International Scholarships for African Students

International Scholarships for African Students

Laura T

Updated February 21, 2023 Updated February 21

There are many international scholarships for African students available, including government scholarships, Commonwealth scholarships and university scholarships. Read on for our list of current opportunities, and download our free guide on how to find scholarships to study abroad here – happy scholarship hunting!

To study anywhere:

To study in Africa:

  • ACCESS Kenya – Scholarships for students from Kenya to gain funding to study at undergraduate level at an accredited university in Kenya.
  • Mandela Rhodes Scholarships – Scholarships for Africans with strong leadership skills to study for an honors or master’s degree at a recognized university in South Africa.
  • Jim Ovia Scholarship – Scholarships for Nigerian students to gain funding to study at undergraduate level in Nigeria.
  • The Graduate Institute Geneva – A number list of unique Master and PhD scholarships for academically talented students from Africa. Financial aid packages may include cost-of-living scholarships, tuition reduction and/or a paid position, and is awarded based on the individual’s financial needs as well as academic merit.
  • WAAW Foundation Scholarships – Scholarships for female African students looking to pursue a STEM-focused undergraduate program (science, technology, engineering or mathematics) at a recognized African university.

To study in Asia-Pacific:

To study in Europe:

To study in Belgium:

  • VLIR-UOS Awards Scholarships – Graduate scholarships for international students from Africa, Asia and Latin America to study in Belgium on a development-related master’s degree or training program.

To study in Germany:

To study in Ireland:

To study in the Netherlands:

To study in the UK: 

To study in the US: 

Note that the list above is NOT exhaustive – there are lots of other scholarships open to African students. To find more opportunities, check the website of your chosen university and research funding offered via government schemes or external organizations (e.g. the IET offers funds for engineering students).

You could also be eligible for the QS Scholarships scheme, which offers US$7 million in funding each year. To find out more, and to get personal advice for your application, register to attend the QS World Grad School Tour for free.

African Commonwealth countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania and Zambia.

** Sub-Saharan African countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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This article was originally published in April 2015. It was last updated in November 2018. 

This article was originally published in December 2016 . It was last updated in February 2023

Written by

Laura is a former staff writer for TopUniversities.com, providing advice and guidance for students on a range of topics helping them to choose where to study, get admitted and find funding and scholarships. A graduate of Queen Mary University of London, Laura also blogs about student life.

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