If you are a Nigerian student who has been putting off your scholarship search, the second half of 2026 still holds several fully funded opportunities worth pursuing. Some of the biggest scholarship windows — including Chevening, GKS, and Türkiye Burslari — open their next cycles between August and October 2026, while a handful of programmes still have active or recently opened deadlines right now. This roundup covers ten fully funded scholarships that Nigerian students should have on their radar for the remainder of 2026 and early 2027, with honest information on what is currently open, what is opening soon, and what you should be preparing for right now.
A quick note on how to use this list: scholarship deadlines change every cycle and some programmes adjust their timelines without much notice. Always verify the current status of any scholarship on the official programme website before beginning your application. Use this roundup as your planning guide — not as your final source of deadline information.
1. Chevening Scholarship — Next Cycle Opens August 2026
The UK government’s flagship fully funded scholarship for Nigerian professionals is one of the most valuable awards available anywhere in the world. The Chevening application window for the 2027–2028 academic year is expected to open in August 2026 and close in October 2026. If you are a Nigerian professional with at least two years of work experience and a clear leadership track record, now is the time to strengthen your profile, research your three UK university choices, and begin drafting your four application essays. The people who win Chevening do not start preparing in August — they start months before. Visit chevening.org for the exact opening date as soon as it is announced.
2. Türkiye Burslari Scholarship — Next Cycle Opens January 2027
The Turkish government’s fully funded scholarship is one of the most comprehensive awards available to Nigerian students at undergraduate, Master’s, and PhD level. It covers tuition, accommodation, monthly stipend, health insurance, flights, and a one-year Turkish language course. The next application cycle for the 2027–2028 academic year is expected to open in January 2027 and close in February 2027. The competition is intense — over 120,000 students applied globally in 2025 for approximately 5,000 slots. Use the remaining months of 2026 to build your motivation letter, gather your documents, and research your 12 preferred programmes. Visit turkiyeburslari.gov.tr for official announcements.
3. Korean Government Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) — Next Cycle Opens Mid-2026
The GKS scholarship covers full tuition, accommodation, monthly stipend, flights, health insurance, and a one-year Korean language programme for Nigerian Master’s and PhD students. The stipend was increased to 1,380,000 KRW per month from 2026. The Embassy Track for the 2027 intake is expected to open around mid-2026 — monitor the Korean Embassy in Nigeria website and the Study in Korea portal at studyinkorea.go.kr for the exact date. If you are targeting the University Track, begin contacting potential supervisors at Korean universities now, as advance supervisor contact significantly strengthens direct university applications.
4. Schwarzman Scholars Program — Deadline September 20, 2026
The Schwarzman Scholars program is a fully funded one-year Master’s degree in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing, one of China’s top institutions. It is designed to develop future global leaders and accepts applicants from all countries including Nigeria. The programme covers full tuition, accommodation, living expenses, travel, and health insurance. The deadline for the 2027 cohort is September 20, 2026. Nigerian applicants must demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, leadership potential, and a genuine interest in China’s role in global affairs. Visit schwarzmanscholars.org for eligibility details and the application portal.
5. DAAD Scholarship — Multiple Deadlines Through Late 2026
The German Academic Exchange Service runs multiple scholarship programmes throughout the year, with different deadlines for different tracks. Nigerian students targeting the DAAD In-Country/In-Region Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa should note that the 2027 cycle deadline is expected to fall in April 2027 — begin preparing your research proposal and gathering documents now. Other DAAD tracks for study in Germany have deadlines ranging from October 2026 through February 2027 depending on the specific programme. Visit daad.de and use the scholarship database filter to identify the DAAD programme that matches your academic profile and set a reminder for its specific deadline.
6. Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters — Application Portals Opening October 2026
The European Union’s flagship postgraduate scholarship funds two-year Master’s degrees across multiple European countries. With over 100 active programmes covering fields from public health to engineering to environmental science, there is a programme for almost every academic background. Application portals for the majority of Erasmus Mundus programmes that begin in September 2027 are expected to open from October 2026 onwards, with scholarship deadlines typically falling between January and March 2027. Nigerian students should begin browsing the EACEA programme catalogue now, identify two or three programmes that fit their background, and begin drafting tailored motivation letters. Visit eacea.ec.europa.eu for the current programme catalogue.
7. MEXT Scholarship Japan — Next Cycle Expected Early 2027
The Japanese government’s fully funded scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, monthly stipend, and round-trip flights for Nigerian students at undergraduate, Master’s, and doctoral levels. The Embassy Recommendation Route for the 2027 academic year is expected to open at the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria in early 2027, with a submission deadline likely in May 2027. However, preparation must begin now — the written tests cover Mathematics, English, and science subjects, and weak preparation is the most common reason Nigerian applicants fail at the written test stage. Visit ng.emb-japan.go.jp regularly for official announcements.
8. Commonwealth Masters Scholarship — Next Cycle Expected August 2026
Funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and administered through the Federal Scholarship Board in Nigeria, the Commonwealth Masters Scholarship covers full tuition, monthly stipend, and flights for Nigerian students pursuing a one-year UK Master’s degree. The 2027–2028 application cycle is expected to open in August 2026. Nigerian applicants need a minimum 2:1 degree and an NYSC certificate. Monitor the Federal Scholarship Board website and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website at cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk for the exact opening date. Begin identifying eligible UK universities and preparing your development-focused personal statement now.
9. Australia Awards Scholarship — Next Cycle Opens February 2027
The Australian government’s fully funded scholarship for Nigerian working professionals covers tuition, flights, accommodation, living expenses, and health insurance. The next application window for Nigerian applicants is expected to open on 1 February 2027 and close on 30 April 2027. Eligibility requires a minimum of five years post-graduate work experience and alignment with Nigeria’s development priorities. Nigerian applicants who were unsuccessful in the 2026 cycle should use the remaining months to strengthen their professional experience, refine their personal statement based on feedback, and confirm their English language scores are current. Visit australiaawardsafrica.org for official updates.
10. Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) — Next Cycle Opens December 2026
The Chinese Government Scholarship is one of the most accessible fully funded awards for Nigerian students, with approximately 100 to 150 embassy-channel slots for Nigeria annually and unlimited slots through the university channel. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, monthly stipend, and health insurance at over 270 Chinese universities. The next application cycle for the 2027 intake is expected to open in December 2026 and close in April 2027. Nigerian students who want to apply through the university channel should begin identifying potential supervisors at Chinese universities now and making contact — a supervisor’s acceptance letter submitted with your CSC application is a significant advantage. Visit campuschina.org for the official opening date.
What to Do Right Now
Most of the scholarships on this list open their next cycles between August 2026 and February 2027. That means the window you have right now — between June and August 2026 — is your preparation period. Use it to request your academic transcripts from your Nigerian university, update your CV, begin drafting your personal statement, identify and brief your referees, book any required language tests such as IELTS or TOEFL, and research the specific programmes and universities you want to target. Scholarship winners do not start preparing when the portal opens — they start months before. The students who win in 2027 are the ones preparing right now.
Moreschooling covers detailed guides for every scholarship on this list. Use the navigation menu to find the full guide for each programme, and bookmark this page for updates as new cycles open throughout the year.