Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2026/27 — Complete Guide

Most Ambitious African Students Have Heard the Name. Very Few Understand How It Works.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is one of the world’s largest scholarship and leadership initiatives, giving academically talented but economically disadvantaged African youth access to fully funded degrees. It was launched in 2012. Since then, it has committed over 45,000 scholarships, with the goal of reaching 100,000 by the early 2030s. More than 71 percent of scholars have been young women. Over 20,000 alumni are now working across Africa and the diaspora.

The Scholars Program is not a scholarship in the conventional sense one program, one portal, one deadline. It is a partnership network: the Mastercard Foundation funds 60+ partner universities globally, each of which runs its own application, sets its own deadlines, and selects scholars according to shared but institution-adapted criteria.

The Mastercard Foundation works through more than 62 partner institutions, each managing its own admissions and selection. Partners include Arizona State University, Cambridge University, Sciences Po, UC Berkeley, McGill University, Makerere University, and many leading African universities.

This means there is no single place to apply for the “Mastercard Foundation Scholarship.” You apply to a specific partner university, Cambridge, Sciences Po, Makerere, UC Berkeley, University of Pretoria for their Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program specifically. Each has its own deadline. Each has its own requirements. Missing one institution’s deadline does not affect your eligibility at another.

The support goes well beyond tuition. Scholars receive accommodation, books, mentoring, leadership development, psychosocial support, career services, and return airfare.

This is not just a tuition waiver. It is a comprehensive support system designed to take a student from financial constraint to academic achievement to meaningful employment in Africa.

What the Scholars Program Covers — Full Package

Here is what a Scholars Program package typically includes (the exact list varies slightly by partner university): Full tuition fees for the entire duration of the degree.

The standard Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program package includes:

Variation by institution: The exact combination of benefits varies by partner university. Cambridge may include specific benefits that differ from Makerere’s package. UC Berkeley’s program has 201 master’s students and includes all the above. Always check the specific benefits listed by your target partner university.

Eligibility — Who Can Apply

Hold citizenship in a country within Africa. Candidates who hold a second citizenship from a country outside the African continent are not eligible.

Core Requirements:

1. African Citizenship You must be a citizen of an African country. All 54 African Union member states are eligible. This includes students from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Angola, Cameroon, and all other African countries.

Important: Candidates who hold a second citizenship from a country outside Africa are not eligible. If you hold both a Nigerian and a British passport, you are not eligible. African citizenship must be singular for this program.

2. Financial Need This is the CENTRAL differentiating criterion of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Unlike merit-only scholarships:

The scholarship is specifically for academically talented young people from Sub-Saharan Africa whose access to higher education is constrained by social and economic barriers.

You must demonstrate genuine financial need not just academic excellence. If your family can comfortably fund your education, this scholarship is not designed for you. If financial constraint is a real barrier to accessing education, that is precisely who Mastercard Foundation aims to serve.

3. Academic Excellence Strong academic record is required but evaluated alongside need. For undergraduate programs: strong secondary school results. For graduate programs: strong bachelor’s degree.

4. Leadership and Community Engagement The applicant must have demonstrated engagement in leadership and/or community service. This is non-negotiable across all partner institutions. The Scholars Program seeks students who demonstrate commitment to transformative impact in Africa not just academic achievement.

5. Must Not Hold Another Scholarship The applicant must not be a holder of any other scholarship. You cannot hold the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program simultaneously with other scholarship awards.

6. Must Not Have Completed the Degree Level You’re Applying For The applicant must not be pursuing or have completed any Master’s degree studies (for Master’s applications).

Age Limits (Vary by Institution and Level):

Makerere (representative example):

• Undergraduate: 28 years or younger (refugees/IDPs/disabilities: 32 or younger)
• Master’s: 35 years or younger (refugees: 40 or younger)

Other institutions: Age limits vary, check each partner university’s specific requirements.

Priority Groups:

Priority is given to refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and young persons with disabilities, with relaxed age limits and specific scholarship allocations at many partner universities.

Gender priority: 71 percent of scholars have been young women. Most partner universities explicitly reserve 70%+ of awards for young women.

Partner Universities — Where You Can Study

International Partner Universities (Non-Africa):

🇬🇧 University of Cambridge (UK) Cambridge funds one-year master’s degrees. The University of Cambridge ranked among the world’s top 3 universities, funds Mastercard Foundation scholars for one-year master’s programs. This is one of the most remarkable access pathways for African students to the world’s most prestigious universities.

