For many Nigerian students, studying in the UK feels like a dream that ends the moment tuition fees are mentioned. That’s exactly where scholarships come in, and one of the most relevant options right now is the University of Glasgow Excellence Award, specifically the African Excellence Award category.
This award is designed to support high-achieving students from Africa, including Nigeria, who possess the academic ability to succeed but require financial assistance to achieve their goals. Its main purpose is simple: reward academic excellence and reduce the cost of studying at one of the UK’s top universities.
Why does this matter? Because the University of Glasgow is a world-class institution, and this award opens the door for talented Nigerian students who might otherwise think UK education is out of reach.
What Is the University of Glasgow African Excellence Award?
The Excellence Award University of Glasgow is a merit-based scholarship offered to outstanding international students. The African Excellence Award is one of the regional awards under the broader University of Glasgow scholarships scheme.
Key things to know:
- It focuses on academic performance, not financial need.
- It is mainly for postgraduate taught (Master’s) students.
- It supports students admitted into selected programmes across multiple faculties.
How it’s different from other University of Glasgow funding opportunities:
Unlike some scholarships that require long essays or interviews, the Excellence Award is often automatically assessed once you secure an admission offer. That makes it one of the more accessible University of Glasgow merit-based scholarships.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the University of Glasgow Excellence Award, applicants typically must meet the following conditions:
- Hold an offer of admission for an eligible postgraduate taught programme
- Be classified as an international student for tuition purposes
- Be a citizen of an African country (Nigeria included)
- Demonstrate strong academic performance (first-class Honours)
- Meet all academic and language requirements of the chosen course
Important limitations:
- Not all programmes are eligible
- The award is competitive and limited in number
- It usually cannot be deferred to another academic year
Benefits of the University of Glasgow Excellence Award
The most common question interested applicants ask is: How much is this scholarship worth?
Here’s what the University of Glasgow Excellence Award benefits look like:
Award value: Covers the full tuition fee
Duration: One academic year (non-renewable)
Number of awards: About 16
While the scholarship covers the full tuition fee of the program, it does not include other expenses like accommodation, living expenses (food, transport fare, etc).
As per a statement by the government of the UK, students studying outside London in Universities like Glasgow must have at least £1,171 for up to 9 months unless they are boarding at the school hostel.
- AI in Education
- Adult Learning, Community Development & Youth Work Practice
- Advanced Functional Materials
- Advanced Imaging & Sensing
- Advanced Nursing Science
- Advanced Practice in Health Care
- Advanced Statistics
- Aerospace Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering & Management
- Ancient Cultures
- Animal Welfare Science, Ethics & Law
- Applied Linguistics
- Archaeology
- Archives, Records, & Information Management
- Art History
- Art History: Dress & Textile Histories
- Art History: Technical Art History, Making & Meaning
- Astrophysics
- Behavioural Science
- Bioinformatics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Biomedical Sciences
- Biomedical Sciences
- Biotechnology
- Biotechnology & Management
- Business Analytics
- Cancer Research & Precision Oncology
- Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease
- Chemistry
- Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry
- Children’s Literature & Literacies
- City Planning
- City Planning & Real Estate Development
- Civil Engineering
- Civil Engineering & Management
- Classics & Ancient History
- Climate & Environmental Science
- Climate Law & Justice
- Clinical Neuropsychology Knowledge & Practice
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Comparative Literature
- Computational Geoscience
- Computer Systems Engineering
- Computing Science
- Conservation Management of African Ecosystems
- Corporate & Financial Law
- Corporate Finance & Banking
- Creative Industries & Cultural Policy
- Creative Sound Design & Audiovisual Media
- Creative Writing
- Criminology & Criminal Justice
- Cybersecurity
- Data Analytics
- Data Analytics for Economics & Finance
- Data Science
- Data Science for Ecology & Epidemiology
- Digital Humanities
- Digital Society
- Early Modern History
- Earth Futures: Environments, Communities, Relationships
- Ecology & Environmental Biology
- Ecology & Environmental Monitoring (Dumfries Campus)
- Economic Development
- Economics
- Economics, International Banking & Finance
- Education, Public Policy & Equity
- Educational Studies
- Educational Studies
- Electronics & Electrical Engineering
- Electronics & Electrical Engineering & Management
