcript, and a clear deadline.
All 3 awards carry a stated date, all three are still open, and all three recur annually. The busiest months are June, April and July, each with one closing date.
In order of closing:
Because the awards recur, missing a cycle is not fatal — but it costs you a full year. Work backwards from the closing date. Transcripts from Nigerian universities can take weeks, and courier delivery to Ireland adds more. If you are applying to the April deadline, start your transcript request now.
Open all three award pages and read the full terms, not just the summary. Note the degree class each one expects, whether it wants a test score, and what it says about tuition. Then decide which single award fits your profile best and put your effort there, rather than spreading three thin applications across the same weeks.
Two practical steps you can take this month: request your official transcript from your Nigerian institution, and ask two referees whether they can write for you. Both take longer than applicants expect.
If none of these three fits — wrong field, wrong deadline, or a funding gap you cannot close — look at other masters awards in Ireland and at fully funded options elsewhere. This page lists 3 awards and no more. It is a starting point, not the whole of what is available to you.
Are you planning to study in one of the most innovative and welcoming countries in Europe? Ireland is rapidly becoming a top destination for international students due to its strong academic reputation, English-speaking environment, friendly visa policies, and wide range of scholarship opportunities. Here we explore the most valuable scholarships in Ireland for international students for the academic year 2026-2027, including fully funded and partially funded options for Master’s and PhD studies.
*UNESCO Institute for Statistics, inbound internationally mobile students from Nigeria, 2022.
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