International Postgraduate Preparatory Program (IP3)
The International Postgraduate Preparatory Program (IP3) is a flagship initiative by GlobStand that helps Nigerian graduates prepare for and secure sponsored postgraduate study abroad through grants and scholarships, using a structured, stipend-supported online preparatory phase that leads to admission offers, particularly in institutions and training providers in the US, UK and other English-speaking countries.
We are pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2025 Cohort of our International Postgraduate Preparatory Program (IP3) for Nigerian applicants.
Apply by November 10, 2025
Summary
Through the IP3 program, GlobStand assists applicants in securing admission into postgraduate preparatory programs offered by recognized universities and partner institutions in the United States and other English-speaking countries.
These preparatory programs serve as academic bridge courses that strengthen applicants’ knowledge and readiness for the main postgraduate degree such as Master’s, PhD, Postgraduate Diploma, or Specialized Certificate Programs.
Applicants under this program must first complete a preparatory program (Part I) before proceeding to the main postgraduate program (Part II).
Background
Many developed countries are currently experiencing shortages in key professional sectors, especially in science, technology, healthcare, and education.
To address these gaps, several universities and government-linked institutions offer grant-funded postgraduate programs aimed at attracting international talent who can be trained and eventually fill these shortage occupations after graduation.
The grants provided for such programs, often in the form of non-repayable educational funding or stipends, serve as a talent attraction mechanism. They allow promising international candidates to gain world-class postgraduate education, while helping host countries sustain growth in critical fields.
GlobStand’s IP3 program focuses exclusively on these kinds of strategic, grant-supported academic pathways.
By helping applicants access preparatory programs that lead to such funded postgraduate studies, we create a reliable route through which qualified individuals can develop their expertise, advance their careers, and potentially contribute to solving global skill shortages.
Program Overview
Under the IP3 initiative, GlobStand identifies suitable universities, finds postgraduate programs that offer preparatory pathways and funding, and handles the full application process on behalf of candidates.
Once an applicant submits their credentials, including their degree certificates and personal statement, GlobStand carefully matches them with appropriate institutions and submits the application directly on their behalf, tailoring documents to meet each university’s requirements.
Applicants who secure a conditional offer of admission are then required by the admitting university to complete a mandatory preparatory program before starting the main postgraduate course.
This preparatory phase, which typically lasts 3–7 months, consists of online academic modules aligned with the candidate’s chosen discipline.
The classes are often rigorous, requiring about 30 hours per week, and are designed to strengthen participants’ academic capacity and readiness for postgraduate study.
During this period, applicants receive stipends from the relevant institution.
Upon successful completion of the preparatory modules and satisfaction of all other conditions, candidates receive an unconditional offer of admission into the main postgraduate program.
This allows them to proceed with visa processing and begin their fully funded study abroad.
Key Benefits of the iP3 Program
1. Receive Financial Support During Preparatory Studies
Every participant admitted into a preparatory program under IP3 receives financial support in the form of a stipend.
These stipends are paid by the relevant institution to help participants cover personal and study-related expenses during their online classes.
This makes the preparatory phase financially rewarding, allowing you to earn income while studying and preparing for your main postgraduate program.
2. Improved Knowledge and Certificate of Participation
The preparatory classes are designed to strengthen your knowledge in core subjects directly related to your intended postgraduate field.
Whether you are advancing into engineering, environmental sciences, education, or other specialized areas, the program helps you close any academic gaps and build confidence for postgraduate study.
Upon completion, participants may receive a certificate or academic confirmation showing they successfully completed the preparatory modules.
This not only proves readiness but also adds value to your academic profile.
3. Higher Admission Success Rate
Completing a preparatory program under IP3 gives you a strong advantage in postgraduate admissions.
Most universities view candidates who have passed through recognized preparatory pathways as more academically prepared and committed.
As a result, you stand a much higher chance of being offered full admission into the main postgraduate program, whether for a Master’s, PhD, or specialized qualification.
