Nigeria Study Abroad Scholarships
Funds for the Intrepid Student Traveler
Democracy is in its infancy in Nigeria and therefore politics runs a bit loose of the law. Many study abroad programs are no longer offered to Nigeria because it remains on the list of Travel Warnings. Graduate and post-graduate students will likely find more programs to this country than will undergrads.
This is not to say that Nigeria is uncooperative; the country has rather fast attachments to many larger more powerful countries because of its petroleum resources. However, the biggest impediments to safe travel are renegade criminals who make many parts of the country unsafe.
Scholarship Programs
The Ambassadorial Scholarships available through the Rotary Foundation are highly sought after, first for their prestige, second for their generosity. The Rotary is certainly an organization to align oneself with; it’s known the world over for its do-gooder attitude and undying support for humanitarian organizations and projects. Ambassadorial Scholars are chosen from among hundreds of well-qualified upper level undergraduates and graduate students who wish to study abroad in Nigeria as well as dozens of other Rotary countries. Candidates must embody the spirit of the Rotary as well as possess impeccable academic records. Awards are for a year of study and provide $26,000 to recipients.
The West African Research Association (WARA) is funded is largely funded by the U.S. Department of State and is in place to provide resources to allow Americans and West Africans a range of opportunities to participate in collaborative research and exchange programs. Headquarters are maintained at the University of Boston, University of Florida in Dakar, Senegal. Scholarships include:
- WARA Pre-Doctoral Research Fellowships are awarded to upper level graduate students with a well-defined dissertation proposal. Candidates are funded for a summer term in Nigeria where they may conduct necessary research. Awards cover travel and include an additional $3,000.
- WARA Post-Doctoral Research Fellowships are awarded to those scholars well beyond dissertation projects, but who are engaged in further research that must be conducted in Nigeria. Once again the awards are good for a summer term and the funding is similar to the pre-doctoral program.
Fulbright Scholarships are available for Nigeria. The organization recommends a list of universities and research organizations for scholars to affiliate with. Also, the program offers advice related to appropriate fields of study as well as those that might pose problems in Nigeria. Fulbright applicants face fierce competition from hundreds of other equally talented graduate students and only those with impeccable academics and a finely tuned study proposal will win these prestigious awards.
The David L. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships will award study abroad funding even in cases where there are travel warnings, like Nigeria. The primary function of these awards is to equip the next generation of security elite with intimate knowledge of languages and cultures attached to countries of interest. Candidates with an interest in a career in national security will be given preference; others will be expected to repay the generous scholarships with a year of service in a national security agency. Awards are between $20,000 and $25,000.