🇫🇷 Sciences Po (France) Sciences Po requires African citizenship. Must have completed or be currently enrolled in a bachelor’s at one of Sciences Po’s institutions of reference. For graduate study at one of Europe’s premier political science institutions. Sciences Po scholarship allocation decisions for 2026 were released in early May 2026.

🇺🇸 UC Berkeley (USA) The Center for African Studies and the Mastercard Foundation are engaged in a ten-year partnership to support 201 master’s degree students from African countries who are academically talented and committed to transformative change on the continent. 201 master’s seats. The University of California Berkeley, one of the world’s top public research universities.

🇨🇦 McGill University (Canada) McGill is master’s-only. Graduate programs at McGill, one of Canada’s leading research universities.

🇺🇸 Arizona State University (ASU) Active Mastercard Foundation partnership with multiple levels and fields.

🇨🇦 University of British Columbia (Canada) Graduate scholarships available under Mastercard Foundation partnership.

African Partner Universities (Selected):

🇺🇬 Makerere University (Uganda) Makerere offered 245 undergraduate and 13 master’s scholarships for 2026/2027, with at least 70% of awards reserved for young women and priority for refugees, IDPs, and students with disabilities. Deadline: June 5, 2026 (passed check for next intake).

🇿🇦 University of Pretoria (South Africa) University of Pretoria supports undergraduate and postgraduate students across faculties including Sciences, Engineering, Humanities, and Law. Applicants must secure provisional UP admission before applying for scholarship funding. Deadline: June 30, 2026.

🇬🇭 KNUST (Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana) Active partnership — undergraduate and postgraduate.

🇬🇭 University of Ghana Active partnership.

And many more across Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Senegal, Tanzania, and other African countries.

Full Partner List:

The complete list of 62+ partner institutions is available at mastercardfdn.org/scholars-program.

The Critical Rule — No Single Portal, No Single Deadline

Each institution has its own admissions process. Pick a partner university matching your field of interest. Check that university’s specific deadline, never assume it matches another partner’s. Complete any mandatory pre-steps (McGill’s info session, Cambridge’s funding opt-in). Apply for course admission, since scholarship eligibility depends on an offer. Submit scholarship documentation: leadership statement, financial need declaration, recommendations. Respond promptly to follow-up requests like English test scores.

This is the most common mistake with Mastercard Foundation applications:

Assuming there is one application form, one portal, and one deadline for “the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship.”

There is not.

Each of the 62+ partner universities:

• Has its own application portal
• Has its own deadline (ranging from January to September depending on institution)
• May have its own pre-requisite steps (some require info sessions, some require admission before scholarship application)
• Has its own set of supporting documents

Applying to only one institution is also a significant mistake. If that institution’s selection does not go in your favor, your entire Scholars Program opportunity for the cycle is gone. Apply to multiple partners prioritizing those most aligned with your field, your academic profile, and your country.

How to Apply — Step-by-Step Process

Identify universities and programs that match your academic interests, degree level, and geographic preference. Each institution has its own admissions cycle.

Step 1: Visit mastercardfdn.org/scholars-program Download the current list of partner universities. Review all 62+.

2: Identify 3-5 partner universities Select institutions based on:

• Your field of study (engineering → KNUST or ASU; political science → Sciences Po; public health → Berkeley)
• Degree level (UG vs Master’s vs PhD)
• Geographic preference (Africa vs international)
• Your academic profile (GPA, background)
• Each institution’s specific eligibility criteria

Step 3: Research each institution’s specific deadline Never assume one institution’s deadline matches another’s. Cambridge and Sciences Po have very different cycles from Makerere or University of Pretoria. Check each institution directly.

Step 4: Complete any pre-requisite steps Some institutions require:

• Applying for university admission FIRST (scholarship depends on admission offer)
• Attending an information session
• Opting into scholarship funding during the admission application
• Completing a bridging programme (for some Sciences Po pathways)

5: Prepare your scholarship documentation Across all institutions, the scholarship application typically requires:

• Leadership statement (community impact + commitment to Africa)
• Financial need declaration and supporting documentation
• Academic transcripts and certificates
• Letters of recommendation (usually 2-3)
• Personal statement
• Proof of African citizenship

Step 6: Submit and respond promptly Respond promptly to follow-up requests like English test scores. Delays in responding to institutional requests can cost you the scholarship.

What Makes a Strong Mastercard Foundation Application

1. Genuine Financial Need — Not Hardship Performance

The application asks for financial documentation. Provide honest, accurate, verifiable proof of financial constraints. The Scholars Program is designed for students for whom the scholarship would be genuinely life-changing not for students from comfortable backgrounds seeking additional funding.

Be honest about your financial circumstances and explain how the scholarship would change your access to education.

