Thirty Nigerian students have received fully-funded scholarships totaling $4.35 million to study in varsities and colleges in the United States for the 2021/2022 academic session.
The US consulate general in Lagos broke the news at a briefing held in honour of the selected students on Thursday.
According the consulate, the offer was made possible through its EducationUSA Opportunity Funds programme for scholars.
It said the beneficiaries — which include six undergraduates, three masters and 21 doctoral candidates — will be studying courses such as Neuroscience, Computer Science and Engineering.
The consulate added that they were accepted by top US varsities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia University, Princeton University, Purdue University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Claire Pierangelo, the consul general, who spoke at the event, urged the beneficiaries to make the most of the opportunity.
“I congratulate each one of you on your tremendous success. Your success is evidence of your leadership, academic performance, and the great potential young Nigerians hold for the future of this country,” Pierangelo said.
“This is a very important step in your life. I strongly encourage you to maximize this opportunity. This is not just in reference to your education as you have proven yourselves to be academically outstanding students.
“I am also referring to your chance to broaden your horizons and embrace the diversity of people around you and learn, not just about America, but also about other cultures.”
Ekene Ezeunala, one of the selected students, described the initiative as “a truly life changing experience.”
The 17-year-old, who had the highest score at the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), is to study Computer Science and Mathematics at Columbia University.
“EducationUSA opened up a whole new world of opportunities and resources I never knew were available to me,” Ezeunala said.
The EducationUSA Opportunity Funds assists highly qualified but low-income students finance the upfront costs of obtaining admission with full financial aid to top schools in the United States.
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