Week of 19 October 2026

This week's verified openings with every official form. Each one is read on the funder's or the university's own page, as at 17 October 2026.

The loudest first: the UK's Commonwealth scholarship closes at 4pm UK time on Tuesday 20 October 2026, which is 4pm in Nigeria. The rest close between 1 November 2026 and 6 January 2027, and the four universities at the end of this list pay graduates to study, which suits anyone leaving NYSC camp this month: OIST in Japan, Yenching at Peking University, ETH Zurich and KAUST.

Which of these is you?

• I started the Commonwealth form and have not sent the board's part
• I have a master's and want a doctorate that pays a salary
• I want Cambridge and I live in Africa
• I have a master's and want a research year or a doctorate in Switzerland
• I want Cambridge, from any country
• I want a master's in public policy across Europe
• I have a bachelor's in a science and want a doctorate without a master's first
• I want a master's at Peking University, with the first year paid
• I finished in the top ten percent of my class and want a master's in Europe
• I want my master's fees, housing and money to live paid

1. The UK's Commonwealth scholarship (Commonwealth Master's and PhD)

Who it fits. Someone applying from Nigeria for a master's or a doctorate at a UK university. You apply on the Commission's portal, and Nigeria's scholarship board (the Federal Scholarship Board, Abuja) must put your name forward.

What it pays. Full tuition, a return flight, and a living allowance of £1,712 a month (about ₦3 million), or £2,000 a month (about ₦3.5 million) at a university in the London area.

The date. 4pm UK time on Tuesday 20 October 2026. The UK is on summer time until its clocks go back on 25 October, so 4pm UK time on 20 October is 4pm in Nigeria. The Commission's page also says that nominators may set their own closing dates, so the board's date for its part can be earlier.

First step today. Finish the portal form, and send the board its part the same day (fsb@education.gov.ng).

Sources: Commonwealth Master's Scholarships, Commonwealth PhD Scholarships, nominating agencies, when the UK clocks change

2. Two paid doctorates at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Who it fits. Someone with the equivalent of a Danish master's degree. In Denmark a doctorate (a PhD fellowship) is a university job: you apply to the advert, as for any job.

What it pays. The natural language processing advert starts the monthly salary at 31,800 Danish kroner (about ₦6.5 million). The soft matter physics and food science post is full time, for at most 3 years.

The dates. Soft matter physics and food science closes 1 November 2026 at 11:59pm (GMT+1). Natural language processing closes 8 November 2026 at 11:59pm Danish time (CET), for a start on 1 February 2027.

First step this week. Open both adverts, read what each asks you to upload, and start with the one that closes on 1 November.

Sources: natural language processing advert, soft matter physics and food science advert, all PhD positions

3. Cambridge for Africans: the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Who it fits. Someone who is from an African country and lives in one, applying for a course at the University of Cambridge.

What it pays. Full tuition and a monthly allowance to live on.

The dates. Nigeria is not on Cambridge's list of countries whose application fee is waived automatically. So the first move is the Mastercard Foundation's own fee waiver form, due by 20 November 2026. The course deadlines are in early December or early January, shown on each course's page.

First step this week. Choose your course in Cambridge's course directory, then send the fee waiver form.

Sources: how to apply, eligibility, Cambridge, application fee waiver

4. The Swiss government's research scholarship (Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships)

Who it fits. For Nigerians, only a doctorate or a research year (PhD and Research Fellowship). A letter from a Swiss professor is required.

What it pays. CHF 2,450 a month (about ₦3.9 million). It does not pay university fees. Applying is free of charge.

The date. 27 November 2026, 11:59pm Swiss time.

First step this week. Write to a Swiss professor whose work matches yours and ask whether they will support your application.

Sources: Swiss scholarships at a glance, country list for Africa

5. Gates Cambridge

Who it fits. A citizen of any country outside the United Kingdom applying to the University of Cambridge.

What it pays. The university's fees, £23,152 for 12 months to live (about ₦41 million, at the 2026 to 2027 rate), an economy flight at the start and the end of the course, and the visa costs with the health charge (the Immigration Health Surcharge). Gates Cambridge does not pay Cambridge's application fee.

The date. 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027, depending on your course. Your course's page shows which.

First step this week. Look up the funding deadline on your own course's page tonight.

Sources: timeline, the scholarship, eligibility, questions and answers

6. Europe's joint master's in public policy (Erasmus Mundus MAPP)

Who it fits. Applicants from inside and outside the European Union.

What it pays. €1,400 a month (about ₦2.1 million) for 24 months, and the tuition fee waived in full.

The date. 1 December 2026, 11:59pm Central European Time, to be considered for the scholarship.

First step this week. Read the admissions calendar and ask two lecturers for references.

Sources: financial aid, admissions calendar

7. A five-year doctorate in Japan from a bachelor's (OIST)

Who it fits. A graduate with a bachelor's or a master's, or who will finish before enrolment. You do not need a master's first: the doctorate at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology is a five-year programme and bachelor's graduates apply for it directly. No nationality limit is stated.

What it pays. OIST calls it "a fully-funded 5-year program". Support starts at about 2.6 million yen a year (about ₦22 million, taxable) and rises with your progress to about 3.6 million yen (about ₦31 million). Campus housing is subsidised: a single apartment is quoted at 21,600 yen a month (about ₦184,000). Conference travel is budgeted separately.

The date. The application period runs from 31 July to 15 November 2026. After that: shortlisting in late December 2026, interviews from 18 January to 7 February 2027, and the final result in mid-February 2027.

Cost. 5,000 yen (about ₦42,500). It is not refundable and there are no fee waivers, so read every requirement before you pay.

First step this week. Open the application page, read every requirement, and gather your transcript and CV.

Sources: OIST, apply to the PhD, OIST admissions, OIST student support

8. Peking University's master's in China Studies (Yenching Academy)

Who it fits. Anyone who is not a Chinese citizen and holds a valid passport. If your university is one of Yenching's partner universities, you apply through your own university's selection first.

What it pays. Every admitted student receives the Yenching Fellowship for the first academic year. It covers tuition, a room in the Yenching Academy House, one return journey, basic medical insurance, a monthly allowance and research costs.

The date. 30 November 2026, 9am Beijing time. That is 2am on 30 November in Nigeria, so your real last day is 29 November.

First step this week. Ask your department whether your university is a Yenching partner. Then open the online application.

Sources: Yenching Academy admissions, frequently asked questions

9. The Swiss science university's master's scholarship (ETH Zurich)

Who it fits. A bachelor's graduate in the top ten percent of the class who does not yet hold a master's, applying for a master's at ETH Zurich. Somebody who already holds a master's degree cannot apply.

What it pays. CHF 13,500 a semester from autumn 2027 (about ₦21.6 million), with the tuition fee waived, for the normal length of the master's.

The date. The window is 1 to 30 November 2026, for a master's starting in autumn 2027. You apply for the scholarship inside this window, with your master's application. Submit by the morning of 30 November, Swiss time.

How it is won. On your bachelor's results and a short proposal you write yourself for a master's thesis.

First step this week. Choose the course and draft the thesis proposal before the window opens on 1 November.

Sources: ETH Zurich Excellence Scholarship, application dates

10. A science university in Saudi Arabia (KAUST)

Who it fits. A graduate applying to King Abdullah University of Science and Technology for a master's (or a doctorate) starting in autumn 2027. No nationality limit is stated. Students who already have outside sponsorship may not receive the fellowship.

What it pays. Full tuition (worth up to US$35,000 a year, about ₦46.5 million), base accommodation, health insurance, help with the visa and travel to Saudi Arabia, and US$20,000 a year to live for master's students (about ₦26.5 million). Doctoral students receive US$25,000 to US$30,000 a year (about ₦33 million to ₦40 million).

The date. Round 2 opened 28 September 2026 and closes 3 January 2027, with decisions on 25 February 2027. KAUST says these dates are tentative and may change with the number of applications, so do not wait for the holidays.

First step this week. Open the application and start the parts you control: your CV, your transcript request and your references.

Sources: KAUST fees and funding, admission timelines

The order to apply in

Apply in closing order, not favourite order.

• Today, 19 October: finish the Commonwealth form and send the board its part. Ask for your references and your transcript.
• 20 October, 4pm: the Commonwealth closes.
• 1 November: the first Copenhagen advert closes, and the ETH window opens.
• 8 November: the second Copenhagen advert closes.
• 15 November: OIST closes.
• 20 November: the Mastercard Foundation's fee waiver form is due.
• 27 November: the Swiss scholarship closes.
• 29 November: your real last day for Yenching (9am Beijing time on 30 November).
• 30 November: the ETH window closes.
• 1 December: Mundus MAPP closes for the scholarship.
• 8 December or 6 January: Gates Cambridge, by your course.
• 3 January 2027: KAUST Round 2 closes.

Before you accept anything, put the start date on the university's own page beside your NYSC passing-out date.

A message to send a lecturer this week

Good morning Dr [surname]. I graduated in [course] in [year] and I am applying for [the programme] at [university], which closes on [date]. I would be grateful if you could write a reference for me. I can send my transcript, my CV and a short note on what I want to study. Thank you, [your name].

What quietly ruins an application

• Sending the Commonwealth portal form and forgetting the board's part.
• Applying in the order you like instead of the order they close.
• Reading Yenching's 9am Beijing time as 9am in Nigeria.
• Waiting for the ETH window to open before writing the thesis proposal.
• Leaving KAUST for the Christmas holiday when its dates can move.
• Asking referees a week before the deadline.
• Paying OIST's fee before reading the requirements: it is not refunded.

If the answer is no

Keep every document you prepared. The weekly list is rebuilt every Monday with new openings, and the same transcript, CV and references carry into the next form. Comment LINKS under the Monday video and the new list comes to your DMs.

Also open this week

• Groundwater and Global Change joint master's, Europe. €1,400 a month (about ₦2.1 million). Closes 3 January 2027. Scholarships

Before you pay anybody

Every form here is on the university's or the funder's own site. Open the official page before you pay anybody. Nobody can promise a scholarship, including us. Only the funders and the universities decide.

Rekoja's desk

Paid help with your papers. You see the price first.

For a funded scholarship, only getting a document out is paid. Get your documents out: your transcript, WAEC result or council letter, collected and sent where it must go. A quote per document, before any work starts, with our charge and the official fee side by side. It is for anyone whose application needs papers from Nigeria, a funded scholarship included. Rekoja's desk

Rates used: £1 = ₦1,768, US$1 = ₦1,327, €1 = ₦1,492, 1 Swiss franc = ₦1,600, 1 Danish krone = ₦203, 1 yen = ₦8.51, from open.er-api.com on 17 October 2026. Naira figures are rounded.