1. The Ontario Graduate Scholarship

The Ontario Graduate Scholarship is a merit-based award available at most Ontario universities in Canada. It is funded partly by the provincial government and partly by the institution. Many international students including Nigerians are eligible, but very few apply because it is not heavily advertised outside Canada.

Award value: CAD 10,000 to CAD 15,000 per year. How to apply: through your specific Ontario university's graduate admissions office.

2. The University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship

The University of Manitoba offers fellowships to graduate students across most disciplines. The university actively recruits international students and the fellowship is available to Nigerians studying at the master's or PhD level. It is one of the more accessible Canadian university scholarships for international students.

Award value: CAD 14,000 to CAD 18,000 per year. How to apply: through your programme application.

3. The Scotland's Saltire Scholarships

Scotland offers a dedicated scholarship programme for students from certain countries applying to Scottish universities. The scholarship covers a one-time payment of GBP 8,000 toward tuition for eligible international students studying in the fields of science, technology, creative industries, healthcare, and renewable energy.

Award value: GBP 8,000 one-time payment. Application period: Opens each spring for programmes starting the following autumn.

4. The Destination Australia Programme

Australia funds a scholarship specifically designed to attract international students to regional universities and campuses. The competition is significantly lower than scholarships at major city universities, and the quality of education at regional Australian institutions is genuinely strong.

Award value: AUD 15,000 per year. Benefit: Studying in regional Australia also gives you access to a longer post-study work visa.

5. The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship

The Vanier is one of Canada's most prestigious doctoral scholarships, but it is significantly less competitive than its UK and US equivalents at the doctoral level. It is awarded through the university and is available to international students pursuing a PhD at a Canadian institution.

Award value: CAD 50,000 per year for three years. Who it is for: PhD applicants with a strong academic record and research proposal.

6. The DAAD Scholarship for African Students

Germany's DAAD scholarship programme has specific funding streams for students from sub-Saharan Africa. While the primary language of instruction at many German universities is now English, the DAAD scholarship covers tuition, a monthly stipend, and travel costs.

Germany is significantly underrepresented on the radar of Nigerian students compared to Canada, UK, and USA, which means competition from Nigeria specifically is lower.

Award value: Full tuition plus EUR 850 to EUR 1,200 monthly stipend.

7. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

The Mastercard Foundation partners with a select group of universities globally to fund academically talented students from Africa who demonstrate leadership potential and financial need. The programme covers full tuition, living expenses, and travel. Partner universities include UNSW in Australia, University of Edinburgh, and several others.

Award value: Full scholarship covering tuition, accommodation, travel, and a living stipend.

What They All Have in Common

All seven of these scholarships are accessible to Nigerian students, reasonably well-funded, and under-applied for compared to the famous names. The students who win them are not always the ones with the highest grades. They are the ones who did the research, prepared their applications carefully, and applied with enough time to do it properly.