LordMagnusStudying in the UK can cost more than tuition alone. You also need to plan for housing, food, travel, insurance, and other expenses, so the right scholarship can make a major difference to your budget.
These seven UK scholarships cover different study levels, nationalities, and funding needs. If you are a Nigerian student or young professional, compare each award with your citizenship, intended course, university, and application year before you spend time preparing an application.
At a Glance: Seven UK Scholarships for International Students
| Scholarship | Best fit | Study option | Funding information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening | Applicants who meet the current country and program rules | UK study; confirm eligible courses and levels | Check the current award terms |
| Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships | Eligible Commonwealth applicants, including Nigerians | Master’s study | Check the current scheme terms |
| Gates Cambridge | Applicants pursuing eligible postgraduate study at Cambridge | Graduate study at Cambridge | Check current award terms |
| Rhodes Scholarship | Eligible applicants in the West Africa constituency | Study at Oxford | Funds at least two years |
| Oxford Clarendon Fund | Eligible applicants to Oxford graduate courses | Graduate study at Oxford | Course fees and a living-cost grant |
| GREAT Scholarships | Eligible Nigerian applicants at participating universities | One-year taught postgraduate course | £10,000 toward tuition for 2026–27 |
| Warwick Chancellor’s International Scholarship | Overseas-fee-status PhD applicants | Doctoral study at Warwick | Fees, stipend, and a research grant under the relevant terms |
1. Chevening Scholarship
Chevening is a UK scholarship program for applicants from eligible countries. If you are applying from Nigeria, start with the Nigeria-specific program page because citizenship and other requirements can affect whether you qualify.
The official Nigeria page lists the 2027/28 application cycle as closed. That status does not tell you whether you qualify for a different cycle, so check the rules for the year you intend to apply.
Your course choice matters too. Before you prepare essays or request references, compare your intended course and circumstances with Chevening’s published requirements for that application year. Do not assume that every UK university course or every international applicant is eligible.
The award can be a strong option if you are looking for a scholarship tied to UK study and your profile meets the program’s criteria. Check the current award terms to understand what support is included, then budget for any costs the award does not cover.
OFFICIAL REFERENCE: CHEVENING NIGERIA
2. Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships
The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship is for eligible candidates from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries. Nigeria appears on the eligible-country list, but Commonwealth citizenship alone does not establish eligibility for every scholarship scheme.
This award is intended for master’s study. If you are planning a PhD or undergraduate degree, this specific scheme may not match your study level, so check other Commonwealth programs separately.
The application route runs through a nominating agency. For the 2027/28 scheme, the published deadline is Tuesday, October 20, at 4 p.m. British Summer Time. Confirm the deadline and instructions with the agency responsible for your application because you may need to meet its process as well as the scholarship’s requirements.
Check the scheme’s current terms for its eligible courses, selection rules, and funding coverage. This helps you judge whether the scholarship fits your academic plans and financial needs before you begin an application.
OFFICIAL REFERENCE: COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIP COMMISSION
3. Gates Cambridge Scholarship
Gates Cambridge is a scholarship associated with the University of Cambridge. It is an option to consider if you plan to pursue eligible postgraduate study at Cambridge and can meet both the university’s admission requirements and the scholarship’s criteria.
For 2027/28 entry, applications opened on September 11, 2026. The October-round deadline is October 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. UK time. Other deadlines are December 8, 2026, or January 6, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. UK time, depending on the course’s Cambridge funding deadline.
As of October 13, 2026, the October-round deadline is close. If your course follows that round, check the current application instructions immediately. You also need to apply for admission to a Cambridge postgraduate course and complete the Gates Cambridge scholarship application.
Do not treat admission and scholarship selection as the same decision. Review each process separately, and make sure your course, application materials, and deadlines match the instructions for your chosen year.
OFFICIAL REFERENCE: GATES CAMBRIDGE
4. Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship funds study at the University of Oxford. If you are Nigerian, the West Africa constituency is the relevant place to check for application information and eligibility requirements.
The 2026 application cycle is for Oxford entry in October 2027. Applications closed on August 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. GMT, and references were due by September 3, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. GMT. The scholarship funds at least two years of study at Oxford.
Rhodes requirements can depend on your constituency. Review the current rules for citizenship, age, academic background, eligible Oxford courses, and application steps before deciding whether this award fits your plans.
If the cycle for your intended entry year is closed, use the constituency’s published process to plan for the next application period. You will need to align your Oxford course application with the Rhodes timeline rather than treating them as unrelated tasks.
OFFICIAL REFERENCE: RHODES TRUST, WEST AFRICA
5. Oxford Clarendon Fund
The Clarendon Fund is a scholarship program at the University of Oxford for eligible graduate-course applicants. If Oxford is your target university, it is worth checking whether your chosen course is covered and how scholarship consideration fits into its application process.
Eligible applicants are automatically considered when they apply by the relevant January deadline for their course. You do not need to submit a separate Clarendon application, but missing the course deadline can affect whether you receive consideration.
