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United Kingdom MastersUndergraduate Partial Funding

University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarships 2027: Africa Undergraduate & Master’s Guide

The University of Manchester offers generous Global Futures Scholarships for African students starting in September 2027, with awards up to £36,000 for undergraduates and £19,000 for master's degrees. These merit-based scholarships are open to students from Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, Botswana, South Africa, Egypt and Mauritius.

September 23, 2026 ⏰ Deadline: Apr 8, 2027

Quick Overview

Host CountryUnited Kingdom
University/OrgThe University of Manchester
Degree LevelUndergraduate, Masters
Funding TypePartial Funding
Fields of StudyAny eligible field except excluded courses
DeadlineApril 8, 2027

Scholarship Overview

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Overview

The University of Manchester Global Futures Scholarships 2027 provide substantial financial support for African students pursuing undergraduate and master’s degrees at one of the UK’s most prestigious institutions. With over 350 awards totaling more than £6 million, these scholarships recognise academic excellence and help talented students from Sub-Saharan Africa access world-leading education.

The scholarships are specifically designed for students from Botswana, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe and other eligible African nations. Manchester has a long history of welcoming African students, with over 400 students from Sub-Saharan Africa currently enrolled.

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Scholarship Value and Coverage

Undergraduate Awards

  • Value: Up to £36,000 total (£12,000 per year for three years)
  • Payment structure: £12,000 in year one, with continuation of £12,000 in years two and three conditional on achieving 60% in final exams and assessments each year
  • Form: Discount on published international tuition fees

Master’s Awards

  • Value: £19,000
  • Form: Discount on published overseas tuition fees
  • Number available: More than 250 merit-based scholarships globally

Eligibility Requirements

Undergraduate Scholarships

To qualify, you must:

  • Be domiciled in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Nigeria, South Africa or Zimbabwe (predominantly resident for the last three years)
  • Be applying for direct first-year entry in September 2027
  • Hold or be working towards: A-levels, IB Diploma, South African NSC or IEB, NCUK International Foundation Year, or Bridge House College Foundation
  • Be self-funded (not sponsored)
  • Select The University of Manchester as your ‘Firm’ UCAS choice by 15 May 2027

Not eligible: Medicine (MBChB), Dentistry (BDS), Architecture, courses with integrated foundation years, students who previously studied in the UK, or blended/distance learning programmes.

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Master’s Scholarships

To qualify, you must:

  • Be domiciled in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, Botswana, Zimbabwe or South Africa (predominantly resident for the last three years)
  • Hold an unconditional offer for a full-time, on-campus master’s course starting September 2027 by 20 April 2027
  • Be self-funded (not sponsored)

Not eligible: MBA, MPhil, Master of Architecture (MArch), Architecture and Urbanism (MA), Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA), MA Architecture and Digital Design, PGCE, Clinical Medicine and Dentistry degrees, some Master’s by Research courses, students who studied a Bachelor’s degree outside Africa, or blended/distance learning programmes.

Application Process

Undergraduate Applications

Applications proceed in two rounds based on your qualification:

  • Round 1: Students taking 2026 examinations (South African NSC/IEB or November series A Level) — deadline 25 February 2027
  • Round 2: All other students — deadline 8 April 2027

Notification dates:

  • Round 1 applicants: 2 April 2027
  • Round 2 applicants: 12 May 2027

Master’s Applications

  • Deadline: 20 April 2027
  • Notification: 24 May 2027

How to Apply

  1. Apply for an eligible course at The University of Manchester and receive an academic offer
  2. The scholarship application form will be emailed automatically to eligible offer-holders
  3. Complete and submit the online application form by the relevant deadline
  4. Forms are emailed from December 2026 until the closing date

Important: The application form is only available after you have applied for a course and received an offer. You cannot apply for the scholarship before receiving your course offer.

