If you have been searching for an affordable way to earn a fully accredited American degree online, you have probably come across Nexford University. And if you are wondering whether there are scholarships available to help reduce the cost even further, the answer is yes. There are several Nexford University scholarship programs designed to support students at different stages of their academic and professional lives.
In this article, we break down every scholarship currently available at Nexford University. We cover who each scholarship is for, what the benefits are, what you need to qualify, and exactly how to apply. Whether you are a first-time applicant, a working professional, an entrepreneur, or a returning student, there is a scholarship option that could work for your situation.
What Is Nexford University?
Before getting into the scholarships, it helps to understand what kind of institution Nexford University is. Nexford is a US-based online university headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded with a clear mission: to make high-quality, career-focused higher education accessible to people anywhere in the world, regardless of their background, income level, or geographic location.
Nexford is licensed in the District of Columbia by the Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. The university is also accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC), a national accrediting agency recognized by both the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). It also holds international accreditation from ASIC (Accreditation Service for International Schools, Colleges and Universities), and it is officially listed in the World Higher Education Database (WHED) maintained by the International Association of Universities in partnership with UNESCO.
As of recent years, Nexford serves more than 5,000 learners from over 100 countries. Students come from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and many other nations, making it a genuinely global institution. The university describes itself as a Public Benefit Corporation, which means it is for-profit but formally committed to prioritizing public benefit over profit in every decision it makes.
Nexford’s programs are 100% online, self-paced, and competency-based. Rather than simply testing memory and theory, the curriculum is designed around real-world workplace skills. The university worked with leaders at major global corporations and analyzed over 30 million job openings to build its curriculum, ensuring graduates come out with the specific skills employers are actually looking for.
Programs Offered at Nexford University
Nexford currently offers three main degree levels along with pathway programs and standalone courses. The degree programs are the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Business, the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), and the Master of Business Administration (MBA). A newer Master of Science in Entrepreneurship has also been introduced for those focused on building startups and innovative ventures.
The BBA offers over 70 courses and eight specializations, while the MBA consists of 12 courses broken into nine core courses and either three electives or a three-course specialization track. Both allow students to work through real-life industry projects involving well-known companies, with each course covering five to seven core competencies. Students can also choose pathway programs in areas like Software Development, Cybersecurity, Business Essentials, and Management Essentials if they are not ready for a full degree or want to build a specific set of skills faster.
Tuition at Nexford is charged on a monthly subscription basis rather than per credit hour or per semester, which means the faster you complete your degree, the less you pay overall. This model, combined with the available scholarships, makes Nexford one of the most genuinely affordable accredited university options available to international students today.
Why Does Nexford Offer Scholarships?
Nexford’s scholarship programs are a direct expression of its mission. The university was built on the belief that access to quality education should not be limited by how much money a person has or where they were born. Scholarships are how the university puts that belief into practice.
Nexford does not participate in U.S. Federal Financial Aid programs, which means students cannot access Pell Grants or federally backed student loans the way they would at a traditional American university. In place of this, Nexford has built its own suite of scholarship and tuition assistance programs to ensure that deserving and motivated students from around the world can still access its degrees at a cost they can manage.
The scholarship offerings range from partial tuition reductions to amounts that effectively cover most of the degree cost, depending on the program, the applicant’s financial situation, and the strength of their application.
Nexford University Scholarship Programs: Full Overview
Here is a complete breakdown of every Nexford University scholarship program currently available.
1. Essential Futures Scholarship
The Essential Futures Scholarship is one of the best-known scholarship programs at Nexford. It was originally created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to support people who had been negatively affected economically and professionally by the global crisis. Over time, it has become one of the main scholarship pathways for new students at the university.
Essential Futures Scholarship Benefits
The scholarship provides a tuition reduction of either 50%, 60%, or 70% off the total cost of your degree. The exact percentage you receive depends on the strength of your application, including the answers you give to the scholarship questions and your overall profile. When you are awarded the scholarship, you receive a unique coupon code that you enter at enrollment to apply the discount to your tuition.
To put this in concrete numbers: for an MBA program completed in the average 18-month timeframe, the full cost without a scholarship is around $3,960. With a 50% scholarship it becomes approximately $1,980. With a 60% scholarship it drops to about $1,584. With a 70% scholarship, the total cost comes down to roughly $1,188, or as little as $66 per month. For a BBA completed in the average 36 months, the standard monthly fee without scholarship is $120. With a 70% scholarship, this drops to just $36 per month, which is remarkably affordable for an accredited bachelor’s degree from a U.S. institution.
