Graduating from a school outside Nigeria can make NYSC feel confusing. Most online guides targets local graduates, thereby leaving foreign graduates unsure of what they need.
Here, you’ll find the NYSC requirements for foreign graduates, including the documents needed for registration, physical verification, and orientation camp.
Please note that the step-by-step NYSC online registration process is the same for every prospective corps member. Since I’ve already covered that in a separate guide, I’ll only focus on the requirements for foreign students here.
Who is a Foreign Graduate?
In the context of NYSC, a foreign graduate is any Nigerian citizen who obtains their first degree or diploma from an academic institution outside Nigeria. This category is different from locally trained graduates, whose verification is done using the NYSC Senate list.
Foreign graduates are set apart because there is no equivalent Senate list for them. As a result, they undergo a different verification process which ensures that all documents and credentials are properly validated before registration and mobilization.
Is NYSC Compulsory for Foreign Graduates?
Yes, NYSC is compulsory for foreign graduates. The National Youth Service Corps is a patriotic responsibility, and all eligible graduates, whether trained locally or abroad, must participate. Studying outside Nigeria does not exempt you from this national duty.
How NYSC exemption works for Foreign Graduates
Exemption from NYSC is only granted to graduates who completed their first degree or diploma after turning 30. It does not matter whether the graduate schooled in Nigeria or abroad. Anyone over 30 years at graduation is automatically exempted from service.
Graduates under 30, whether they schooled in Nigeria or abroad, are mandated to serve and cannot request exemption as a matter of choice.
You can refer to this guide on how to process NYSC exemption certificate.
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NYSC Registration Requirements for Foreign Graduates
Here are the NYSC registration requirements for foreign students:
- O’Level Certificate
- Degree Certificate or Equivalent
- Academic Transcript
- International Passport
- Residence Permit
- Evaluation Letter
O’Level Certificate
Foreign graduates must present their original O’Level certificate or equivalent, such as WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, GCE, etc. The certificate must show a minimum of five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, obtained in no more than two sittings.
Degree Certificate
Foreign-trained graduates must submit their original degree certificate or its equivalent, such as BSc, BTech, etc. The certificate must clearly display the graduate’s name, course of study, grade or class, and the date of graduation.
Academic Transcript
The original academic transcript must detail courses taken and grades obtained during the program. It must be properly signed and stamped by the issuing institution for it to be accepted for NYSC mobilization.
International Passport
The data page of the international passport, showing personal details and photograph, must be provided. It is used for identity verification at the Federal Ministry of Education and during NYSC processes.
Whether the passport is lost or expired, as long as it was the document used to travel abroad, the graduate must provide a photocopy along with a police report and a court affidavit before verification can be completed.
Residence Permit
A copy of the residence permit or visa page from the country where the degree was obtained must be submitted. The visa must be properly stamped, and the dates on it must correspond to the period the graduate was studying abroad. Any mismatch in dates may result in the document being rejected during verification.
Evaluation Letter
An evaluation letter from the Federal Ministry of Education is required to confirm the accreditation status and equivalency of the foreign qualification.
Some foreign students believe the evaluation letter is only necessary for those who studied within Africa and not for other regions. However, it is better to be safe than sorry as many have been sent back from camp during the physical verification exercise for not having it.
NYSC Physical Verification for Foreign Graduates
The physical verification exercise takes place after online registration and before the orientation camp. Its main purpose is to confirm that all submitted documents, as listed above, are authentic.
This exercise also helps NYSC ensure that only genuine foreign graduates participate. There have been cases where individuals falsely claimed to be graduates, often taking advantage of corruption in some institutions.
During verification, NYSC goes beyond checking documents and ask candidates to demonstrate their knowledge, by reading a book or writing short essays, to confirm they truly earned their degree.
It is important to have all your documents complete, original, and well-organized, as any discrepancies can lead to delays or being sent back from verification, which will stall the mobilization process.
Common Issues Foreign Graduates Encounter
These are some situations foreign graduates usually face during NYSC registration and verification.
You Cannot Register Outside Nigeria
Even though NYSC online registration is done over the internet, foreign graduates cannot complete the process from outside Nigeria. This is because biometric capturing can only be done at accredited cyber cafes within the country.
As a result, foreign students must be physically present in the country to complete their registration. Attempting to register from abroad will not work as the system requires biometric verification to proceed.
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Essays Will Be Written For Verification
During the physical verification exercise, foreign trained graduates will be asked to write essays. The same thing will happen again during registration at the orientation camp.
NYSC uses this to screen out people who obtained certificates through illegal or questionable means. Asking a graduate to write a simple essay may sound basic, but that is exactly the point. It is an easy test for someone who truly went through higher education and a difficult one for someone who did not.
It may seem surprising, but some people struggle with this and they are sent back home as a result, which often confirms the officials’ suspicions.
West African Schools Are Scrutinized Closely
Graduates from West African institutions often face stricter scrutiny during document checks and physical verification, with officials paying extra attention to their certificates, transcripts, and supporting papers.
This is largely because of past cases of certificate racketeering linked to some institutions in the region. As a result, documents from these schools are reviewed with extra caution, and even small inconsistencies can lead to getting sent back. Affected graduates find this embarrassing and being unfairly targeted.
School Name Not on NYSC Portal
Some graduates cannot find the name of their school on the list of institutions provided during online registration.
This is one area where the evaluation process often matters since NYSC relies on verified school records. Even so, some people still face this issue after getting their evaluation letter.
When that happens, it is usually resolved during the physical verification exercise at the ICT centre, where officials can review your documents and update your details if everything checks out.
“Yet To Complete Online Evaluation” Error
The “yet to complete online evaluation” message is a common error many foreign trained graduates see on their NYSC dashboard.
In most cases, it appears because the evaluation letter was not uploaded during registration. For those who have already uploaded it, patience is important, as the message often clears on its own after some time.
If it remains until the physical verification stage, report it to the officials so it can be resolved.
Tips for NYSC Foreign Graduates
To make your registration and verification process smoother, follow these practical tips:
- Upload clear copies of all original documents and ensure your name matches exactly as it appears on your certificates.
- Your SSCE results should have been obtained within the last four years or more.
- If you face any issues during online registration, contact foreigntrained@nysc.gov.ng for assistance.
- Choose a centre for physical verification and take note of the venue and date carefully.
- Present all original documents during the physical verification exercise.
- After successful verification, print your clearance slip and bring it for registration at the orientation camp.
- Ensure all certificates are in English. Any document not in English must be translated at the embassy of the country where you studied.
- To conform with standard practices, foreign graduates are to use Nigerian phone numbers during the online registration.
I believe this guide has helped you understood the NYSC requirements as a foreign graduate, and what actions to take.
If you’ve gone through the process or have questions, feel free to share your experiences in the comments below.
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