Project summary

As a young professional on the verge of losing out on a 25% scholarship to study International Relations and Security at Nottingham Trent University, I am seeking funding to make us my remaining graduate study costs. I have been offered admission to study International Relations and Security at Nottingham Trent University with a 25% Excellence Scholarship off tuition, but I am on the verge of losing my admission and scholarship because I am unable to afford the remaining study costs. I have applied to EA Infrastructure Fund, Long Term Future Fund, Open Philanthropy Career Development and Transition Funding Program, and Long Term Future Scholarship in the past but all applications have been rejected. On August 12th 2024, the deadline to pay my acceptance fee expired, and the start date of my course is September 16th 2024.

I have tried my best to source internally for funds, but this has not been successful. So, this is part of my last ditch efforts to see if I can secure the admission.

I would be very grateful for any support received. Pursuing graduate study this year will be a dream come true.

What are this project's goals? How will you achieve them?

- The objective of my study is to deepen and enhance my knowledge, research skills, and expertise in global security, particularly in the area of existential security, which will equip me with the necessary career capital to secure job positions in reputable organizations where I can work on pressing global security challenges, such as nuclear security and AI governance etc.

- My proposed study will also provide me with the opportunity to engage with professors and research scholars who can offer valuable academic and professional mentorship.

- Additionally, my proposed study will connect me with a dynamic and diverse community of students and faculty, which would be a rich environment for robust intellectual exchange and collaboration.

- As a Nigerian residing in Nigeria, I face limitations in accessing communities focused on existential risk reduction, and this has also affected my search for a job in the field, leaving me currently unemployed. I believe that my proposed graduate study would give me access to such communities, as well as the broader Effective Altruism community in UK.

I will achieve these goals by undertaking my proposed Master’s Degree study.

How will this funding be used?

This funding will be used to complete my tuition fee, cover living expenses, and travel cost to UK. I am seeking $31,233.46 to cover these costs:

• $16,865.48 to complete tuition fee

• $630.25 for Visa application fee.

• $998.43 for Immigration health surcharge.

• $1,157.97 for Airfare to UK

• $11,581.33 for living expenses in UK (including housing)

Funding breakdown:

• $16,865.48: completion of tuition fee

• $630.25: Visa application fee.

• $998.43: Immigration health surcharge.

• $1,157.97: for Airfare to UK

• $8,492.99: Housing

• $3,088.34: Food and groceries

What I can accomplish with minimum funding or full funding:

With the minimum funding, it will completely pay my tuition fee. And with the full funding, it will completely pay my tuition fee, and cover my living expenses in UK and my travel costs to the UK.

Who is on your team? What's your track record on similar projects?

I am undertaking my proposed Master’s Degree study alone.

For the past 3 years I’ve been working on existential security issues, majorly nuclear risk reduction and future generations protection, and I am currently upskilling in AI governance through BlueDot Impact AI Governance course, and various recommended reading materials.

Some of my past roles include working as Deputy Partnerships Manager for Youth for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, where I co-organized the first Youth Meeting of State Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Vienna in 2022. I also worked as a Future Generations Global Ambassador for the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales and Foundations for Tomorrow, and was a Contributing Researcher for the Effective Institutions Project. Previously, I was also a Campus Rep for EA for Christians, and Mentored participants at Effective Impact Hackathon organized by EA Sweden.

Currently I am a Leadership Team Member at International Student/Young Pugwash and a Next Generation, an Advisor for the European Leadership Network Project on Protecting the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and a Member of the Younger Generation Leaders Network on Euro-Atlantic Security.

So far, I functioned in all these roles as a volunteer, except as a Campus Rep for EA for Christians where I was offered a stipend. I have also attended EA Global and EAGx conferences, where I was a volunteer.

My CV can be accessed here.

Some of my publications include:

• Author, “Unleashing Pillar III of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty for Sustainable Development in Africa,,” European Leadership Network.

• Co-author, “The Ultimate Coloniser: Challenging Racism and White Supremacy in Nuclear Weapons Policy Making,” British American Security Information Council Emerging Voices Network Anthology on De-siloing Existential Threats: Challenging Identity, Power, and Inclusivity in the Nuclear Policy Field, 2023.

• Contributor, “A Landscape Analysis of Institutional Improvement Opportunities,” Effective Institutions Project, 2022.

What are the most likely causes and outcomes if this project fails?

I would be unable to proceed for graduate study this year and would lose my partial scholarship.

What other funding are you or your project getting?

None