Essential Futures Scholarship Eligibility
You must be a new learner at Nexford University to apply. The scholarship is available for the AAS in Business, BBA, and MBA programs. To maintain the scholarship once awarded, you need to keep your GPA above 2.0 for the AAS in Business, above 2.5 for the BBA, and at or above 3.0 for the MBA. There are also maximum completion time requirements: you must complete your AAS in Business in no more than 18 months, your BBA in no more than 40 months, and your MBA in no more than 18 months.
Once you receive your scholarship code, you have 30 days to enroll and use the code before it expires. The scholarship is awarded based on merit as assessed from your application answers, so the quality of your written responses matters significantly.
Apply for the Essential Futures Scholarship on the official Nexford scholarships page
2. Nexford Financial Need Scholarship
The Financial Need Scholarship at Nexford was established specifically to support students who are academically ready for college-level work but do not have the financial means to pay for a degree. This is a need-based scholarship rather than a merit-only award, which makes it accessible to a different group of students than many other Nexford programs.
Financial Need Scholarship Benefits
The scholarship provides tuition support at a level determined by the applicant’s financial situation. The exact amount awarded varies based on the financial questionnaire responses and the available scholarship slots at the time of application. Because the number of scholarship slots is limited, students are encouraged to apply as early as possible rather than waiting until the last moment.
Financial Need Scholarship Eligibility
Eligibility is assessed based on specific financial criteria including employment status, income range, and the number of family members who are financially dependent on the applicant or their household. Applicants complete a brief financial questionnaire as part of the process, and the responses are used to determine the level of support for which they qualify. This scholarship is designed to make a real difference for students who genuinely need it, and Nexford uses the questionnaire to ensure support goes to those who need it most.
How to Apply for the Financial Need Scholarship
To apply for this scholarship, prospective students should reach out directly to a Nexford Application Specialist who can guide them through the process. You can also contact the university’s support team by email. Unlike some other Nexford scholarships that have their own standalone application portals, this one involves a more personal review process.
3. Nexford Alumni Scholarship
The Alumni Scholarship is one of the most straightforward scholarship programs at Nexford. It is designed for students who have already completed one degree at Nexford University and want to continue their education by enrolling in another degree program at the same institution.
Alumni Scholarship Benefits
Eligible alumni receive a 20% tuition reduction applied toward the standard completion time of their new degree program. This is not the most dramatic discount available at Nexford, but it is a meaningful reward for loyalty and continued academic commitment. It recognizes that continuing education is a significant investment, and Nexford wants to support its own graduates in taking that next step.
Alumni Scholarship Eligibility
To qualify, you must have successfully completed a full degree program at Nexford University. You must also have achieved a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in your previous program. The scholarship cannot be combined with other scholarships or tuition discount programs offered by Nexford or its affiliated partners, so if you are eligible for a higher-value scholarship, it may be worth comparing your options before applying for the alumni award.
How to Apply for the Alumni Scholarship
Alumni interested in this scholarship should contact Nexford’s Office of Admissions directly via email at admissions@nexford.edu to begin the application process. All scholarship decisions come from Nexford’s Scholarships Committee and are communicated officially through the scholarships@nexford.edu email address.
Read the full official scholarship policy in Nexford’s University Catalog
4. Master of Science in Entrepreneurship Scholarship
This is a merit-based scholarship available exclusively to students who are applying to Nexford’s Master of Science in Entrepreneurship program. It is designed to attract students who already have some demonstrated entrepreneurial experience or a strong vision for what they want to build, and who want to develop the skills to make that vision a reality.
MS in Entrepreneurship Scholarship Benefits
Scholarship awards are granted in proportion to the strength of the applicant’s submission. This means that more compelling applications with stronger evidence of entrepreneurial drive, clearer goals, and more concrete prior experience tend to receive larger awards. The exact award amount varies from one applicant to the next based on how they are evaluated against a standardized assessment rubric.
MS in Entrepreneurship Scholarship Eligibility
You must be applying to the Master of Science in Entrepreneurship program at Nexford University. As part of the scholarship application, candidates are asked to submit written responses covering their motivation for pursuing entrepreneurship, any prior entrepreneurial experience they have, and their overall readiness for the program. Applications are reviewed using a consistent rubric to make the process fair across all candidates regardless of background.
There is also an exciting incentive for scholarship recipients who complete their degree: every year, Nexford selects five graduates from the Entrepreneurship Scholarship program and awards them a $10,000 investment plus a mentorship package to support the development of their startup ideas. Graduates have 60 days after completing their degree to submit a pitch in front of a live panel of judges, either online or in person. This makes the MS in Entrepreneurship Scholarship one of the most rewarding programs at the university, particularly for anyone serious about building a business.
