The United Kingdom aims to recruit at least 600,000 international students annually by 2030, offering increased financial aid and scholarships. This initiative seeks to provide accessible information, simplify job opportunities for international students, and ease financial barriers.
For Nigerian PhD candidates, this presents new opportunities amid a recent decline in interest in studying abroad due to the naira’s depreciation and rising education costs. The decline was most pronounced from late 2023 to early 2024.
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Several UK scholarship programs cover tuition, living expenses, and research costs, supporting Nigerian students in their academic and professional pursuits.
According to Scholarship International, here are fully funded PhD scholarships in the UK for Nigerians
Commonwealth Scholarships
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission offers multiple PhD funding opportunities for Nigerian students, including Commonwealth PhD Scholarships for least-developed countries and fragile states, Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships for low- and middle-income countries, and Commonwealth Professional Fellowships.
Most scholarships cover tuition fees, airfare, and a living allowance, with a focus on research aligned with six development themes: science and technology for development, strengthening health systems and capacity, promoting global prosperity, strengthening global peace, security, and governance, strengthening resilience and response to crises, and access, inclusion, and opportunity. While students can pursue any field of study, preference is given to research that supports these themes.
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Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship funds postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford and supports young leaders committed to global change. Nigerian students can apply for three Rhodes Scholarships for West Africa each year. The scholarship covers tuition and living expenses for up to three years for DPhil (PhD) candidates.
For the 2023/24 academic year, the stipend is £19,092 per annum (£1,591 per month). Scholars use this stipend for accommodation and other living costs.
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The Colt Foundation PhD Fellowships
Students researching environmental and occupational health can apply for the Colt Foundation PhD Fellowships. Each year, up to four fellowships are awarded.
The fellowship covers full tuition for UK students. International students need to secure additional funding to cover the difference in fees. However, all recipients receive a research grant of up to £5,000 per year and a stipend of £24,732, which increases annually with UK inflation.
Past research projects include studies on neurological diseases among dockyard workers and the structural chemistry of compounds that cause occupational asthma and dermatitis.
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Imperial College London’s President’s PhD Scholarships
Imperial College London offers 50 President’s PhD scholarships annually. The scholarship covers full tuition fees and provides a stipend of £25,224 per year for 3.5 years. Scholars also receive a consumables fund of £2,000 per year for the first three years.
Successful applicants gain access to postgraduate support services and events delivered by the Graduate School.
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Swansea University’s Research Scholarships
Swansea University offers PhD funding through multiple scholarship schemes. The Swansea University International Postgraduate Research Excellence Scholarship (SUIPRES) covers the difference between international and home tuition fees, allowing Nigerian students to pay the same fees as UK students.
Additionally, the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Wales Graduate School for the Social Sciences (WGSSS) provides fully funded PhD scholarships in economics, business management, education, and other fields.
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University of Glasgow’s Scholarships
The University of Glasgow offers PhD scholarships across various disciplines, including arts and humanities, science and engineering, and social sciences.
Programme-specific scholarships include the Edwin Morgan Scholarship for Research in Scottish Literature and the School of Physics & Astronomy’s Science & Technologies Facilities Council Doctoral Training Account, which supports research in nuclear physics, particle physics, gravitational waves, and astrophysics.
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