Travelling overseas can be a hard endeavour, but, when you think about the pros of getting a better education abroad and expanding your horizons, it puts the hardships into perspective.
That’s why, throughout the years, Nigerian students have decided to move into countries that offer them more opportunities for better degrees and higher quality of life. According to our data, the Best Countries to Study for Nigerian Students are:
- Canada
- Germany
- The United States
- Norway
- Finland
- South Africa
- China
- The United Kingdom
#1. Canada
In 2019, Nigerians ranked the fourth most represented nationality among new permanent residents in Canada. With its promise of a fair income and excellent quality of life, Canada has become one of the best and safest countries to study for Nigerian Students.
The labour market in Canada is favourable to immigrant and jobs are opening daily, so the chance of you finding employment while studying and post-study is incredibly high.
Canada is the number one best country to study for Nigerian Students. When prospective Nigerians use the expression ‘Japa’, which can be loosely translated as ‘to escape,’ the destination they often have in mind is Canada. For many Nigerians, no other country offers better economic opportunity as much as Canada.
About 12,000 study permit holders in Canada are from Nigeria, making Nigeria the ninth most popular source country for international students.
An IELTS score is often part of the admission requirements in popular Canadian Universities.
The average cost of living in Canada is usually between $500 and $700 monthly.
The average tuition fee for undergraduate students (international students) is around $21,000.
International students in Canada are permitted to work up to 20 hours during school session and 40 hours per week during the holiday period.
Top Five Canadian Universities with most Nigerian students:
- University Of Toronto
- University of British Columbia
- McGill University
- University of Montreal
- Carleton University, Ottawa
There are a lot of advantages for Nigerian students that decide to come and study in Canada. Some of these are:
1. Canada is a prosperous country
Canada is one of the best and safest countries you could study in as a Nigerian. As for the job market, it is in continuing growth, with new jobs opening daily, so the chance of you finding employment is incredibly high.
2. Canadians are friendly
There are a lot of preconceptions going around about Canadian people, and, from what we gather, this one is right on the money. All of their descriptions begin with the word “nice”, so homesickness will probably be easier to take when you are surrounded by accommodating people.
3. Canada takes care of its students
Another of Canada’s traits is that its healthcare is one of the best in the world. Seeing how they know how to take care of its people, you will be going into a region where the cult of the individual is celebrated and you will be taken care of.
#2. Germany
The second best country to study for Nigerian Students is Germany. Germany has become a favourite destination for people willing to pursue University education. This has to do with the fact that most study programmes are free for international students.
Among Nigerians, Germany is considered the fourth preferred destination for international study abroad, next to the United States, the UK, and Canada.
Top-notch quality University education system, nominal or zero tuition fees, and Germany’s numerous scholarships attract Nigerian students to pursue their education in Germany.
STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) courses are the most popular degree choice among Nigerians in Germany.
Germans have grown to be quite warm and welcoming towards foreigners, as seen with their handling of the recent refugee crisis.
Some scholarship opportunities available for Nigerian students are:
DAAD Scholarship Programs, Heinrich Böll Foundation Scholarships, Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung Scholarships for International Students, and Deutschl and Stipendium National Scholarship Programme.
International students are also permitted to work part-time for 120 full days or 240 half days in a year to be able to manage their living expenses.
Compared with other major cities in Europe, Germany is fairly inexpensive to live in as on average, students spend around $950 per month on living cost.
Germany’s universities are free of charge, the only costs being administrative (only 100 EUR/year or 200 EUR/year). Also, the majority of Master’s programmes are in English, so it is easy to find a great and perfect degree for you.
Most German universities are public, so you will only have to pay an administrative fee, which usually costs between 100 – 350 EUR per semester. This fee covers student organisation services and your enrolment.
Nigerians mostly apply to public universities in Germany and in most cases, they do not have to pay tuition fees.
Top Eight German Universities for Nigerian Students:
- University of Stuttgart
- University of Mannheim
- University of Bremen
- University of Cologne
- University of Hamburg
- RWTH Aachen University
- University of Bonn
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
#3. The United States
The United states of America is also one of the best countries for Nigerian students. It goes without saying that the United States has one of the best University education systems in the world with about six of its Universities appearing in the top 10 of recent world university rankings.
The USA has the world’s largest international student population and Nigerian students are among the most prominent international student in the united state, with over 10,000 students enrolled in various Universities across the United States.
According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report, Nigerian students are among the most well-educated and best-performing students in the U.S.
Estimated living cost for the U.S. is around $9,000 to $11,000 per year, which averages around $700 to $1,000 per month.
Your tuition fee depends on the type of University you are applying to – Public or Private University – and your course of study.
But often, the tuition fee cost between $9,000 to $52,000 a year
Top Five American Universities for Nigerian students:
- University of Houston
- University of North Texas
- The University of Texas at Arlington
- New York University
- Boston University
- Columbia University
- Georgia Institute of Technology
- Wichita State University
Some of the most popular reasons Nigerian students go to study in the United States are:
1. The U.S. feels like home
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, almost a million Nigerians immigrated to the United States, making them the largest African immigrant group in the nation. Seeing how large the Nigerian population is, homesickness will be easy to combat and overcome.