- Electronics & Photonics Manufacturing
- English Language & Linguistics
- English Literature
- English Literature: American Modern Literature
- English Literature: Fantasy
- English Literature: Modernities – Literature, Culture, Theory
- Enhanced Practice in Education (Dumfries campus)
- Environment & Sustainable Development
- Environment, Culture & Communication (Dumfries campus)
- Environmental Risk Management (Dumfries campus)
- Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases & Antimicrobial Resistance
- Film & Television Studies
- Film Curation
- Filmmaking & Media Arts
- Finance & Management
- Financial Economics
- Financial Engineering
- Financial Risk Management
- Financial Technology
- Food Security
- Gender History
- Geoinformation Technology & Cartography
- Geomatics & Management
- Geospatial & Mapping Sciences
- Geospatial Data Science & AI
- Global Communications
- Global Cultural Enterprise
- Global Development
- Global Economy
- Global Health Policy & Society
- Global History
- Global Mental Health
- Global Security
- Health Services Management
- History
- Human Computer Interaction
- Human Geography: Spaces, Politics, Ecologies
- Human Nutrition
- Human Rights
- Human Rights & International Politics
- Immunology & Inflammatory Disease
- Inclusive Education: Research, Policy & Practice
- Infection Biology (with specialisms)
- Information Technology
- Integrative Neuroscience
- Intellectual Property & the Digital Economy
- International Accounting & Financial Management
- International Business
- International Commercial Law
- International Competition Law & Policy
- International Economic Law
- International Finance
- International Financial Analysis
- International Human Resource Management & Development
- International Law
- International Law & Security
- International Management & Design Innovation
- International Relations
- International Strategic Marketing
- Investment Banking & Finance
- Land & Hydrographic Surveying
- Land & Hydrographic Surveying with Work Placement
- Law
- Library & Information Studies
- MBA (Master of Business Administration)
- Management
- Management
- Management & Sustainable Tourism (Dumfries campus)
- Management with Enterprise & Business Growth
- Management with Human Resources
- Management with Marketing
- Marine & Coastal Management (Dumfries campus)
- Master of Global Business
- Material Culture & Artefact Studies
- Mathematics / Applied Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering & Management
- Mechatronics
- MedTech Innovation
- Media Management
- Media, Communications & International Journalism
- Media, Culture & Society
- Medical Devices Engineering
- Medical Genetics & Genomics
- Medieval History
- Ministry, Theology & Practice
- Modern History
- Museum Education
- Museum Studies
- Music Industries
- Musicology
- Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
- Nuclear & Environmental Physics
- Oral Sciences
- Philosophy
- Philosophy (Conversion)
- Philosophy of Mind & Psychology
- Playwriting & Dramaturgy
- Political Communication
- Precision Medicine
- Psychological Science (conversion)
- Psychological Science, Research Methods of
- Psychological Studies (conversion)
- Public Health
- Public Policy
- Public Policy & Management
- Quantum Technology
- Real Estate
- Religion & Global Challenges
- Reparatory Justice
- Robotics & AI
- Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies
- Science Communications
- Scottish History
- Sensor & Imaging Systems
- Social Science Research Methods
- Sociology
- Software Development
- Space Science
- Speech, Language & Sociolinguistics
- Sport & Exercise Science & Medicine
- Statistics
- Stem Cell Engineering for Regenerative Medicine
- Structural Engineering
- Sustainability & Corporate Governance
- Sustainable Energy
- Sustainable Tourism & Global Challenges (Dumfries campus)
- Sustainable Water Environments
- TESOL: Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages
- TESOL: Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages
- Theatre & Performance Practices
- Theatre Studies
- Theoretical Physics
- Tourism & Heritage (Dumfries campus)
- Translation & Intercultural Communication
- Urban Analytics
- Urban Transport
- War Studies
- Wealth Management & Private Equity
How to Apply for the University of Glasgow Excellence Award
Visit the Glasgow African Excellence Award website and review the requirements.
If you qualify, check the eligible programmes and click on the course you want to apply to. When you land on the course-specific page, also read the requirements to study the course you have chosen. Then scroll down and click on the apply button.
Once you have completed your application to the course, return to the Glasgow African Excellence Award website, locate the Apply button and click on it. Fill out the form with your correct information, application number and student number. The application number and student number were sent to your email after you applied to the programme you chose in the first step.
When you complete the application, wait for further instructions. The primary mode of communication is email.
The deadline for the application is 31st of March, 2026.
