“Fully funded” is a starting point for a question, not a complete budget. Read the scholarship’s own terms to find out which costs it pays, any limits, when the money arrives and what you must arrange yourself. Two awards described informally with the same phrase can leave applicants with different costs.
For a Nigerian graduate planning a master’s abroad, the most useful document is a cost-by-cost coverage sheet. Build it before relying on an award to make a course affordable. The checklist below helps you separate confirmed support from assumptions.
A tuition award and a broader package are different
The British Council’s GREAT Scholarships page for Nigeria, 2026–27 describes £10,000 towards tuition for a one-year taught postgraduate course. That is a tuition contribution; it does not establish that all tuition or living costs are paid.
By comparison, Chevening lists a broader package covering tuition, specified travel and allowances, a living stipend and certain application-related costs. Read the scope of each benefit: some costs are expressly for the scholar only.
Even within a broad package, limits matter. Chevening’s course guidance states a £22,000 tuition contribution cap for MBA programmes, with additional fees the applicant’s responsibility. Use the current terms for your award and intake rather than assuming a headline removes every shortfall.
Copy this scholarship coverage worksheet
Create one copy per award. When copying the checklist into your own sheet, add an answer column for the confirmed amount or rule, its official link and the date checked. Write “not confirmed” when the information is missing; an empty cell is too easy to mistake for a covered cost.
| Cost to check | Questions to answer |
|---|---|
| Tuition | All fees or a fixed contribution? Is there a course cap, deposit or excluded charge? |
| Living costs | What is paid, for how many months, and when does the first payment arrive? |
| Travel | Which journeys, who books, and what limits or reimbursement rules apply? |
| Visa and required checks | Which named costs are covered, for whom, and are they paid upfront or reimbursed? |
| Application preparation | Are tests, transcripts, translations or application fees included? |
| Accommodation setup | Do you need to pay a deposit or temporary housing before funding starts? |
| Dependants | Is any support expressly provided? Do not assume your own award extends to family. |
| Unexpected costs | What remains outside the award, and how would you cover it? |
These are questions to investigate, not a claim that every scholarship includes—or excludes—each item. Add costs specific to the destination and programme only after checking their official requirements.
Separate total coverage from payment timing
An expense can be covered eventually while still requiring money from you first. In your worksheet, add three columns: amount due, payment deadline and expected scholarship payment date. If the dates do not line up, mark a cash gap rather than treating the expense as solved.
For example, imagine an award letter says an approved cost will be reimbursed after arrival. Even if the whole amount is eligible, you still need a confirmed way to pay it before arrival. This is a fictional illustration of timing, not a description of a particular scholarship.
Ask the funder about unclear costs
Subject: Clarification of award coverage — [scholarship and intake]
Dear [Scholarship Team],
I am reviewing the published coverage for [award]. The guidance states [specific wording or benefit]. Could you confirm whether [named cost] is included, any cap, and whether payment is made directly or by reimbursement? If reimbursement applies, when can a scholar normally claim, and what evidence is required?
Please also direct me to the terms that apply to [entry year].
Thank you,
[Name]
Keep the reply alongside the award terms. A social-media comment or another recipient’s experience may help you identify a question, but it cannot establish what your own award will pay.
Compare the remaining gap, not just the award amount
- List the programme’s confirmed costs in their original currencies.
- Subtract only scholarship support confirmed for those same costs.
- Keep uncertain amounts visible instead of counting them as zero.
- Record exchange-rate assumptions separately if you make a naira budget.
- Compare funding deadlines with the course application timeline. Use our scholarship application-order guide to check whether an offer is required first.
- Read acceptance conditions before making commitments.
A larger award can still leave a larger gap if the associated programme costs more. Keep academic eligibility separate too: our guide to master’s applications with a second-class lower degree explains why course admission and scholarship selection need separate checks.
Once an award looks workable, prepare the application documents and give your referees a clear briefing. A careful budget helps you focus that effort on opportunities you can realistically take up.
Sources checked on 21 September 2026. See our editorial policy or report a correction.