SchoolRegistry Pathways
Study abroad placement for Nigerian students, free to the family
Build a profile, get a shortlist of universities your budget can carry and a visa officer is likely to accept, and have a counsellor take the application through. Universities pay us when a student enrols; you pay only the third parties, and we list them.
Start where you are
I know the country
See all 13 destinations, what a year costs in naira, the funds each visa asks for and the refusal band.
Compare destinations →
I know the university
The universities we apply to directly, with real course counts, fees in naira and live application deadlines.
See universities →
I need funding first
PTDF, Chevening, DAAD, Commonwealth and more: who qualifies, what each covers, and what to do if you miss out.
See scholarships →
I am still deciding
Guides by region including the Gulf, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Malaysia, plus the cost calculator and readiness rankings.
Browse guides →
How it works
Step 1
Profile
Grades, budget, destinations, timing. Two minutes.
Step 2
Shortlist and risk screen
Three tiers of destinations that fit, and the questions a visa officer will ask about this file, before any money moves.
Step 3
Counsellor
A person on WhatsApp within one working day: programmes, documents, the real invoice, the application through our partner platform.
Step 4
Offer, deposit, visa file
We handle the offer and the university's paperwork; you lodge the visa with our checklist. Pre-departure support after.
What your family pays, and to whom
| Item | Paid to | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|
| SchoolRegistry Pathways placement | Nobody | ₦0 |
| Application fee | The university (many charge none through a partner) | ₦0 to ₦150,000 |
| English test | IELTS, TOEFL, PTE or Duolingo | ₦120,000 to ₦380,000 |
| Tuition deposit | The university, after the offer | 10 to 50 percent of first-year tuition |
| Visa fee and medical | The embassy or its visa centre | By destination; listed on your plan |
| Proof of funds | Stays in your own account | By destination; listed on your plan |
How Pathways is paid, and what we never promise
Placement is free to families. Universities pay SchoolRegistry a fee when a student we place enrols. It never changes your fee and it never changes which programme we recommend: the shortlist is ordered by fit, then refusal risk, then cost to you, and that rule is printed with every list. We do not promise admission or a visa, to anyone. Pathways is operated by Academic Support Services NG Ltd (RC 9416237), Ikeja, Lagos; write to pathway@schoolregistry.ng.
Destinations, with typical yearly cost for an undergraduate
Tuition plus living, converted at the live rate (US$1 = ₦1,331, rates read 16 Oct 2026, 19:48 UTC). Planning bands, not offers; the rules change every year and we re-check them each intake.
| Destination | Set | Cost per year | Refusal band | Intakes | Dependants | After graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ireland Growing Nigerian intake; visa decisions run four to eight weeks; proof of funds must show a full year of living costs. | Lead set | ₦32,844,900 to ₦55,239,150 | moderate | September, January (some programmes) | Not for undergraduate or taught master's students. | Graduates can stay to look for work: one year after a degree, two after a master's. |
| Netherlands The university applies for the residence permit on your behalf, which is why refusals are rare once admitted. English-taught degrees are the norm. | Lead set | ₦30,605,475 to ₦41,056,125 | low | September, February (some programmes) | Possible but funds for each must be shown. | One-year orientation visa after graduation. |
| Germany Public universities are near-free and pay no agent, so they are not on this list; we point families to them anyway when the profile fits. The blocked account (about 11,900 euros for a year) is the proof of funds. Appointment waits at the Lagos consulate can be long. | Lead set | ₦32,701,577 to ₦47,631,077 | moderate | October, April | Possible with additional funds. | 18-month job-seeker residence after graduation. |
| Hungary Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and engineering in English at Debrecen, Pecs, Szeged and Budapest are the draw; the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarship exists but Nigeria's quota is small. | Lead set | ₦14,183,025 to ₦21,647,775 | moderate | September, February | Rare for students. | Limited; most graduates move on within the EU or return. |
| Poland Low fees and English-taught business, IT and engineering degrees; the consulate expects a clean, complete file and a credible sponsor. | Lead set | ₦13,436,550 to ₦17,915,400 | moderate | October, February | Rare for students. | Graduates may stay to look for work. |
| Cyprus (Republic) EU member; degrees recognised across Europe. Not to be confused with Northern Cyprus, whose universities are cheaper but not recognised by most of the EU. | Lead set | ₦20,901,300 to ₦28,366,050 | low | September, January | Not for students. | Limited. |
| Malaysia The student pass is arranged through the university's EMGS portal, so refusals are rare; UK and Australian degrees are available through branch campuses at a fraction of the home fee. | Lead set | ₦11,980,710 to ₦18,636,660 | low | January, May, September | Not for students. | Limited; most graduates return or move on. |
| Turkey Private English-taught universities in Istanbul and Ankara; the Turkiye Burslari scholarship is fully funded and open to Nigerians, with a January deadline. | Lead set | ₦9,983,925 to ₦16,639,875 | low | September, February | Rare for students. | Limited. |
