If you graduated with a second class or lower, getting a Master’s degree may be more challenging than typical. This is due to the obvious fact that better results increase your likelihood of admission to a Master’s program.
However, difficult does not equate to impossibility. In actuality, you might discover that it is easier than you initially thought. In Germany, earning a Master’s degree in any subject is a wise move. German institutions are among the best for international students among non-English speaking nations.
After deciding on the course you want to take, the first thing a person with a second-class lower should do is focus on admission-free programs in Germany. Admission-free and admission-restricted programs are offered by German universities. While conducting your investigation, the university’s website will make the essence of the program abundantly evident.
Your Nigerian CGPA must then be converted to a German CGPA. Depending on the university, Nigeria’s highest CGPA is either 5.00 or 4.00. The highest, though, is 1.00 in Germany. Conversion is crucial for this reason.
Your chances of being accepted into a German university are very good if your Nigerian CGPA after conversion is between 1.00 and 2.50. This is because most German universities are less likely to accept a student whose CGPA after conversion is above 2.50 because it translates to being very low.
The next step is to submit an application after converting your CGPA and determining which university and admission-free program you want to attend.
The general prerequisites for each course vary, but they include a statement of purpose, statements of results, academic CV, reference letters from professors and employers, academic transcripts, university certificates, and results of English proficiency exams. Each course also has specific prerequisites.
These specifications change. You should carefully review the university website while conducting your study because some universities do not demand English proficiency exams, while others would accept declarations of results rather than university credentials.
Postgraduate scholarships for development
For graduates, this scholarship provides monthly payments of 861 euros; for doctoral candidates, it provides monthly payments of 1,200 euros. It also provides payments for health, accident, and personal liability insurance coverage; a travel allowance; and, in some cases, additional benefits like monthly rent assistance and a monthly allowance for accompanying family members.
Students with the following qualifications can access it:
- a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, often earned after four years of study
- The applicants have a minimum of two years of professional experience.
- After training, candidates are required to assume social responsibility, start and support change processes in their personal and professional environments, and demonstrate that their motivation is development-related.
Scholarship for the Helmut-Schmidt Program (Public Policy and Good Governance, PPGG)
This scholarship provides:
- Stipends of €850 per month for selected master’s programs at selected German universities.
- funding for studies and research
Whenever necessary, a monthly rent subsidy - allowances for partners and/or kids, as appropriate; a 6-month German language course that is required at certain German institutions.
Scholarship in Public Policy and Good Governance
This scholarship provides:
- Stipends of €850 per month for selected Master’s programs at selected German universities.
- contributions to German health insurance
- An appropriate travel budget
funding for studies and research
Whenever necessary, a monthly rent subsidy - allowances for partners and/or kids, as appropriate; a 6-month German language course that is required at certain German institutions.
Scholarship program run by Catholic Academic Exchange Service (KAAD)
This program is accessible to Catholic applicants who are recent graduates or academics with work experience who intend to pursue post-graduate studies or conduct research at a German institution of higher learning.
- Non-Christian candidates are also eligible for financing if they receive a recommendation from the nearby churches.
- The partner committees in the applicants’ home countries are where applications for this scholarship are filed.
- Applicants from Africa’s developing or transitioning nations are eligible for the scholarship.
