EASIEST WAY TO GET A FUNDED GRADUATE PROGRAM ABROAD FOR A NIGERIAN GRADUATE WITH SCIENCE BACKGROUND

Getting a fully funded graduate program abroad as a Nigerian graduate with a science background is very possible — and many Nigerians do it every year. The easiest route depends on your field, academic profile, work experience, and how flexible you are about destination countries.

Here’s a step-by-step roadmap with programs and strategies that maximize your chances:

✅ Top 5 Easiest Ways to Get a Funded Graduate Program Abroad (for Nigerians in Science)

1. Apply for Government-Funded Scholarships (No Tuition + Living Stipend)

These scholarships are competitive but 100% tuition-free + monthly allowance, and you don’t always need to contact professors.

🎯 Best Options:

Scholarship Host Countries Funding Deadline (Typical)

DAAD EPOS / Helmut Schmidt Germany Full tuition + €934/month Sept–Oct annually

Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degrees (EMJMD) Multiple EU countries Full + travel allowance Oct–Feb

Chevening Scholarship UK Full + £1,347/month Aug–Nov

Commonwealth Master’s UK Full + airfare + stipend Sept–Oct

MEXT Scholarship Japan Full + ¥144,000/month April–May

Swedish Institute Scholarship (SISGP) Sweden Full tuition + SEK 11,000/month Feb–March

✅ These cover STEM fields like biotechnology, environmental science, physics, computer science, etc.

2. Target Research-Based Master’s or PhD Programs with Assistantships

These are especially common in Canada and the U.S..

How to do it:

Search for fully funded programs (e.g., “Fully funded MSc in Chemistry in Canada”)

Contact professors (with a strong SOP and CV)

Apply directly to universities that offer Teaching Assistantships (TA) or Research Assistantships (RA)

Best Countries:

Canada – Many Nigerian students win full funding at Univ. of Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, etc.

USA – MS/PhD programs offer assistantships (~$1,500–$2,500/month)

Finland & Norway – Some universities offer free tuition even without a scholarship

✅ PhD programs in the US and Canada are almost always fully funded.

3. Use Erasmus Mundus (No Need for Professor Contact)

Apply for 2–3 Erasmus Master’s programs

One application can get you admission into a consortium of universities

Fully funded + €1,400/month for 2 years

Easy to find programs in engineering, environmental science, AI, data science, etc.

🔎 Browse programs here: https://www.eacea.ec.europa.eu/scholarships/emjmd-catalogue_en

4. Apply to Tuition-Free or Low-Tuition Countries

Some countries have free or nearly free tuition, even without a scholarship:

Country Tuition Notes

Germany €0 Just pay €100–€300/semester service fee

Norway €0 Taught in English, but cost of living is high

Finland Low Some scholarships available

Austria Low (€700/semester) Can combine with part-time jobs

5. Apply for University-Specific Scholarships

Many universities offer automatic merit-based scholarships for strong international applicants.

Examples:

ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship

University of Lausanne Master’s Grants

University of Twente (Netherlands)

Scuola Normale Superiore (Italy)

University of Melbourne (Australia) – Graduate Research Scholarship

✍️ Quick Tips for Application Success

Documents You’ll Typically Need:

Bachelor’s degree transcript + certificate

Statement of Purpose (SOP) – critical!

Academic CV

2–3 Recommendation letters

Proof of English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL) – unless waived

Research proposal (for research-based programs)

🎓 Best Science Fields That Get Funded Often:

Data Science / AI / Machine Learning

Environmental Science / Climate Studies

Biotechnology / Biomedical Science

Renewable Energy / Energy Engineering

Computer Science / Software Engineering

Public Health / Epidemiology