How to Study in the UK from Nigeria?
The United Kingdom is a hub of many prestigious and world-recognised universities. Many international students aspire to get a British higher degree like the bachelor’s or master’s degree. Like other international students, it’s an inquiry of many Nigerian students how to study in the UK from Nigeria. Lets know the process of studying in a British university.
Why do students choose to study in the UK from Nigeria?
The United Kingdom is such a country that provides the highest number of benefits to the international students. A student can be sure of a fantastic career by getting a British degree. Besides, it allows students to meet new people, experience different cultures and traditions, and mostly enjoy the student life. Let’s know the benefits a Nigerian student will have by taking a British degree.
- Internationally recognised degree.
- Increase practical learning skills.
- Chance to enroll in the world’s top universities.
- Quality education.
- Short duration courses
- Per-time work opportunities.
- Post-study work permission.
- Free medical treatment.
- Explore the multicultural country
- Outstanding weather
- Various study options.
Admission process to study in the UK from Nigeria.
An international student needs to follow an admission process to study abroad. The procedures should be exact and step by step. Here are the steps of admission process-
- Research on the universities and the courses. You might check location, ranking and facilities offered by the Universities.
- Shortlist some universities and the courses by checking the entry requirements, fee, scholarship, CAS deposit, installment plan.
- Finalize a few options and apply directly or take help from agent to apply
- Get a conditional or unconditional offer letter.
- Pay minimum CAS deposit
- Provide proof of funds and TB test certificate for the CAS. You may need to pass a pre-cas interview before getting the CAS
- Once CAS is issued apply for the visa
- Get the visa and plan your travel.
Entry requirements to study in the UK from Nigeria.
When you are applying from Nigeria to the United Kingdom, your eligibility must match the entry requirements of a British university. As the education system is different between the UK and Nigeria, you should have the required Academic and English language qualification to get a British degree. Different courses have different entry requirements. Such as:
Foundation Courses
International Foundation Programme.
Entry Criteria:
- WAEC/NECO Senior School Certificate with C6 or above in 5 subjects ( to include mathematics for STEM pathway)
- Attain an overall score of UKVI IELTS 4.0 with no band less than 4.0 in each band. You may be able to study a foundation year without IELTS in certain universities.
Undergraduate Course
Each programme will have slightly different academic requirements. Certain subjects may demand high scores. Ulster university normally welcomes Nigerian students with these minimum requirements.
Undergraduate Qualifications:
- Ordinary or Higher National Diploma Lower credit.
- Diploma from Federal University with Lower credit.
- Successful completion of Level 100 (Year 1) of a Nigerian Degree Programme with overall 50%.
- National Certificate of Education with at least a lower credit.
- The International Foundation program from Westerfield College with a pass in all subjects. ( 55% or higher overall.)
Postgraduate Courses
Students who hold a degree equivalent to a UK first degree in the relevant subjects area can apply for the taught program. However entry requirements may slightly vary from course to course. Here are the general entry requirements for the Nigerian students to take a postgraduate course in the United Kingdom.
Postgraduate Qualifications:
Bachelor Degree
- 2:2- 50% or above ( normally CGPA 3.0 /5 or 2.0/4)
- 2:1- 60% or above ( normally CGPA 3.5/5 or 3.0/4)
English Language Entry Requirements
For the English language qualifications, the UKVI accepts different qualifications including from Nigeria. Such as: West African Examinations Council Senior School Certificate ( WASSCE) or NECO with a grade of C or 6 in English.
Other English Language Test to study in the UK from Nigeria are-
- PTE Academic
- Cambridge English proficiency test.
- Oxford Test of English.
- TOEFL IBT and many more.
What if your IELTS (UKVI) score is not sufficient?
Don’t worry if you have IELTS but the score is not up to the mark to study in the UK from Nigeria. Taking a pre-sessional English course, you will be eligible to take a degree in the UK.
Course option to study in the UK from Nigeria.
There are various course options available for international students in the United Kingdom. For the higher study aspiring Nigerian students, there is a 1-year Master’s degree and a 3-years Bachelor’s degree programme available. In the United Kingdom, you can find the course options like-
- Undergraduate
- Postgraduate
- 2 year accelerated degree.
- PhD/Research Degree
- Integrated Masters
However, if a student needs a pre-university education, he can take courses like-
- Foundation or Pathway.