2. Authentic Leadership and Community Story

Share a challenge you have overcome and what it taught you about problem-solving.

Every statement must connect to real community impact. Titled positions without impact do not impress. A student who organized a community sanitation project in a rural village, documented the outcomes, and reflects on what she learned has a stronger story than a student who lists “Class Prefect” without elaborating.

3. Commitment to African Development

The Mastercard Foundation’s purpose is African prosperity. Scholars are expected to contribute to Africa after their education not remain in the Global North after studying abroad. Your application must articulate a credible, specific return plan.

4. Not a Generic Statement

Writing a generic personal statement that does not address community leadership and commitment to Africa is one of the most common rejection reasons. Every statement should be rewritten from scratch for each institution, tailored to that university’s specific program and the Scholars Program’s mission.

For Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons

Applicants under the categories of refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and young persons living with disabilities receive priority consideration and relaxed age limits.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has one of the most explicit and generous refugee inclusion frameworks of any major scholarship program:

• Higher age limits for refugees/IDPs (40 at Makerere Master’s vs 35 for general applicants)
• Specific scholarship seats reserved for refugees
• UNHCR refugee ID or Family Attestation documentation accepted as proof
• Priority ranking in selection

For African students who are refugees or IDPs, whether from South Sudan in Uganda, Somalis in Kenya, Congolese in Rwanda, or other displacement contexts, the Scholars Program is among the most explicitly accessible scholarship pathways available.

Current Deadlines — 2026/27 Cycle

Action: Identify which partner universities are still accepting applications for 2026/27 and begin applications immediately. Universities with September intake may still have open windows.

Why the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Is Different

Scale: 45,000+ scholarships committed, heading toward 100,000. This is not a small, boutique scholarship. It is a transformational initiative.

Network: 20,000+ alumni across Africa and the diaspora, one of the largest African professional networks built through a scholarship program.

Global reach at top institutions: Cambridge, Sciences Po, UC Berkeley, McGill, these are not typical scholarship destinations for African students from low-income backgrounds. The Mastercard Foundation has negotiated partnerships with the world’s leading universities specifically to create this access.

Whole-person support: Mentoring, leadership development, psychosocial support, and career services, not just tuition. The program acknowledges that first-generation university students and financially constrained scholars need support beyond financial aid.

Explicit gender commitment: 71% women scholars, not as a result of gender-neutral selection, but as an explicit commitment and priority.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applying to only one partner institution instead of exploring multiple options across the 62+ partner network. Writing a generic personal statement that does not address community leadership and commitment to Africa. Failing to provide adequate financial documentation to prove genuine need. Missing institution-specific deadlines, which vary widely across partner universities. Not checking the age eligibility limit (28 years for most UG, or 32-40 for refugees and persons with disabilities).

The additional mistake: Starting too late. Cambridge, Sciences Po, and other international partners have their own university admission processes that precede the scholarship application. You may need to be admitted to a program before applying for the scholarship and those admission processes have their own earlier deadlines.

FAQ

What is the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program?

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is one of the world’s largest scholarship and leadership initiatives, giving academically talented but economically disadvantaged African youth access to fully funded degrees. It was launched in 2012 and has committed over 45,000 scholarships with a goal of 100,000 by the early 2030s.

Who is eligible?

Hold citizenship in a country within Africa. Candidates who hold a second citizenship from a country outside the African continent are not eligible. Must demonstrate financial need, academic excellence, and leadership/community engagement.

What does it cover?

Full tuition fees, accommodation, books, mentoring, leadership development, psychosocial support, career services, and return airfare.

How many universities are in the program?

Over 62 partner institutions globally, including Arizona State University, University of Cambridge, Sciences Po, UC Berkeley, McGill University, Makerere University, KNUST, and many other leading African and international universities.

Is there one application portal?

No, applications go through each partner university’s own process. Each institution has its own portal, deadline, and requirements.

Are refugees eligible?

Yes, applicants under the categories of refugees, Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), and young persons living with disabilities receive priority consideration and relaxed age limits.

What percentage of scholars are women?

More than 71 percent of scholars have been young women.

Is Pakistan or Bangladesh eligible?

No, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is explicitly for African citizens only. Pakistani and Bangladeshi students should look at DAAD, Stipendium Hungaricum, GKS Korea, or YTB-IsDB.

Free Application Tools

• Motivation Letter: Motivation Letter Generator
• SOP / Study Plan: SOP Generator
• CV: Free CV Builder
• Reference Letter: Reference Letter Generator
• MOI Certificate (if needed): MOI Generator
• Research Proposal (PhD): Research Proposal Generator