Reject without consideration of credentials and application materials at all? I guess that’s hard to say without specifics, but I agree that that’s reprehensible. Reputable universities should not do that, and to my knowledge (as a departmental graduate director until my retirement), that never happened at my university. However, there are certainly factors that can work against Nigerian applicants:

1/ A history of applicants with fraudulent credentials from certain universities; often requests for further substantiation or for official (i.e. not mere copies) documents are ignored, or take so long in coming that scholarship deadlines have passed.

2/ Some universities are known for generally low standards and grade inflation (e.g. a first class degree might be deemed as no better than lower division second class, thus falling short of the minimum admission standard).

My university used algorithms for converting grades from foreign institutions into equivalent local grades. These algorithms were reviewed and adjusted based on the university’s experience with applications from those foreign institutions, as well as its experience with the capabilities and success rates of students accepted in the past. Transcripts from some institutions were discounted as a result.

Sadly, no system is perfect and I wouldn’t doubt that some good students were disadvantaged through no fault of their own.

In my own department (philosophy) a first cut was often made on the basis of a sample of writing (e.g. an essay submitted for a class). If for a graduate school application, someone submits a sample of writing that wouldn’t have passed in any of our own undergraduate classes there is no point in proceeding further.

Reject without consideration of credentials and application materials at all? I guess that’s hard to say without specifics, but I agree that that’s reprehensible. Reputable universities should not do that, and to my knowledge (as a departmental graduate director until my retirement), that never happened at my university. However, there are certainly factors that can work against Nigerian applicants:

1/ A history of applicants with fraudulent credentials from certain universities; often requests for further substantiation or for official (i.e. not mere copies) documents are ignored, or take so long in coming that scholarship deadlines have passed.

2/ Some universities are known for generally low standards and grade inflation (e.g. a first class degree might be deemed as no better than lower division second class, thus falling short of the minimum admission standard).

My university used algorithms for converting grades from foreign institutions into equivalent local grades. These algorithms were reviewed and adjusted based on the university’s experience with applications from those foreign institutions, as well as its experience with the capabilities and success rates of students accepted in the past. Transcripts from some institutions were discounted as a result.

Sadly, no system is perfect and I wouldn’t doubt that some good students were disadvantaged through no fault of their own.

In my own department (philosophy) a first cut was often made on the basis of a sample of writing (e.g. an essay submitted for a class). If for a graduate school application, someone submits a sample of writing that wouldn’t have passed in any of our own undergraduate classes there is no point in proceeding further.

Very surprising and thoughtful too.

I support the comment of Karl Pfeifer.

Sometimes it can be difficult to say why but I think it has to do with the host country or the university policy. For instance, a Nigerian applicant applying when the advert made it clear that the scholarship is for Francophone will be rejected outrightly. Also some countries do not believe Nigerians need scholarship considering the number of higher institutions in the country as we as the level of resources the country has in possession. Yet many students apply for scholarship they do not qualify for may be because of the high population you find Nigerian applicants with highest percentage for any scholarship program and when the applicants are rejected either in part or totally, it looks like Nigerian applicants are rejected. Also some online bloggers are using scholarship programs to defraud both the applicants and the organizers. I want to say it is not personal just policy which the country can find out why, learn and improve on for restructuring in the education sector

Much thanks Karl, I have learnt from your comments and do deeply appreciate.

Thanks a lot Segun, please, see that attachment, that was a response from a University. I could not post all the details so just cut that part, I am sure not all. This means no matter your qualification and standard academic or research prowess, so long as you are a Nigerian or Pakistani, there is no room for you.

This is surprising to me as well though.

Enlightening

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