2. Some of the most notable Americans are of Nigerian descent
Prize-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Oscar-nominated actress Sophie Okonedo, haematology-oncologist Olufunmilayo Olopade and mathematician Gabriel Oyibo are some of the most prominent Nigerian-Americans that prove the name of “land of all possibilities” is well-deserved.
3. Nigerians are some of the best students in the country
According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report, Nigerian students are some of the most well-educated and best students the U.S. This offers them, almost by default, a high chance of employment and of success.
#4. Norway
If you can ignore the cold weather the country offers, you will discover why Norway is one of the best countries for Nigerian Students.
From what we can gather, some of the reasons are:
1. Norwegians can be very accommodating
Around the Storgata region, in Oslo, lives one of the greatest communities of Nigerians. Norwegians are very accepting towards the community there, especially towards students and working-people.
2. Norway is a very welcoming country
Don’t expect to meet too many native-Norwegians, seeing how the majority of the residents are foreigners. Considering the way they greet students and outsiders, there’s no wonder people choose Norway as their choice destination for their international study experience.
3. All Norwegians speak English
Enter any restaurant, shop or grocery store in Norway, you will find someone who speaks English fluently and who will accommodate you.
Universities in Norway for Nigerian Students:
Norwegian University of Science and Technology
BI Norwegian Business School
University of Stavanger
#5. Finland
Coming behind Norway, another Northern-European country, Finland is our fifth best country for Nigerian Students who wish to study abroad. The main reasons students seek an international experience here are:
1. Students can get a job, even if they don’t speak the language
Even if it would be a bit difficult to get a professional job due to lack of experience, international students can easily land part-time jobs, especially in the greater cities of Finland, like Helsinki, Tampere, Oulu, Jyväskylä, etc.
2. Finland offers some of the best living conditions
Although the climate is rather cold, the living conditions and the overall high standard of life will more than make up for the low temperature. With great accommodation for students, the international experience will be one you won’t forget.
3. The international experience will be felt tenfold
Finland is one of the top destinations for international students, so there are high chances that you will be surrounded by all types of cultures and peoples.
Universities in Finland for Nigeria:
- University of Jyväskylä
- Aalto University
- LUT University
#6. South Africa
Although South Africa is part of the African continent, it is still one of the best countries for Nigerian students to study abroad. Though Nigeria has its way of topping South Africa in the contest for the biggest economy in Africa; however, when it comes to where it matters we know who the leader is in terms of working economic system and standard of Education.
There are just 26 Universities in South-Africa, yet about 6 are often ranked within the top 500 Universities in the world.
With about 36,000 Nigerians living in South Africa, it has become one of the most popular study destinations for Nigerians.
Cost of living per year ranges between $6,000 to $8,000 and these include the cost of accommodation, feeding, and other utilities.
Average tuition for undergraduate is between $2,500 to $4,000. For postgraduate education, it is about $2,600 to $3,500.
However, the high rate of crime, and cases of Xenophobia, especially towards Nigerians, are some of the downsides of studying in South-Africa.
Top Five South African Universities that you’d find Nigerians are:
- University of Cape Town (UCT)
- Rhodes University
- University of Johannesburg
- University of Witwatersrand
- University of Pretoria
#7. China
China is fast becoming the choice destination of study for Nigerians. According to a recent report, there are about 6,800 Nigerian students in China, of which 512 of them are on scholarship.
Chinese Universities are recognized globally for their standard and they often feature in the top 100 Best University’s ranking in the world and hence China is part of our list of best countries for Nigerian students to Study abroad.
When it concerns quality University education, we can relax the stereotype we all hold about China as a place where counterfeit products are made. In China, you get a top-quality education.
Cost of living in China could cost between $700 to $1,300 per month depending on the city you live in.
The average tuition fees in Chinese public universities ranges between $2,700 to $9,000 per year.
Depending on the institution and the course of study, students pay between $1,800 to $3,200 per academic year. However, in certain Chinese top Universities, programmes in medicine, and engineering cost more, averaging $23,620 to $50,000 per year.
Top Five Chinese Universities that you’d find Nigerians are:
- Tsinghua University
- Peking University
- Fudan University
- University of Science and Technology of China
- Zhejiang University
#8. The United Kingdom
Thousands of students from all over the world study in the UK each year and this places the UK among the Top 8 Best Countries to Study for Nigerian Students and top choices for international students across the world. World-class education and excellent future prospects are what the British higher education system will give you.
Given the historical relationship between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, it has become a second home for many Nigerians. Among Nigerians, London is often referred to as Lagos annex as it is common to find everyday Nigerian social activities happening on the street of London.
The U.K. used to be Nigeria’s Number 1 study destination until recently when Nigerian prospective students began to look for more favourable study destinations that would give them a better post-study deal.
Living costs vary depending on your lifestyle, spending habits, and budget.
On average, international undergraduate fees is around $15,000 per year.
For postgraduate degrees, the average tuition fees range from $13,000 to $17,000 per year.
Top Five U.K. Universities that you’d find Nigerians are:
- University of Hertfordshire
- University of Salford
- Reading University
- University of Portsmouth
- University of Leeds
Other best countries for Nigerian students include:
The above country options are by no means exclusive. Other study destinations like Australia, Italy, Netherlands, and India are becoming popular study destinations among Nigerians.
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