You have been searching for scholarships for Nigerian American students; this website provides current scholarships in the United States for you. These scholarships include fully funded and partially funded opportunities for both undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing bachelor’s, master’s, Ph.D., and fellowship programs. The majority of these scholarships are generously sponsored by the U.S. government and private institutions in the US.
These scholarships in the United States for Nigerians cater to undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students. They are distributed by government bodies, educational institutions, foundations, private programs, and more.
Scholarships for Nigerian American students
Having said all, here are the best scholarships for Nigerian American students:
1. Fulbright Foreign Student Program
The Fullbright scholarship program provides support to foreign graduate students, artists, and young professionals who wish to study and conduct research in the United States.
Each year, the program helps approximately 4,000 students from over 160 countries. It is administered by the Fullbright Commission/Foundation or through US embassies.
2. Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant FLTA
The government provides young English teachers from foreign countries with a unique opportunity to enhance their skills, deepen their knowledge of American culture and society, and share their native language with college and university students in the US.
If you’re interested in finding out if you’re eligible and obtaining more information, please click here.
3. Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program
The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program awards grants to over 800 post-doctoral researchers from over 150 countries each year to conduct their research at institutions in the United States.
Eligible scholars from Nigeria must apply for the grant through the local US embassy or Fulbright Commission office. To determine eligibility and learn about the application process, please visit here.
4. Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
The Hubert program, created in 1978 to honor the memory of the late Vice-President of the United States, Hubert H. Humphrey, is designed for young and mid-career professionals in a variety of fields, including Agricultural and Rural Development, Communications/Journalism, Economic Development, Educational Administration, Planning and Policy, Finance and Banking, Higher Education Administration, HIV/AIDS Policy and Prevention, Human Resource Management, Law and Human Rights, Natural Resources, Environmental Policy, Climate Change, and others.
Each year, these professionals are offered the opportunity to engage in non-degree graduate-level study, receive leadership development, and collaborate with their counterparts in the United States.
5. Young African Leaders Initiative
In 2010, former President Barack Obama initiated the Young African Leadership Initiative. The initiative is aimed at enhancing the skills and abilities of young Africans through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking opportunities. For further information, please click here. This scholarship is one of the top scholarships for Nigerian American students looking to study abroad.
International organization scholarships
6. Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund
Inspired by Margaret McNamara’s commitment to gender and education equality, the Margaret McNamara Education Grants (MMEG) have provided support to 416 female students from 75 nations since its establishment. These grants are open to women aged 25 years or older who are pursuing their studies at accredited universities in the United States, Canada, South Africa, or Latin America.
As a Nigerian applying for scholarships for Nigerian American students, note that MMEG awards education grants on a competitive basis to exceptional women from developing countries enrolled as full-time students in accredited universities in the US. You have to demonstrate financial need and be committed to working for the well-being of women and children. Go here and https://www.mmeg.org/programs read the US section only.
7. Rotary Peace Fellowships
The Rotary Foundation offers an annual fellowship program designed to develop leaders from around the world into agents of peace. The grant provides funding for 50 master’s degrees and 50 certificate programs at esteemed universities, covering tuition, housing, and food expenses, transportation, internship, and field study costs.
8. American Association of University Women International Fellowship (AAUW)
If you believe you change the world if given the opportunity, start your AAUW application right here.
This fellowship also offers scholarships for Nigerian American students, so you can apply as a Nigerian citizen. However, the scholarship opportunity is specifically for women who are currently enrolled in graduate or postgraduate studies at recognized institutes in the United States. A crucial requirement for eligibility is that the applicant must not hold US citizenship or permanent residency status.
9. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
The objective of the program is to cultivate and grow Africa’s future leaders. The Mastercard Foundation assists students who face economic difficulties that prevent them from reaching their full potential. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program recognizes that education can be a driving force for positive change in society and encourages its fellows to give back to their communities.
Mastercard offers comprehensive support, including academic, social, and financial assistance to scholars.
Educational institution scholarships:
In addition to the scholarship programs mentioned above, offered by either the US government or private organizations, some scholarships are granted by individual universities. These scholarships for Nigerian American students are tailored to specific academic programs and, in some cases, are specifically designed to empower female students and promote gender equality.
10. Bonnie Hyland Umeh Excellence in Leadership Scholarship
St. Catherine University provides this scholarship to Nigerian students who are enrolled in undergraduate programs, regardless of their area of study.
11. Texas A&M International University Graduate Fellowships (MBA)
This scholarship , sponsored by Texas A&M International University, is available to students who are enrolled in Business and Management graduate or doctorate programs.
12. University of Central Missouri Olaiya Foundation Scholarship
The UCM Alumni Foundation offers over 600 vibrant scholarship opportunities. The institution distributes approximately $7 million in scholarships based on merit annually.
13. Wellesley College Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
The Mastercard Scholarship Program is a $700 million worldwide effort aimed at educating the youth. Over the next decade, it aims to offer scholarships to 15,000 students from Africa.
Other scholarships for Nigerian American students
14. AEF Scholarship
The program, supported by the Ascend Educational Fund, assists immigrant students who have graduated from high school in New York City to enroll in college or university.
15. Blacks at Microsoft Scholarship
The program was only offered in 1989 at Microsoft as the first employee resource group sponsored by the company. Its goal was to inspire Black students to pursue a career in technology and support their growth and development.
The BAM Scholarship was created to enable Black and African American students to attend college and pursue a career in technology. The goal is to empower future generations to do and be more.
To be considered for a BAM Scholarship, you must:
- Be a US-based high school senior of African descent (for example, African American, African, Ethiopian, etc.).
- Plan to attend a four-year college or university in the US in the fall immediately following your high school graduation.
- Plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, computer information systems, or select business programs (such as finance, business administration, or marketing).
- Demonstrate a passion for technology.
- Demonstrate leadership at school or in the community.
- Have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Require financial assistance to attend college.
16. FTE Fellowships for Doctoral Students of African Descent
The program provides assistance to Ph.D. and Th.D. students who have completed their coursework in the fields of religion, theology, or biblical studies.
Conclusion on Scholarships for Nigerian American students
So, I have covered the top scholarships out there for Nigerian American students, including men and women. Some of these scholarships are highly competitive but your advantage is your academic performance. That’s to say that with a decent school grade, you stand a higher chance than many other applicants.
