By Sodiq Adelakun
The Federal Ministry of Education has announced scholarship awards from the Italian Government for Nigerian postgraduate students.
The announcement was made on Friday, May 31, 2024, via the ministry’s social media page.
According to the ministry, the Italian Government is offering nine-month scholarships to 15 Nigerian students for studies in Italian universities and research centers.
One of the scholarship slots is dedicated to the memory of late Ambassador Luca Athanasius in the field of International Relations for the 2024/2025 academic session.
To be eligible, applicants must be between 28 and 30 years old. Interested students are encouraged to apply for this opportunity to further their education in Italy.
The statement stated, “Master’s Degree program: (Applicant must possess a good Bachelors’ degree, the second-year grant will depend on the applicant’s performance in the first year of the grant. Applicants must not be more than 28 years old by the deadline of this call.
“PhD program: Applicants must have a good Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree. Applicants need to meet the entry requirements and academic qualifications established by the University. Applicants must not be more than 30 years old by the deadline of this call.
“All applicants are required to provide an admission letter from any relevant Italian University.
“Interested applicants are to visit https://studyinitaly.esteri.it/ to submit application and further directives The Deadline for submission of the application is Friday 14th June, 2024.”
The ministry also revealed the grant for the postgraduate courses will be placed on a monthly stipend of 1,000.00 Euros (One thousand Euros) which will be disbursed on a quarterly basis.
Checks on the Italian Ministry of University and Research’s online portal showed that the scholarship was specifically created to accompany Italian and international students on their study path and to provide them with the broadest description of all the components of the Italian university system.
The Federal Ministry of Education, the regulatory body for education in Nigeria, has announced a scholarship opportunity for Nigerian students to study in Italy. The ministry’s Federal Scholarship Board is responsible for informing Nigerians about local and foreign scholarship opportunities.
This development is in line with the federal government’s efforts to increase access to higher education in Nigeria. Recently, the government invited qualified Nigerians to apply for the 2024/2025 Slovakia National Scholarship Program.
Furthermore, President Bola Tinubu has urged lawmakers to pass the Student Loan (Access to Higher Education) (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill, 2024, aimed at enhancing the implementation of the Higher Education Student Loan Scheme. The bill seeks to address challenges related to the management structure of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELF), eligibility requirements, loan purpose, funding sources, and disbursement and repayment procedures.