Clarendon awards cover course fees and include a grant for living expenses during the period of fee liability. That combination can reduce major study costs, but you should still compare the award terms with your full budget for housing, travel, and other expenses.
Check your course’s deadline rather than relying on a general date. Oxford graduate programs can have different application timelines, and your scholarship consideration depends on meeting the deadline that applies to your course.
OFFICIAL REFERENCE: OXFORD CLARENDON FUND
6. GREAT Scholarships
GREAT Scholarships offer country- and university-specific funding through participating UK universities. For Nigerian applicants in 2026–27, the listed award is £10,000 toward tuition for an eligible one-year taught postgraduate course.
The Nigeria requirements include a Nigerian passport, permanent residence in Nigeria, an undergraduate degree, and meeting the university’s English-language requirements. Applicants must also agree to the program’s engagement expectations.
GREAT funding is a tuition contribution, not a promise to cover your entire study budget. Compare the £10,000 award with the tuition fee for your course, then calculate what you will need for living expenses and other costs.
There is no single deadline for all Nigerian applicants. For example, Edge Hill University listed April 30, 2026, while Nottingham Trent University listed May 27, 2026. Those dates applied to the named university opportunities, not every GREAT Scholarship.
Check the relevant university’s scholarship page for its course list, application route, criteria, and deadline. The award only makes sense for you if your nationality, course, and chosen university all match the current listing.
OFFICIAL REFERENCE: BRITISH COUNCIL GREAT SCHOLARSHIPS NIGERIA
7. Warwick Chancellor’s International Scholarship
The University of Warwick’s Chancellor’s International Scholarship is for doctoral study. Overseas-fee-status PhD applicants are eligible under the scholarship information, so this award is most relevant if you are preparing for a research degree rather than a taught master’s.
The listed funding terms include full academic fees, a stipend at the UK Research and Innovation level, and a Research Training and Support Grant. The award normally lasts up to 3.5 years under the stated terms.
Your department and course affect the application timetable. Warwick gives a general September-to-January application period, but exact deadlines can vary. For example, the History department lists December 7, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. GMT for the course application and December 10, 2026, at 4:59 p.m. GMT for the scholarship application.
Do not use one department’s dates as the deadline for every Warwick PhD applicant. Check the current instructions for your specific course, and confirm whether you need to submit a separate scholarship application or supporting materials.
OFFICIAL REFERENCE: UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK
Which UK Scholarships Fit Master’s and PhD Applicants?
Your study level can narrow your options quickly. Chevening, Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships, and GREAT Scholarships relate to postgraduate study, with the GREAT award specifically listed for eligible one-year taught master’s courses.
Gates Cambridge and the Rhodes Scholarship support study at Cambridge and Oxford, respectively. Clarendon is also tied to eligible Oxford graduate courses, while Warwick’s Chancellor’s International Scholarship is for PhD study.
If you are applying for a research degree, check the doctoral awards first. A scholarship for a taught master’s will not become suitable simply because you meet its nationality requirements.
Compare Funding With Your Full Study Budget
Scholarship descriptions use different funding terms. A tuition award may reduce your university bill but leave you responsible for living costs, while another award may include a living-cost grant or stipend.
Create a simple budget before you choose which scholarship to prioritize. Include tuition, housing, food, local transport, travel, insurance, and other costs that apply to your circumstances.
Also check the award’s duration and conditions. A scholarship that supports one year may not cover a longer course, and a PhD award may have funding limits tied to a particular period of study.
Build Your Application Checklist Before You Apply
A scholarship application can involve more than one process. You may need to apply for university admission, submit scholarship materials, request references, and meet separate deadlines.
Write down the following details for each award:
- Your citizenship and country of residence
- Your intended degree, course, and university
- The scholarship’s eligible study level and subject rules
- The award’s funding terms and duration
- The course application deadline
- The scholarship deadline and application route
- Required essays, documents, and references
Use the official scholarship and university information for each item. Requirements can differ by award and year, so a checklist prevents you from relying on details that apply to another program.
Choose Scholarships That Match Your Circumstances
Applying to every scholarship you find can waste time. Start with the awards that match your citizenship, study level, course, and funding needs.
If you are applying from Nigeria, check nationality rules first. Then compare the eligible course and university, followed by the funding amount and deadline. This order helps you rule out poor matches before spending time on a detailed application.
Keep other funding options in your plan if an award covers only part of your costs. A scholarship can reduce your expenses without paying for every item on your budget.
Conclusion
The strongest scholarship choice is the one that fits your eligibility, course, study level, and actual expenses. For Nigerian applicants, the seven options above range from a £10,000 tuition contribution through GREAT Scholarships to doctoral funding at Warwick and study awards linked to Oxford and Cambridge.
Start by recording your intended course, university, and entry year. Then compare those details with each scholarship’s official rules and deadline, so you can focus your effort on awards that genuinely fit your plans.
LordMagnus