UK

Scholarships can be quite hard to come by - especially ones which cover all fees. You stand the best chance if you:
Have very high grades. As an IB student, you will probably need an overall score of at least 36 in your IB Diploma, and some 6/7 grades in your Higher Level subjects. Have a high IELTS or TOEFL score, if you decide to take those tests. Some universities will be able to take the English Language component of your IB though - I would check before applying. Are well-rounded - so as well as being strong academically, you also have good extra-curricular activities. If you can show leadership (e. g. sports team captain) or strong teamwork, then this will help. Are from a disadvantaged background. You state that you are from Africa and so this may count in your favor. You could also try applying for a Chevening or Commonwealth scholarship if these are applicable to you.

For one thing, having attended university in both countries, both the grading system and degrees conferred are different. For example, in the UK at the end of each grading term and, or semester, a student must pass a qualifying exam to advance; and, if a student does not meet the minimum grade point required to advance, they cannot go further on to a higher graduate degree programme and receive what then is basically a terminal degree, freezing them at that level. Degrees are also conferred in levels, I. e. First, Second, Third which ranks the degree in effect. The aforementioned are not institutionalized in the US university system and more often than not, each university establishes its own set of rules governing which students it will accept dependent on their accumulated and cumulative grade point average. And the conferring of a degree is only distinguished by whether it is with Honors or not. Also, there are basically no qualifying exams required to apply to a higher degree programme, though some universities require a standardized graduate test to rank prospective applicants in their admission process, even there, exceptions are made for a variety of reasons and it is not standardized or institutionalized in the United States university system. In that regard, I believe the value and attainment of degrees in the UK is in a higher order than in the United States generally speaking. For more information contact via - 9999127085 (Admissify).

Yes, you can study very well!
The UK is the most flexible education system in the world - gaps are never a problem in the UK if justified rightly. I have been recruiting and dealing with international students across the world for UK universities and I have placed with people 15 years of gap and even more. Very recently, a woman with 52 years of age has got a visa for M.Sc. Clinical psychology at Plymouth University, UK. However, this can be a problem if you wish to apply for Australia, Canada, and the USA but the UK doesn't SEE the gap as a set back on your profile. To justify the gaps, you need to give a proper explanation in your SOP (Statement of Purpose) on what could have been a possible reason for the gap - if you were working, make sure you have proper documents for the same. Also, if you idle then make sure you give a proper reason for being idle - maybe you were not medically fit or preparing for government exams or maybe you were on maternity leave or maybe you were doing an startup that failed. Anything and everything is fare as long as its justified with right explaination - once you get an admit with the university then you are done. The ECO (Entrance Clearance Officer) is not bother about the gaps if you got an admit.