{"id":14976,"date":"2025-09-19T10:35:04","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T10:35:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/?p=14976"},"modified":"2025-09-21T18:13:47","modified_gmt":"2025-09-21T18:13:47","slug":"worlds-youngest-undergraduate-is-nigerian-joshua-beckford-gained-admission-in-oxford-university-at-the-age-of-six-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/worlds-youngest-undergraduate-is-nigerian-joshua-beckford-gained-admission-in-oxford-university-at-the-age-of-six-years\/","title":{"rendered":"World\u2019s Youngest Undergraduate is a Nigerian, JOSHUA BECKFORD, gained admission in Oxford University at the age of Six years"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-14977\" src=\"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/JOSHUA-BECKFORD-two.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"816\" height=\"1019\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u2026named Positive Role Model of the Year at the UK\u2019s National Diversity Awards<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>*Attended classes online, received distinctions in Philosophy and History courses<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>*Multi-talented genius interested in Medicine, excelling in art, Information Technology sports and foreign languages<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>*Aspires to become a Neurosurgeon, demonstrates remarkable medical knowledge by using the Microsoft Surgery Simulator, mastered complex surgical procedures, involving cataract removal, hernia repair and leg fracture correction<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>*At 10 months old, could already identify letters and numbers, at the age two and a half, could fluently read using phonics, begun learning Japanese and some Mandarin languages<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>*Serves as Low-Income Families Education Support Ambassador across six countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and the United Kingdom<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>*Becomes the face of the National Autistic Society\u2019s Black and Minority campaign<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>*BY DR. GEORGE ELIJAH OTUMU<em>\/Executive Editor &amp; Group Managing Director, NAIJA STANDARD NEWSPAPER Inc USA<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-14978\" src=\"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/JOSHUA-BECKFORD-six.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"818\" height=\"818\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/JOSHUA-BECKFORD-six.jpg 768w, https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/JOSHUA-BECKFORD-six-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/JOSHUA-BECKFORD-six-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 818px) 100vw, 818px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>At the age of six years when her contemporaries were still in primary school, Joshua Beckford, a Nigerian genius, had his eyes set to excel in his studies, out-do other kids in his set and realize the hidden talent he possessed. He studied all through the night, burning the midnight candle\u2019 to ensure he stood out from the pack. He gained admission to study in Oxford University at the age of six years, youngest undergraduate ever. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Beckford gained worldwide recognition as the youngest person ever to study at Oxford University.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The youngster took part in courses which were part of an online learning platform for gifted children and gained distinctions in both Philosophy and History.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-14979\" src=\"https:\/\/nigeriastandardnewspaper.com\/a\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/JOSHUA-BECKFORD-seven.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"817\" height=\"562\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong>When Beckford\u2019s father, Knox Daniel, wrote to Oxford University advocating his son\u2019s admission, it was a bold move to challenge the conventional age limits for a programme aimed at children aged eight to 13. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong>His record remains unmatched, with the next youngest Oxford student being at least two years older at the time of admission.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #339966;\"><strong>By 10 months old, Beckford could already identify letters and numbers. At age two and a half, he could read fluently using phonics and had begun learning Japanese and some Mandarin.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Aspiring to become a neurosurgeon, Beckford has already demonstrated remarkable medical knowledge. Using the Microsoft Surgery Simulator, he has mastered complex surgical procedures, including cataract removal, hernia repair and leg fracture correction. His proficiency with surgical instruments shows his extraordinary abilities beyond his years.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>Beyond medicine, Beckford is multi-talented, excelling in art, Information Technology (IT), sports and foreign languages.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>In 2017, Beckford was named Positive Role Model of the Year at the UK\u2019s National Diversity Awards.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>The Illumination Foundation of North Carolina also listed him among the Top 30 Most Extraordinary People worldwide who have made societal impact.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Beckford serves as an ambassador for the Boys Mentoring Advocacy Network (BMAN), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to mentoring young boys and adolescents in Africa. Within BMAN, he holds the role of Low-Income Families Education (L.I.F.E) Support Ambassador across six countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and the United Kingdom where he was born.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Joshua Beckford also serves as the face of the National Autistic Society\u2019s Black and Minority (BME) campaign. Diagnosed with high-functioning autism himself, he helps to spread the campaign\u2019s mission.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>In 2019, Beckford and his father travelled to Nigeria to launch a live mentoring session, delivering a keynote speech at the University of Lagos before an audience of nearly 5,000 people. Their visit was to raise funds for building a secondary school in Kaduna State, providing education to children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>According to a statement on UNILAG\u2019s website, the proposed school was to include classrooms, an administrative block, a laboratory, an ICT Centre and an agriculture green garden and was to be named Joshua Beckford Community School.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>DONATE TO HELP BUILD A SPECIAL APPS FOR JOURNALISTS AGAINST LIVER ELEVATION &amp; KIDNEY FAILURE:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>CERTAINLY, Good journalism costs a lot of money. Without doubt, only good journalism can ensure the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy, and a transparent government. We are ready to hold every corrupt government accountable to the citizens. 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