Entry Requirements for Nigerian and African Students

Undergraduate Entry

Nigerian applicants with WASSCE typically need to complete a recognised foundation programme first. Options include:

  • Science and Engineering: University’s integrated foundation year programme (requires high WASSCE grades including Mathematics and Physics)
  • Humanities, Social Sciences, Law, Nursing, Psychology: INTO Manchester foundation programmes (requires five SSCE passes at Grade B3 or higher)
  • NCUK International Foundation Year: Available in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt

For direct undergraduate entry, accepted qualifications include: SSSCE or WASSCE plus successful foundation completion; three GCE A-levels; or International Baccalaureate.

Postgraduate Entry

  • Master’s: Bachelor’s degree with minimum 2:1 class or GPA 3.5/5.0 (some courses accept good 2:2)
  • PhD: Master’s degree from a good university

English Language Requirements

  • Accepted tests: IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and other global English tests
  • WAEC English: Minimum B3 or B2 (depending on course requirements) if taken within last seven years
  • Postgraduate applicants: English requirement waived if Nigerian degree was taught entirely in English

Why Study at Manchester?

  • Global ranking: 40th in QS World University Rankings 2027, 8th in the UK
  • Research excellence: 93% of research activity assessed as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (REF 2021)
  • Employability: Most targeted university by UK top graduate employers (High Fliers Research 2026)
  • International community: Almost 14,500 non-EU students from 44,000+ total student body
  • Student city: Manchester is the UK’s most popular student city — diverse, budget-friendly, with 200+ languages spoken

Visa and Financial Support

Nigerian nationals require a UK study visa. The University recommends contacting their educational advisors IDP for visa counselling. Early tuition fee payments are possible through the Advance Payment Facility for unconditional offer-holders, with receipts available to support visa applications.

Contact and Representatives in Africa

IDP is the sole agency representing The University of Manchester in Nigeria, with offices in Lagos (Ikeja, Alausa, Victoria Island), Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Ibadan and Kano. Virtual support is also available.

Apply on the official site →

You apply directly with the provider. We never charge for applications or ask for payment details. How we verify scholarships

Funding Coverage

Undergraduate: up to £36,000 (£12,000/year for 3 years) as tuition fee discount; Master's: £19,000 as tuition fee discount

Eligibility Criteria

Citizens of Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Egypt or Mauritius; domiciled in eligible country for 3+ years; self-funded; unconditional offer holder by specified deadline; not previously studied in UK (undergraduate) or outside Africa (master's)

Required Documents

Online scholarship application form (emailed automatically to eligible offer-holders); academic transcripts; proof of qualification (A-levels, IB, NSC/IEB, NCUK IFY or Bridge House College Foundation for undergraduate; bachelor's degree for master's); personal statement

Application Process

1) Apply for eligible Manchester course and receive offer; 2) Receive automatic email with scholarship application form; 3) Complete and submit online form by deadline (8 April 2027 for most undergraduates, 20 April 2027 for master's); 4) Await decision notification
Apply Now — Official Website

You will be redirected to the official scholarship application page.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The scholarship application form is only emailed automatically to eligible students after they have applied for an eligible course and received an academic offer (conditional or unconditional). You must wait for this email before you can apply.
Scholarships are awarded based on academic excellence, predicted and achieved grades, and the strength of your personal statement. For undergraduates, the University may also consider overall cohort composition including representation across programmes, domicile, gender and qualification background. With over 350 awards available and more than £6 million in total funding, strong academic performers have competitive prospects.
No. The master's Global Futures Scholarship explicitly excludes applicants who studied a Bachelor's degree outside of Africa. You must have completed your undergraduate studies at an African institution to be eligible.
The undergraduate scholarship pays £12,000 in year one, with continuation of £12,000 in years two and three conditional on achieving 60% in final exams and assessments each year. If you do not meet this requirement, the scholarship will not continue for subsequent years.
You may not need IELTS. The University can usually accept a high score in English in WAEC exams (minimum B3 or B2 depending on course requirements) if taken within the last seven years. For postgraduate applicants, the English requirement is waived if your Nigerian degree was taught entirely in English.
Yes, you can apply based on predicted grades. For undergraduate scholarships, applications from A-level, IB and NCUK IFY students are assessed on previous examinations, predicted grades and personal statement strength. However, you must have selected Manchester as your 'Firm' UCAS choice by 15 May 2027 to remain eligible.

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