Most fully funded scholarships open once a year and close months before the course starts. If you miss a window, you wait a full year. This calendar shows where each major scholarship stands right now, so you know which to apply for today and which to prepare for.
Every entry links to the official page. Dates were checked on 22 October 2026, but programmes do change them, so confirm on the official site before you start.
Open now
| Scholarship | Level | Where | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gates Cambridge | PhD, most one-year master’s | UK | 8 Dec 2026 or 6 Jan 2027, depending on the course |
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters | Master’s | Europe | Set by each course, usually October to January |
| DAAD EPOS | Master’s, PhD | Germany | Set by each course |
| Mastercard Foundation Scholars | Undergraduate, master’s | Africa, UK, USA, Canada | Set by each partner university |
Opening soon
- Türkiye Bursları (Türkiye Scholarships): undergraduate, master’s and PhD in Türkiye for citizens of every country. The application window usually runs from 10 January to 20 February. It covers tuition, accommodation, health insurance, a one-year Turkish course, flights and a monthly stipend. Official calendar.
- Australia Awards Africa: master’s in Australia for mid-career professionals with at least 5 years’ work experience. The next round opens on 1 February 2027. Official site.
- Stipendium Hungaricum: bachelor’s, master’s and PhD in Hungary. The last deadline was 15 January 2026, and in Nigeria applications go through the Federal Scholarship Board. The 2027/28 call hadn’t been published when we checked. Hungarian embassy, Abuja.
Closed for 2027 (prepare for the next round)
- Chevening (UK): one-year master’s for people with at least 2 years’ work experience. The 2027/28 round opened in August 2026 and is now closed. Expect the next one around August 2027. Chevening timeline.
- Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships (UK): tuition, flights and a monthly stipend of £1,712 (£2,000 in London). The 2027/28 round closed on 20 October 2026. You apply through your country’s nominating agency. CSC master’s page.
- Rhodes Scholarship (Oxford): separate places for West Africa (including Nigeria and Ghana), Kenya, Southern Africa (including South Africa), Zambia and Zimbabwe. The 2027 deadlines were in August 2026. Rhodes constituencies.
- Japan MEXT (embassy recommendation): master’s, PhD and undergraduate study in Japan. The 2027 rounds closed in May and June 2026. Embassies usually open the next round in April. Study in Japan.
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program (USA): run by each US embassy. Kenya’s 2027/28 round closed on 20 April 2026. Nigerians should note that the US has partly suspended student and exchange visas (F, M and J) for Nigerian citizens since 1 January 2026. US Embassy Nigeria update.
How to use this calendar
- Pick 3 or 4 scholarships that match your level and work experience.
- Note when each one opens, and start your documents two months before: transcripts, references and your personal statement.
- Most master’s scholarships expect an English test. See our guide to the IELTS fee in Nigeria if you need one.
Check the deadlines page for every open application, closing soonest first.