- Pre-masters
- Pre-sessional English course.
Visa application steps to study in the UK from Nigeria.
After getting a CAS, a student will be able to apply for a general student visa. There are many steps and processes through which a student can achieve a student visa. Let’s know about the visa application steps to obtain a British student visa successfully.
- Select the right visa type.
- Start making visa applications.
- Find out the amount you need to pay for the visa application.
- Make an appointment by choosing your nearest visa application center.
- Upload all the necessary documents.
- Visit the visa application center.
- Track your application.
- Collect your passport.
Necessary university application documents to study in the UK from Nigeria.
When you apply to a UK university from Nigeria, you need to submit some specific documents while making your application. Such as:
- Passport.
- All academic certificates and transcripts.
- Documents on English language proficiency.
- CV
- Reference letter
- Personal statement.
- Portfolio ( for the art and design courses)
(Documents that are not in English, must be translated by an official translator).
Eligibility to get a student visa to study in the UK from Nigeria.
To get a British student visa, an international student must have the following eligibility.
- Must have an unconditional offer letter from the licensed student sponsor.
- Should have English language proficiency.
- Required amount of money to support yourself and your dependents while staying in the UK.
However, if you are 16 or 17, and want to apply to a British University, then you need a Child Student Visa.
Mandatory visa documents to study in the UK from Nigeria.
When you apply for a student visa, there are some important documents you need to submit with it. However, The earliest you can apply for a visa from outside of the United KIngdom is 6 months before you start your course. Usually, you will get a decision within 3 weeks on your visa application.
- An international passport.
- Need sufficient funds to bear the living expenses for the duration of the course.
- A CAS reference number and documents that are needed to apply for a CAS.
- A valid ATAS certificate if required.
- If you’ve received a sponsorship for your course fees and living cost in the last 12 months, provide written consent for your application from the financial sponsor.
- CV and work reference (if they have more than 3 years study gaps).
- Tuberculosis test report if you are coming to the United Kingdom for more than 6 months.
- Provide parental consent if you are under 18.
- Provide proof of relationship if you are under 18.
You may need to submit some additional documents if you are-
- If you are not a citizen of the country you are applying from.
- Under the age of 18.
- Want to bring dependents with you.
UK visa application centers to study in the UK from Nigeria.
TLS contact is your partner for all the visa applications to study in the United Kingdom from Nigeria. The application centers are-
- Lagos Victoria Island ( an additional fee of £55 is required to use this location.)
- Abuja
- Lagos Ikeja.
Priority and Super-Priority visa to study in the UK from Nigeria.
Every year millions of students apply for a British student visa. For this reason, UKVI is experiencing a considerable demand for visas. For this reason, the visa application process may take longer. In this situation, if students need to process their application earlier, they can choose the priority or super-priority visa service. Let’s know about them-
Priority Visa
If you need your visa in hurry, you can use Priority visa service from UKVI. After submitting the biometric information, the UKVI will contact you to inform you that your passport is ready within 5 working days. But for this service, you may need to pay some extra fees. Before applying, make sure your visa application center offers this type of visa or not.
Super Priority Visa
If you want to get your visa for the minimum period of time, then the super priority visa service is for you. After providing the biometric information, UKVI will immediately make a decision on your visa application and will inform you to collect your passport within 24 hours. But there will be an extra charge for this visa service.
Scholarship opportunities to study in the UK from Nigeria.
For an international student, a scholarship is a great help to minimize the cost of study abroad. Besides, getting a scholarship is a prestigious thing. Let’s know about the scholarship opportunities for Nigerian students.
- Postgraduate Scholarships to study in the UK from Nigeria.
- GREAT Scholarship
- Commonwealth Master’s scholarships.
- British Chevening Scholarship
- International scholarships
- Country scholarships
Employment opportunities to study in the UK from Nigeria.
The United Kingdom is not only famous for the top-quality education but also for the opportunities it provides to the international students. Throughout the studying, a student will get 20 hours of part-time work opportunities in a week. Besides, during the term break or vacation, a student can work full-time. However, the facilities aren’t finished here. After completing a degree, a student will get 2-3 years of post-study work permission through a Graduate Route Visa. Let’s know about the eligibility to get a graduate route visa.
What is the eligibility to get a Graduate Route Visa in the UK from Nigeria?
