Three Federal Government Scholarship Schemes Nigerian Students Can Apply For

The Nigerian Scholarship Board, NSB, has cleared up a question that many Nigerian students still get wrong. The federal government runs only three higher education scholarship schemes for Nigerians. They are the Bilateral Education Agreement Awards, the Nigerian Award, and the Commonwealth Awards. There are many other scholarships from companies, foundations, foreign governments and other public bodies, but these three are the federal schemes handled through the NSB.

That list is short, especially in a country where the cost of higher education keeps putting pressure on families. Many students expect the federal government to have a much wider scholarship system. The NSB's explanation shows exactly what exists, who can apply and how tough some of the conditions can be.

The Bilateral Education Agreement Awards, known as the BEA Awards, work through agreements between Nigeria and 12 countries. They are Algeria, China, Cuba, Egypt, Hungary, Morocco, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine. Students are selected on merit from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board conducts a computer-based examination for applicants. After that, the results are separated according to state of origin, and the countries involved make their final selections. Applications normally open in December and close in January. Each applicant can choose two countries.

The conditions are strict. A candidate must have five distinctions in the school certificate examination, including Mathematics and English. Those results must come from one sitting. The applicant must also have taken the examination as a school candidate and on the first attempt. In most cases, the O'Level result must not be more than two years old. Some countries go further and demand a result that is less than one year old.

Then comes language, and this part can change everything. Except in Hungary, students are taught in the language of the country where they are sent. Because of this, beneficiaries usually spend one year learning the language before starting their main course. Their performance in the language assessment can even affect the course they are eventually allowed to study. So getting the scholarship does not mean the hard part is over. There is still another test waiting.

The host countries pay tuition, accommodation, stipends and health insurance. Nigeria also gives each beneficiary 500 US dollars, warm clothing and health insurance valued at about 6,000 US dollars yearly. Undergraduate beneficiaries receive a N60,000 take-off grant, and they also get a return ticket at the end of the programme. Undergraduate applicants must be between 18 and 20 years old. According to the most recent figure cited, 720 students benefited from the scheme.

The Nigerian Award follows a different road. A student cannot enter university today and apply immediately. The person must first complete the first year and show strong academic performance. The required CGPA is 4.0 on a 5-point scale, equal to an 80 percent average. If a beneficiary drops below that mark, the scholarship is lost automatically. There is no soft landing in that rule.

The age limit is 18 to 20 years for undergraduate students. Postgraduate applicants can be up to 35 years old, while doctoral applicants can be up to 40. The payments also depend on the level of study. HND and NCE students receive N100,000 per session. Undergraduates receive N150,000, while postgraduate students receive N180,000 per session. Around 3,000 Nigerians benefit from the Nigerian Award each year. Applications normally open in December and close in March.

The Commonwealth Awards are different again. This scheme is only for postgraduate and doctoral applicants. Applications begin when the Commonwealth Secretariat calls for them, usually between December and March. For postgraduate study, an applicant needs at least a Second Class Upper degree. Doctoral candidates are generally expected to have a 2:1 at both bachelor's and master's level. A candidate with a 2:2 at bachelor's level may still qualify if the master's degree is first class.

NSB Secretary Fatima Ahmad explained that the Nigerian Scholarship Board handles nomination and selection for the Commonwealth Awards, but the process does not end there. The Commonwealth Secretariat conducts its own interviews and fully funds those who eventually succeed. The Nigerian government does not provide money for the scholarship.

The scholarship system also carries old problems.

Ahmad told PREMIUM TIMES that the Nigerian Award still struggles with a weak system for checking applicants' true state of origin. That may sound like a small administrative problem, but it can affect who gets selected and whether the process remains fair.

There is also the long-running case of Nigerian scholarship students who were stranded abroad after a dispute over funding. The trouble began when the Attorney-General of the Federation raised concerns about the then-Education Trust Fund, now TETFund, paying for scholarship students who were not lecturers. The spending was considered outside the legal duty of the fund.

But students were already abroad. Bills existed. Debts had piled up. Somebody still had to deal with the mess.

In July 2017, responsibility for clearing the outstanding scholarship debts was formally transferred to the Nigerian Scholarship Board. Funding to settle both old and current arrears was later included in the 2018 budget proposal.

For students trying to understand the federal scholarship system, the picture is now clearer. The BEA Awards send selected Nigerians to study in partner countries. The Nigerian Award supports students already studying and demands very high academic performance. The Commonwealth Awards are limited to postgraduate and doctoral study, while the Commonwealth Secretariat carries the full financial cost for successful applicants.

These opportunities are real, but the doors are narrow. Age matters. Grades matter. Subject results matter. Timing matters. In some cases, even the age of an O'Level certificate can decide whether an applicant gets through.

And that is the hard truth behind the NSB's clarification. Nigeria has many scholarship opportunities floating around, but only three higher education schemes fall under this direct federal structure. For thousands of students searching desperately for help with school costs, knowing exactly where those opportunities are, and what they demand, can make the difference between wasting time and making a serious application.