The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), the Federal Government agency with the mandate of developing indigenous human capacity and petroleum technology to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry, invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the Overseas MSc and PhD scholarships to specific programmes at selected institutions under its PTDF Overseas Scholarship Scheme for the 2023/2024 academic session.

The scheme was developed to offer candidates the opportunity to benefit from a diversified pool of knowledge and the facilities offered by world-class institutions across the globe. Under it, candidates are invited to apply through PTDF to specific programmes at partner institutions. The award includes the provision of flight tickets, payment of health insurance, payment of tuition and bench fees (where applicable), and the provision of allowances to meet the costs of accommodation and living expenses.

Interested applicants should please note the following:

For the 2023/2024 award, applications will be limited to PTDF partner universities in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Malaysia where it feels the scholarship’s high standards can be maintained and the objectives of the scheme will be best served.

A full list of sponsored courses and Application portal is available on the scholarship portal: scholarship.ptdf.gov.ng

Selection Process, Criteria & Requirements

PTDF scholarships are highly competitive, and only candidates who are outstanding across the board are selected.

Based on the submitted qualifications, the top applicants for each category from each state will be invited for an interview where a selection committee will be constituted to assess applications using the following criteria:

• Academic merit as evidenced by the quality of degrees, full academic transcripts and other professional qualifications acquired
• Relevant publications to be referenced by applicant (PhD applicants only)
• Membership in professional bodies
• The viability of the study/research plan.

MSc Requirements

1. A minimum of Second Class Upper (2.1) qualification in their first degree or a Second Class Lower (2.2) with relevant industry experience
2. Must have completed the mandatory National Youth Service (NYSC)
3. Must be computer literate
4. Possession of 5 O/level credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
5. Statement of purpose (maximum 500 words) stating the reason(s) for the proposed study, its relevance to the industry and its expected impact on national development.
6. Applicants must have National Identity Number (NIN) and verification will be required (NIMC verification charges apply)before applying for the scholarship.

PhD Requirements

1. Must have completed the mandatory National Youth Service (NYSC)
2. Must be computer literate
3. A minimum of Second Class Lower (2.2) in their first degree and a good second-degree certificate
4. A research proposal relevant to the oil and gas industry (of not more than five pages) to include the following:

• Title
• Introduction
• Research Problem
• Aim
• Research Questions/Objectives
• Scope
• Summarized Literature
• Methodology
• Expected outcomes only where necessary

1. All lecturers must produce a letter from their Vice Chancellors confirming that they are not in receipt of any other scholarships (if shortlisted)
2. Applicants must have National Identity Number (NIN) and verification will be required (NIMC verification charges apply)before applying for the scholarship.

Required Documents

Applicants are advised to scan copies of the following documents and attach them to their online application forms:

1. First Degree Certificate or Statement of Result
2. NYSC discharge certificate
3. WAEC/GCE/SSCE/NECO results and the PINs on the application forms to enable PTDF to view the O’level results on the relevant website.
4. Recent Passport Photograph
5. Local Government Identification Letter
6. Master’s Degree Certificate (PhD Applicants only)
7. Evidence of membership in professional associations

Kindly also note the following:

1. The scholarship is for the 2023/2024 academic session
2. The scholarship is limited to PTDF partner universities in PTDF partner schools
3. Scholarships will only be awarded for studies relevant to PTDF’S mandate; candidates may be disqualified for applying for programmes not relevant to the oil and gas industry
4. The proposed course of study must also be related to previous studies
5. Candidates with multiple applications will lead to disqualification

Candidates who successfully scale through the first round of screening will be requested to submit their transcripts; all applicants are therefore advised to prepare their transcripts for submission in anticipation of such a request.

Application Deadline:

The closing date for the application is Friday, March 24th, 2023 (Six weeks from the date of this publication)

Signed

Management