4. Access to Study Grant for Main Postgraduate Program
GlobStand focuses only on postgraduate opportunities that are grant-funded or stipend-based.
These are genuine, non-repayable educational grants provided by universities and governments in countries that are seeking to attract skilled professionals in specific areas where they face workforce shortages.
Such grants typically cover tuition and living expenses during your main postgraduate study, making the overall academic journey highly affordable.
5. Eligibility for Education Support Fund for Travel and Settlement
To further support deserving candidates, GlobStand operates an internal Education Support Fund.
This fund assists selected participants with their initial travel and relocation expenses, such as airfare, visa processing, and temporary accommodation deposits.
It is a way of ensuring that financial constraints do not stop qualified candidates from taking up their hard-earned offers.
6. Family Relocation Opportunities
Depending on the prevailing immigration policies of the host country and the nature of the postgraduate program, successful participants may be allowed to travel with their dependents (spouse and children).
While the preparatory stage is online and home-based, the main program abroad may allow family accompaniment under specific visa categories.
7. Strong Job Prospects After Graduation
The postgraduate programs targeted under IP3 are strategically selected in fields where host countries face skill shortages.
This makes your study path highly employable.
Upon graduation, you are positioned for stable, high-demand job opportunities.
Fees and Payment Plans
We charge for each phase of IP3, including the preparatory program (Part I) and the main postgraduate program (Part II).
To participate in the IP3 program, you are required to choose one of the two available payment options depending on your financial situation and preferred mode of paying us.
You may choose to pay us directly or start the process completely free and pay us when you start receiving financial support stipends.
Under the Direct Payment Plan, our service fee is USD 6,000 (six thousand US dollars) for applicants to institutions in the United States and other eligible countries (excluding the UK), or GBP 6,000 (six thousand British pounds) for applicants to institutions in the United Kingdom.
This means that:
You are required to pay us 30% upfront before the application processing begins. This payment is non-refundable.
You pay the remaining 70% when you get admitted into the preparatory program.
Once payment of the balance is completed, you will receive full access credentials to your student portal to take the online classes.
- You get to keep all stipends paid to you during the preparatory program.
Necessary safeguards will be put in place to ensure that GlobStand receives the balance payment before releasing access credentials to you or allowing you commence the online component of the preparatory program.
This is a risk-free option that allows you to pay us only when you successfully gain admission into a preparatory program and start receiving financial support stipends.
You can begin the entire process, including interview with our Certified Agents, document submission, screening, processing and others, without any initial cost.
Here’s how it works:
- After GlobStand secures the applicant’s admission into a preparatory program, the applicant starts the online classes and begins receiving monthly or weekly stipends from the relevant institution abroad.
- The applicant then transfers the stipends received to GlobStand, which serves as repayment for all services and costs already covered on their behalf.
- To ensure that applicants do not suffer dire financial difficulties that may affect their learning during the online classes, due to paying us their stipend, GlobStand shall pay each applicant approximately N200,000 monthly.
This plan makes it possible for applicants to:
- Start the process without any initial cost.
- Avoid any financial risk or upfront payment
- Focus on learning and completing their preparatory studies with steady monthly support from GlobStand
To avoid the kind of problems we encountered in the past with some applicants who became uncooperative after receiving their stipends, stricter safeguards will be put in place to ensure that GlobStand continues to receive the transfer of stipends from applicants. These measures include but are not limited to being a co-signatory to the bank accounts to be opened by the applicants for receipt of stipends, and holding on to login credentials to the admissions portal and various accounts that will be created for candidates.
The Main Postgraduate Program service fee only applies if you proceed to the main postgraduate admission after completing the preparatory program.
Under this Direct Payment Plan, our service fee is USD 6,000 (six thousand US dollars) for applicants to institutions in the United States and other eligible countries (excluding the UK), or GBP 6,000 (six thousand British pounds) for applicants to institutions in the United Kingdom.
