Can I Use My WAEC Result to Study Abroad?

It seems that more Nigerian students are becoming more interested to study abroad; the sheer number of queries we receive daily seems to support this notion. If you are a student in Nigeria who wants to study abroad, and who wants to know whether if WAEC is recognised abroad and how many years you can use your WAEC result to gain admission abroad, we will answer that question diplomatically.

WAEC is the examination board that is designated to examine and grade students according to their abilities in West Africa. Even though the examination board provides different examination questions to different countries, the results are accepted all over West Africa without any questions. We presume you already know this, and that you are not asking this question because you want to study in nearby countries like Ghana, Benin Republic, Togo, or Niger.

You have probably set your sights across the Atlantic, to countries in Europe or the Americas, and that is probably why you want to know how far the WAEC result can carry you. Well, there is no straight answer, but we will attempt to provide one.  

Can I Use My WAEC Result to Study Abroad?

Yes, you can use WAEC results to study abroad as long as your result meets up with the cut-off of the international school you are applying to abroad.

Is my WAEC Result Good Enough to Study Abroad?

The answer to this question largely depends on where you wish to study. This does not only mean the geographical location: that is the country where you wish to study, but it also means the particular university where you wish to apply.

For example; it is nearly impossible to apply to Harvard or Oxford using a WAEC result; this is because those prestigious universities are constantly bombarded with applications from all over the world, backed by internationally recognized exam results such as SATS and TOEFL. However, one may just stroll into any of the Universities in Ghana, or the Nigerian-owned universities in Benin Republic, and get admission as easily as ABC.

In between the two levels of ease or difficulty, one can find some Universities in the best geographical locations that may also accept the WAEC results as a means of granting admissions.

How Many Years Can You Use Your WAEC Result?

Actually, WAEC has no expiry date and is valid for life, however, some institutions reserve the right to deny a person’s application under a combination of circumstances including having a WAEC certificate that was obtained too long ago. Therefore in the ideal situation, a person should gain admission 5 to10 years after getting his WAEC.

Yes, you can get admission to study at universities in America, Canada, and the United Kingdom with your WAEC results. However, these are not usually the top-tier universities of those countries. Let us highlight some of those universities briefly. 

University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, in the United Kingdom. The University was fully established in 1900, although it traces its origins as far back as 1825. This university has a student population that includes 23,155 undergraduate students, and another 12,605 postgraduate students. This is the 7th largest institution in the United Kingdom. 

Nigerians who want to study abroad can apply at the University of Birmingham, where they will join about 200 of their compatriots. They can easily use their WAEC results.

 Brandon University

Brandon University is located in Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. This university is an old one, and it has some history behind it as well. Brandon University was founded on July 13, 1899, and is ranked 64th in Canada, and 2378th in the world. 

As a Nigerian student, you can apply with your WAEC, or even with your NECO or GCE to study at Brandon University.

University of Houston

The University of Houston (UH) is located in the city of Houston in the state of Texas, USA, and was founded in 1927. This is a state-run university- the third-largest in Texas with almost 44,000 students.  university and the leading institution of the University of Houston System. F, UH is the 

Nigerian students who wish to study abroad using their WAEC results can apply to the University of Houston, but please apply early because you need to procure some official documents, and you could meet some delays if you do not act on time. 

Kansas State University

Kansas State University (KSU), was established in 1863. The school is commonly abbreviated to Kansas State, and is quite a popular place of study, with about 24,766 students recently enrolled. Kansas State is another university that is heavily involved in research work; it has a reputation as a research institution.

Nigerian students can apply to study at Kansas State using their WAEC results.

University of Manitoba

The University of Manitoba is a public university in Manitoba, Canada. This institution was founded in 1877 and has now become a great place of learning, with research work being its core focus. In fact, this university carries out more research work than any other (by volume) in Canada, and whenever there is academic research to be done, the first place that comes to mind is Manitoba.

Nigerians seeking to study abroad can apply using their WAEC results.

University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield is located in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. The University of Sheffield is also heavily involved in research work, while also being one of the most popular universities in England, especially among young people who want to study in a dynamic environment where they can socialize with people from all cultures.

Sheffield University had 20,005 undergraduate students and 8,710 graduate students in 2016/17. The school ranked 13th in the United Kingdom and 75th worldwide in a recent report.

University of Kent

The University of Kent is a public research university based in Kent, United Kingdom. The University was formerly established on 4th January 1965. The institution has now grown to an international university with physical locations outside the UK.

As an international university, it tries to provide education to people without recognition of borders; therefore the University of Kent considers all applications on their individual merit. If you are deemed to fit the University’s prerequisite and will contribute positively to the student body, you are quite welcome to apply with your WAEC results.

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Conclusion:

As mentioned before, it is possible to get admission with your WAEC results but this is not usually at the peak universities of Europe and America. Nevertheless, the quality of education at Brandon University may be better than what you could get at almost any university in Nigeria, so rather than wait to sit for internationally accepted exams, one could decide to make the move immediately.

However, please contact any university that interests you as quickly as possible so that you can process all necessary documentation on time, and not suffer the setback of being disqualified due to applying late.