To apply for a graduate route visa, you should have some required eligibility.
- You must be in the United Kingdom
- Your current visa should be the general student visa.
- For a minimum period of time, you must have a Bachelor, Masters, or other qualifying degree.
To apply for a graduate route visa, you must need one of the following courses.
- A British undergraduate degree.
- A British postgraduate degree.
- A British PhD or Doctoral degree.
You can also apply if you have completed one of the following-
- a law conversion course approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority
- the Legal Practice Course in England and Wales, the Solicitors Course in Northern Ireland, or a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice in Scotland
- the Bar Practice Course in England and Wales, or the Bar Course in Northern Ireland
- a foundation programme in medicine or dentistry
- a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
- a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PGDE
Do and Don’t with a Graduate Route Visa.
Getting a graduate route visa is fantastic, right? But with this visa, there comes some allowance and restrictions. Let’s know about them-
Do:
- Work in most jobs.
- Look for work.
- Be self employed.
- Staying with the dependents.
- Do voluntary work.
- Travel abroad and return to the United Kingdom
Don’t
- Cannot apply for the state pension or public fund.
- Work as a professional sports person.
Can I apply for the visa without the bank statement to study in the UK from Nigeria?
Yes, if you can submit an education loan letter from a recognized financial institution confirming the education loan, you can apply for the visa with that loan letter. According to the Immigration Rules, here is the evidence of financial sponsorship or student loans for students.
- An applicant relying on a student loan under must show evidence of the student loan by providing a student loan letter from the lender which must:
(a) be dated no more than 6 months before the date of application; and
(b) confirm the loan is a student loan provided to the applicant by either the relevant government or a government sponsored student loan company or an academic or educational loans scheme; and
(c) confirm there are no conditions on release of the loan funds other than a successful application to study in the Great Britain as a Student or Child Student; and
(d) confirm the amount of the loan; and
(e) confirm the loan is to the applicant; and
(f) confirm the funds will be:
(i) before traveling to the UK; the fund should be available to the applicant, or
(ii) before the applicant travels to the United Kingdom, paid it directly to the student sponsor with any living cost portion of the loan being made available to the applicant by the time they arrive in the UK; or
(iii) if the loan is provided by the applicant’s national government, it should be available before the applicant begins their course ; and
(g) confirm the lender meets the requirement at FIN 8.3(c).
Accommodation system to study in the UK from Nigeria.
You might be worried about the accommodation system when you first step to the UK for education purposes. But the United Kingdom is quite flexible regarding the accommodation system. For the first year students, it assures a 100% accommodation facility. Ask your university if there are any accommodation facilities and what type of accommodation they offer. Besides, there are many private rental options also available. If you want to study in this country through AIMS Education, a student consultancy firm, our expert counselors can help you to study at your desired British university. In terms of accommodation, AIMS Education has a partnership with Amberstudent.com. You can contact us if you find any accommodation problems in the United Kingdom.
FAQ-Frequently Asked Questions
A student must follow some steps to get a student visa in the UK. They are-
● Secure admission to your desired university.
● Obtain the CAS number.
● You must be tested for Tuberculosis.
● Sufficient financial statement.
● Sponsorship letter
● All the previous admission documents.
● Pay the visa fee
To apply for the British student visa, a student needs to pay the visa fee. The fee is 348 GBP.
Usually, a Nigerian student will get a decision on a student visa within 3 weeks.
If your application is successful, you will get either:
● A biometric residence permit- if you gave your biometric information at a visa application center.
● A digital immigration status which you can view and prove online-if you used the ‘UK Immigration: ID check app.
A student will need these required points to get a student visa to study in the UK from Nigeria–
● CAS-50
● English-10
● Financial documents-10
1. Course fees for the first year and up to 9 months of living expenses.
● Living expense for London-based university- {(1334*9)=12006}
● Living expense for outside of London- {(1023*9)=9207}
For example, if your course fee is £14000 and you have paid £4000. To study at a London-based university, the total amount you need to show is £22006.
Yes, you must attend a medical test and pass it to get a student visa and study in the UK.
You might attend an interview to get a student visa. This is called a credibility interview through which the authority will try to bring out your real intention.
The popular courses the students choose in British universities are Business, Economics, Management, Law, Sociology, Psychology, English Literature, Engineering, Medicine, and many more.