You will be required to pay our service fee in full before visa processing and departure for abroad studies.
The Main Postgraduate Program service fee only applies if you proceed to the main postgraduate admission after completing the preparatory program.
Under this Deferred Payment Plan, our total service fee is USD 6,000 (six thousand United States Dollars) for applicants to institutions in the United States and other countries, excluding the UK) or GBP 6,000 (six thousand British Pounds) for applicants to institutions in the United Kingdom.
You are allowed to pay us in small amounts a few months after you start receiving your financial support stipends while studying abroad.
This allows you to not only pay in bits (in order to greatly reduce the financial pressure on you) but to also settle down properly before starting to pay us.
You are to begin periodic remittance, to us, of USD 250 (two hundred and fifty United States dollars) for US and other eligible countries, or GBP 250 (two hundred and fifty British Pounds) or more every month for UK, beginning from the 3rd month that you start receiving your financial support stipends until the total fee is fully settled.
General Eligibility Criteria
Admission into the International Postgraduate Preparatory Program (IP3) is highly competitive and governed by strict eligibility criteria, including but not limited to the following:
1. Age Requirement
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
2. Previous Participation
Applicants must not have previously participated in any IP3 program in which they obtained admission to a preparatory program or online class, whether or not they completed it.
3. Academic Qualification
Applicants must hold at least a Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in specific science, engineering or language-related courses. Our trained Certified Agents will let you know which courses you must have studied, and which courses you can apply for.
The minimum accepted grade is a Second Class Upper (2:1).
4. Secondary School (O’Level) Requirement
A minimum grade of C6 in one sitting is required in the relevant subjects, including English Language, Mathematics, and specialized subjects such as Physics and others.
Combination of results is not allowed (e.g., WAEC and NECO cannot be combined).
5. Proof of English Proficiency
Applicants must demonstrate sufficient proficiency in English, using one of the following:
IELTS Academic with a minimum overall score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0, or
An official letter of English proficiency issued by the university at which the applicant completed their degree, confirming that English was the primary language of instruction and assessment. This can be a letter from the Head of Department.
Note: GlobStand will attempt to use this letter wherever accepted; however, if the host university requires IELTS or another approved test, applicants will be notified and guided accordingly.
- SSCE result with minimum of C6 grade in English language. Some universities accept this especially if it has not been too long the exam was taken. For universities that accept it, online scratch cards may be requested so we’ll keep you informed.
6. Statement of Purpose (SOP)
Applicants are required to submit a well-written Statement of Purpose (SOP) explaining:
Why they wish to pursue a postgraduate program in their chosen field;
How it aligns with their previous studies and future career goals; and
Their motivation to study abroad under a preparatory program.
The SOP may be open-ended since the applicant may not yet know the specific country or university their applications will be sent to.
Our Certified Agents will guide each applicant in structuring their SOP properly, based on their field (e.g., engineering, environmental science, education, etc.) and the level of study (Master’s, PhD, Postgraduate Diploma, or Postgraduate Certificate).
Start Your Application
To enable us effectively manage the volume of applications that we receive and also keep track of the efforts of our agents, we recommend you apply through a Certified Agent by contacting them directly.
If you do not know any of our Certified Agents, feel free to submit your details via the form below and we’ll try to match you with one as soon as possible.
Opportunity to Earn via Referral as a Non-Certified Agent (NCA)
In addition to our Certified Agents and Certified Sub-Agents, individuals who wish to earn income by connecting qualified candidates to our International Postgraduate Preparatory Program (IP3) can participate as Non-Certified Agents (NCAs).
Non-Certified Agents play a supporting role under the supervision of Certified Agents. They are not directly trained or accredited by GlobStand, but can learn about the requirements, seek out potential applicants who meet the criteria and refer them to a designated Certified Agent.
Successful Referral
When a candidate referred by an NCA applies, gains admission into the preparatory program, and begins to earn income from the program, that referral is classified as successful.
