2026/2027 NNPC/Renaissance JV Niger Delta Postgraduate Overseas Scholarship

Applications are open for the 2026/2027 NNPC/Renaissance JV Niger Delta Postgraduate Overseas Scholarship, a fully funded opportunity for qualified graduates from Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, and Rivers States to pursue selected one-year master’s degree programmes in the United Kingdom.

The scholarship is offered by Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, operator of the NNPC/Renaissance/TotalEnergies/AENR Joint Venture, in partnership with Newcastle University, the University of Aberdeen, and Robert Gordon University.

The programme is designed to provide postgraduate training in disciplines relevant to the oil and gas industry while developing skilled professionals from the participating Niger Delta states.

About Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited

Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited is an integrated energy company focused on supporting energy security and industrial development in Nigeria and across Africa.

The company operates the NNPC/Renaissance/TotalEnergies/AENR Joint Venture and supports education and capacity-building initiatives aimed at developing skilled professionals for Nigeria’s energy sector.

About the Scholarship

The NNPC/Renaissance JV Niger Delta Postgraduate Overseas Scholarship provides eligible candidates with funding to complete a one-year postgraduate degree at one of three participating universities in the United Kingdom.

The scholarship is available for the academic year commencing in September 2026. Applicants must first secure admission into an approved programme before applying for the scholarship through the relevant university.

Scholarship Details

• Scholarship Type: Fully funded postgraduate scholarship
• Study Level: Master’s degree
• Study Destination: United Kingdom
• Programme Duration: One year
• Academic Session: 2026/2027
• Expected Start Date: September 2026
• Eligible States: Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, and Rivers
• Participating Universities: Newcastle University, University of Aberdeen, and Robert Gordon University
• Application Deadline: 17th July, 2026

The University of Aberdeen’s official scholarship page confirms the 17th July, 2026 deadline and states that applications must be submitted through the participating university after receiving an admission offer.

Scholarship Benefits

The scholarship covers:

• Full tuition fees
• One economy return flight from Nigeria to the United Kingdom
• Contribution towards living expenses
• Settling-in allowance

Participating Universities

Successful applicants will study at one of the following institutions:

• Newcastle University
• University of Aberdeen
• Robert Gordon University

Applicants must apply for an eligible programme at their preferred university and obtain an admission offer before completing the scholarship application.

Eligible Courses at Newcastle University

• MSc Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
• MSc Sustainable Chemical Engineering
• MSc Environmental Engineering
• MSc Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

Eligible Courses at the University of Aberdeen

• MSc Geophysics
• MSc Safety and Reliability Engineering for Oil and Gas
• MSc Advanced Chemical Engineering
• MSc Integrated Petroleum Geoscience
• MSc Data Science
• MSc Renewable Energy Engineering

Eligible Courses at Robert Gordon University

• MSc Advanced Computing
• MSc Oil and Gas Engineering
• MSc Drilling and Well Engineering
• MSc Renewable Energy Engineering

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must:

• Be an indigene of Bayelsa, Delta, Imo, or Rivers State.
• Demonstrate strong intellectual ability and leadership potential.
• Have an adequate standard of English.
• Have a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 or meet the chosen university’s English-language requirements.
• Have received an admission offer for one of the approved courses.
• Hold, or expect to hold before the programme begins, a degree equivalent to a UK Upper Second-Class Honours degree.
• Have completed the National Youth Service Corps programme by September 2026.
• Be between 21 and 28 years old by 30th September, 2026.
• Hold a Nigerian international passport valid until at least December 2027.
• Not have previously studied in the United Kingdom or another developed country.

Ineligible Applicants

The following individuals are not eligible to apply:

• Employees of Renaissance JV.
• Relatives of Renaissance JV employees.
• Former employees who left the organisation less than five years before the application.
• Employees or relatives of employees of the participating universities.
• Applicants who have previously studied in the United Kingdom or another developed country.
• Applicants who do not hold an offer for an eligible postgraduate programme.

Application Process

Applicants should follow these steps:

• Choose an eligible master’s programme at Newcastle University, the University of Aberdeen, or Robert Gordon University.
• Submit an admission application through the chosen university’s normal application process.
• Receive a formal admission offer for the eligible programme.
• Complete the scholarship application through the relevant university.
• Submit the completed scholarship application before the deadline.
• Attend an interview if shortlisted.
• Await the final selection decision from the university and Renaissance JV.

Scholarship forms are only made available through the participating universities, and candidates must first receive a formal admission offer before applying for the award.

Application Deadline

Deadline: 17th July, 2026

How to Apply

Interested applicants should first apply for admission into an eligible programme at one of the following universities: