We list 2 postdoctoral Scholarships for Nigerian Students in Brazil, with the deadline, study level and eligibility of each one taken from the award's own terms. 2 of them are fully funded.
Written from the 2 awards on this page — every figure below is counted from what the awards themselves state. 5 min read.
This collection covers 2 postdoctoral opportunities in Brazil, both listed as fully funded. They are open to researchers who already hold a doctorate, which is the qualification that leads into postdoctoral work. The two awards on this page are the CAPES Scholarships and the CNPq Scholarships, and both are offered at Master's, PhD and postdoctoral level.
If you are finishing or have finished a PhD and want a research placement in Brazil rather than a taught degree, this is the page for you. It is a short list, so treat it as a starting point rather than a full menu.
Both are national funding bodies rather than single universities, which matters for how you apply. You do not apply to CAPES or CNPq as an individual in the way you would apply to a university admission portal. The route usually runs through a Brazilian host institution or a research supervisor who holds an approved project, and the call is announced by the agency.
Both awards on this page are labelled fully funded. In terms of what each award states in its own text, 2 name tuition, 2 name living costs and 2 name travel. 1 names research or training costs.
That last figure is worth pausing on. Research or training costs appear in the written description of one award, not both. If your project depends on laboratory consumables, fieldwork, equipment or conference attendance, check the individual award page rather than assuming the same package applies across the board.
The value figures given for these awards are quoted in Brazilian reais and are set at different levels for Master's, PhD and postdoctoral researchers. The postdoctoral level is described as higher, depending on the programme and the research area. Read the specific award page for the level that applies to you.
The brief records that eligibility is not stated on the award for 2 of the awards. That means neither page carries a written nationality restriction that we can report, and neither carries a written statement naming Nigeria or the African region either. There is no nationality clause to point to in either direction.
What this means in practice: you cannot conclude from this page alone that you are eligible, and you cannot conclude that you are excluded. The nationality question has to be settled by reading the funding call itself, or by asking the Brazilian host institution or supervisor you approach. Do that before you spend money on documents.
The qualification side is clearer. Postdoctoral positions, research fellowships and visiting programmes at this level are for researchers who have completed a doctorate. Your PhD is the entry ticket. Your Master's and first degree sit behind it and will still be requested as part of the documentation trail.
Across the two awards, the stated requirements are consistent and narrow. 2 ask for a research proposal. 2 ask for letters of recommendation.
That is the core of a postdoctoral application anywhere, and it is where most of your preparation time should go. A research proposal for this level is not a statement of purpose. It needs a defined question, a method, a realistic timeline and a clear reason why the work belongs in a Brazilian research group. If you are writing from Lagos, Abuja or Nsukka, you need to show that you have read the work of the group you are approaching.
Letters of recommendation carry weight at this level. Your referees should be people who can speak to your doctoral research specifically, not a former lecturer who taught you a course years ago. Give them your proposal and your CV well ahead of any deadline.
Neither award on this page carries a fixed closing date. Both are recorded as undated, with deadlines that vary by programme and by call, announced annually on the respective agency portals. There is no busiest month to plan around here, and no award on this page is currently listed as closing soon.
That changes how you should work. With no date to count backwards from, the sensible approach is to prepare your documents first and watch the calls second. Transcripts, degree certificates, a polished proposal and referee letters take weeks to assemble, and Nigerian applicants are usually paying for transcripts and courier fees out of pocket. Get those moving before a call opens, not after.
Because the calls are annual, missing one cycle does not end the process. It means waiting for the next announcement. Build that into your plan rather than treating any single call as the only chance.
Brazil is not a common destination for Nigerian researchers. The UNESCO Institute for Statistics recorded 187 Nigerian students in Brazil in 2024, placing the country at rank 45 as a host destination. That is a small community.
A small community cuts both ways. You are unlikely to arrive into an established Nigerian network in your city, and you should plan for that. Portuguese is the language of daily life and of most institutional administration, and Brazilian research groups vary in how much they operate in English. On the other hand, a supervisor who wants an international postdoc is often willing to help with the practical side, because the pool of applicants is thin.
Contact potential supervisors directly and early. Explain your doctorate, your publications if you have them, and what you would bring to their group. That conversation is often what turns an undated call into an actual application.
Two awards is a narrow list, and neither carries a date you can plan around. The work that decides your outcome is the proposal, the supervisor contact and the documents, and all three can be done before any call appears.
Brazil is rapidly emerging as an attractive study destination for Nigerian students, including those from Pakistan. With its world-class universities, affordable living costs, and vibrant culture, Brazil offers a unique academic experience. What's even more exciting is the growing number of fully and partially funded scholarships available for international students at undergraduate, master’s, and PhD levels.
In this guide, we explore the Top 10 Best Scholarships in Brazil for international Students, including government-funded, university-specific, and international collaborative scholarships. Whether you’re interested in environmental sciences, public health, engineering, or social sciences, Brazil offers diverse opportunities for high-achieving students.
*UNESCO Institute for Statistics, inbound internationally mobile students from Nigeria, 2024.
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