NCAs receive a referral payment for each successful referral, which is paid out through the Certified Agent who recruited them.
Referral Payments
Payments are typically made at the end of the third month of the preparatory program (that is, after the third month of online classes).
Maximum amount payable as referral payments are structured into the following bands to reward performance:
Band 1: ₦15,000 per referral for 1-2 successful referrals.
If your total number of successful referrals is 1 or 2, you will be paid this band per referral.
Band 2: ₦20,000 per referral for 3-5.
If the number of your successful referrals is between 3-5, you will be paid this band for each of them.
Band 3: ₦25,000 per referral for 6-9.
If the number of your successful referrals is between 6-9, you will be paid this band for each of them.
Band 4: ₦30,000 per referral for 10 or more.
If the number of your successful referrals is 10 or more, you will be paid this band for each of them.
Contact A Certified Agent
To become a NCA, you may speak to any Certified Agent you know to see if they have not filled-up their quota (our Certified Agents have a maximum number of NCAs they can engage) and will be willing to sign you on.
Do not contact us directly regarding this as sign-ons and management of NCAs are handled by Certified Agents only.
Frequenlty Asked Questions
The International Postgraduate Preparatory Program (IP3) is service offered by GlobStand that is designed to help qualified graduates secure funded postgraduate placements abroad. It offers academic preparation, application support and advisory services, among others, that strengthen candidates’ chances of gaining admission into funded postgraduate programs.
Applicants must have at least a Second Class Upper (2:1) Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or science-related fields, with O’Level credits in relevant subjects (including English and Mathematics) obtained in one sitting. Applicants must also be proficient in English, and where applicable, provide a letter from their university confirming that their degree was taught in English.
The preparatory program typically runs for a few months. During this time, participants take online classes in subjects related to their intended postgraduate field. These sessions enhance their understanding of core topics and prepare them for their future studies abroad.
Participants benefit from:
Receiving stipends during the preparatory phase
Gaining improved subject knowledge and academic readiness
Increased chances of securing admission into funded postgraduate programs abroad
Professional guidance and structured application support
The flexibility to pay either upfront or from future stipends, depending on their chosen payment plan
The amount paid as stipend during the preparatory program varies by institution and country. It is primarily intended to support participants who may need to reduce their working hours in order to dedicate up to 30 hours per week to the online classes. The actual amount is not universal.
The funding provided for the main postgraduate program typically covers tuition fees in full and can offset more than half of the living costs in moderately priced cities. However, the exact amount depends on the institution and country, and is not fixed globally.
Participants who meet the necessary academic and admission requirements will receive unconditional offers from their universities, which they can use to process their visas and proceed to the main postgraduate program abroad.
However, those who do not wish to proceed to the main postgraduate program may withdraw without consequence, since the main program has a separate fee.
To prevent a repeat of past incidents where some applicants failed to make agreed stipend transfers, stricter safeguards are now in place. These include GlobStand being a co-signatory to the bank accounts opened for stipend receipt and retaining certain login credentials for accounts related to the program. These measures ensure accountability and protect the fairness of the Deferred Payment option.
All withdrawals or cancellations are guided by the program’s Terms and Conditions. Once you submit your application and processing begins, all actions are subject to the conditions you agreed to during registration.
No. All applications must go through an official Certified Agent. If you do not have one, you can fill out the request form on the GlobStand website and indicate your location. A Certified Agent will then be assigned to you for proper guidance.
Yes. The preparatory phase is an essential requirement that helps participants strengthen their academic profile and eligibility. Only candidates who successfully complete the preparatory program and meet admission requirements will receive unconditional offers to proceed.
All current applications under the IP3 are for postgraduate programs starting in August/September 2026.
However, because the Preparatory Program is an essential part of the IP3 and can last up to seven months, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. This allows enough time to complete the preparatory phase, obtain an unconditional offer from the university early enough, and process visa and travel arrangements without rushing.
All official communication should be made through the Contact Page on our website or through your assigned Certified Agent.