| United Arab Emirates UK, US and Australian branch campuses in Dubai and Abu Dhabi; the university sponsors the student visa, so refusal is rare. Living costs are the catch. | Lead set | ₦27,954,990 to ₦42,598,080 | low | September, January | Rare for students. | Graduates can look for work; employer sponsorship is the route. |
| United Kingdom Nigerian applicants face high refusal rates and strict credibility interviews; proof of funds must have sat in the account for 28 days. Foundation years exist for WAEC students who miss direct entry. | Stricter rules | ₦45,899,880 to ₦65,319,060 | high | September, January (many master's) | Barred for undergraduate and taught master's students since January 2024. | Graduate visa: 18 months after a degree for most, longer for a doctorate. |
| Canada Study permits are capped and most applications need a provincial attestation letter; Nigerian approval rates are low. Only worth an application with a strong file and funds well above the minimum. | Stricter rules | ₦30,954,660 to ₦46,901,000 | high | September, January, May | Restricted since 2024; spousal permits mainly for master's and doctoral students. | Post-graduation work permit, tied to the programme and institution type. |
| United States Visa interviews in Lagos and Abuja are the gate, with long waits and high refusal for Nigerians; community colleges and the private institutions that pay flat fees are the affordable path. | Stricter rules | ₦46,591,650 to ₦79,871,400 | high | August, January | Possible on F-2, no work. | OPT: one year, three for STEM. |
| Australia Enrolment caps, high living costs and a large visa fee; Nigeria sits in the highest-scrutiny group. Last on our list for that reason. | Stricter rules | ₦42,347,140 to ₦60,758,940 | high | February, July | Possible with substantial extra funds. | Temporary graduate visa, two to four years by level. |
Gulf, Türkiye and the Muslim world
Free-tuition and scholarship routes that a lot of Nigerian families never hear about, and the destinations northern families most often ask us for. We place into Dubai and Malaysia directly; the rest are guides, and the call is where we work out which one your budget reaches.
The free Pathways clinic
Every Wednesday from 12 noon to 2pm, Lagos time, a counsellor is available to go through your plan with you: which countries your budget reaches, what to prepare, and what to do next. It is free and you do not need to have started a plan.
Questions families ask about Pathways
How do I choose a study abroad agent in Nigeria?
Ask four things before you pay anyone. Who pays the agent: the family, the university, or both? What exactly is the fee for, and is it in writing? Will they put the application in your own name with your own login, so you can see it? And will they tell you plainly when the budget does not reach? Be wary of any agent who promises admission or a visa, asks for cash into a personal account, or will not show you the university's offer letter. Pathways is free to the family because universities pay us when a student enrols, and the shortlist rule is printed on every plan.
How much does a study abroad agent charge in Nigeria?
Agents charge in different ways: a fee from the family, a commission from the university, or both, and some charge extra for visa support. Because the models differ, ask for the total the family will pay, in writing, and what each part covers. With Pathways the family pays us nothing; you pay only the university's deposit and tuition, an English test, the visa fee and any proof of funds, and we list each one.
I want to japa. Is studying abroad the way?
Japa is the Nigerian word for leaving the country. Studying abroad is one legal route, and it needs an admission, proof of funds and a visa. We help families who want to study abroad and we do not promise a visa. If the budget does not reach, the plan says so and shows what the same money buys at home.
What does Pathways cost my family?
Nothing. Universities pay SchoolRegistry a recruitment fee when a student we place enrols. What you pay goes to third parties: the university's deposit and tuition, an English test, the visa fee and any proof-of-funds requirement. Those figures are listed per destination above.
Does the university's fee change which programme you recommend?
No. The shortlist is ordered by fit to the student, then by the destination's refusal band for Nigerian applicants, then by cost to the family, and that rule is printed on every plan. A percentage fee would tempt an agent toward the dearest programme; the printed rule is our answer to that.
Can you guarantee admission or a visa?
No, and anyone who says they can is lying to you. What we do is match the profile to universities it fits, prepare a complete and honest file, and tell you the refusal band before you spend money on an application.
Why do you lead with Ireland, Malaysia, Cyprus and Eastern Europe rather than the UK and Canada?
Because the UK barred dependants for most students in 2024, Canada capped study permits and cut them again, Australia capped intakes, and refusal rates for Nigerian applicants at all three are high. The lead set has lower fees, lower refusal and less competition. The UK, Canada, the US and Australia stay on the list, marked 'stricter rules', for profiles and budgets that can carry them.
Who handles the application?
A counsellor works your application through our partner platform, chases the documents, handles the offer, the deposit and the visa letter. The visa application itself is yours, prepared with our checklist; we never lodge it in your name.
What if the budget does not reach any destination?
The plan says so, before any application fee, and shows what the same budget buys at home: Nigerian university routes and the Academy's career tracks. A family that cannot fund abroad is not a lost lead to us, it is a family we can still help.