Learn more about the Nexford Entrepreneurship Scholarship and the startup funding opportunity
5. Global Leaders Scholarship
The Global Leaders Scholarship was one of Nexford’s earliest flagship scholarship programs and played a major role in establishing the university’s reputation as a genuinely accessible institution for people from all over the world. It was designed to attract talented, motivated individuals who have leadership potential but may not have the financial resources to access a quality degree through traditional channels.
Global Leaders Scholarship Benefits
The Global Leaders Scholarship provides a tuition discount of up to 70% on your chosen degree program, which covers the AAS in Business, BBA, and MBA. This can bring the monthly cost of an MBA down to as little as $82.50, and the BBA to as little as $36 per month, making it one of the most affordable degree pathways available at any accredited university globally.
Global Leaders Scholarship Eligibility
The scholarship is open to applicants from any country. For the MBA, applicants must not already hold a prior MBA. For the BBA, applicants must not already hold a prior BBA. For the AAS in Business, applicants must not hold a prior AAS. Degree completion time requirements apply: the AAS must be completed in no more than 40 months, the BBA in no more than 48 months, and the MBA in no more than 24 months. English proficiency is required, and applicants who are non-native English speakers must provide a minimum passing score from an approved English qualification exam completed within the past two years.
Supporting documents required include proof of high school graduation for undergraduate applicants, a copy of your official diploma and transcript for graduate applicants, a resume or curriculum vitae, and an English proficiency certificate if applicable. The scholarship application involves answering three key questions: what motivates you and what you want to achieve in life, why you are a strong candidate to earn a degree entirely online, and how this scholarship would help you become a better leader. These answers are taken seriously and weighed heavily in the selection decision.
Apply for the Nexford Global Leaders Scholarship here
Partner and Employer Scholarships at Nexford University
Beyond its own internal scholarship programs, Nexford has established partnerships with a number of organizations and employers that allow their employees or affiliated individuals to access Nexford degrees at significantly reduced or fully covered costs. These employer-linked scholarships are worth knowing about because they represent additional funding pathways that many prospective students overlook.
Constructor Employee Scholarship
Constructor, a technology company, offers a fully funded scholarship for all of its employees who want to enroll in any Nexford program. The scholarship covers 100% of tuition costs for the standard duration of the program. That means master’s degree students get 18 months of full tuition coverage, bachelor’s degree students get 48 months, associate degree students get 24 months, and standalone course students get 2 months covered. Employees only pay the one-time application fee of $25.
All full-time Constructor employees who have completed their probationary period are eligible. There is a requirement that employees remain with the company for the same duration as their program after completing it. If you work at Constructor and want to pursue a degree, this is one of the most complete funding arrangements available through any Nexford partnership.
Find out more about the Constructor Employee Scholarship at Nexford
Sterling Bank Employee Scholarship (Nigeria)
For employees of Sterling Bank in Nigeria, Nexford offers a special employer-linked scholarship covering either 70% or 20% of MBA tuition fees for up to 18 months. The exact percentage is determined in conjunction with Sterling Bank’s internal assessment criteria, and applicants must be in the top quartile of performers within their grade as confirmed by Sterling’s Learning and Development department. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 throughout the MBA and enroll within 30 days of receiving their scholarship code.
This type of partnership is a good example of Nexford’s commitment to working with African employers to make quality education accessible to working professionals across the continent.
Read about the Sterling Bank Employee Scholarship for Nexford’s MBA program
How Does the Nexford Scholarship Process Work?
Understanding the general mechanics of how Nexford scholarships work is important before you apply. Here is what you need to know about the process from start to finish.
Most Nexford scholarships require you to first apply for admission to the university and then apply separately for the scholarship, or in some cases, the scholarship application is bundled into the admissions process. Once you are awarded a scholarship, you receive a unique code that reduces your tuition when you enroll. You must enroll within 30 days of receiving this code or it will expire and you will lose the scholarship award.
Tuition at Nexford is charged monthly. Your scholarship discount is applied to each monthly tuition payment for the duration of the standard completion time of your program. If you exceed the maximum completion time associated with your scholarship, you will still be able to continue your studies, but the scholarship discount will no longer apply to payments made beyond that maximum period. Learners who withdraw, are dismissed, or do not start their program after receiving a scholarship may forfeit any future disbursements from that scholarship, even if they are later readmitted.
If you apply for a scholarship and are not selected, you are eligible to reapply after six months. This is worth keeping in mind if your first application is unsuccessful. The Scholarships Committee makes all final decisions and communicates them through the official scholarships email address.
