Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

About the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is offered by Mastercard Foundation. Comprehensive scholarships — tuition, accommodation, travel, and leadership development — for academically talented young Africans facing financial barriers, at partner universities in Africa, North America and Europe. Scholarships like this are competitive and rule-bound: meeting every published eligibility criterion is what gets your application read, and missing even one usually means an automatic rejection regardless of how strong the rest of your profile is.

Use the eligibility checker on this page for a quick, personalised read of whether you qualify before you invest hours in the application — then confirm the fine print on the official source, since awarding bodies revise criteria and amounts between cycles.

What the scholarship covers

This award typically covers: Full tuition and fees; Accommodation, books and travel; Mentoring, leadership development and transition support; Apply via each partner university's own process. Read the value carefully — "full" funding can still leave gaps (visa fees, travel, or a partner/family), while a partial award may need topping up from savings or part-time work to satisfy a visa's proof-of-funds rule.

Who is eligible

The main requirements are strict gates rather than guidelines: The program primarily serves young people from Sub-Saharan Africa; Demonstrated economic disadvantage is a core criterion. Check each against your own situation honestly before applying — the checker on this page does exactly this and flags where you may fall short.

Deadlines and how to apply well

Key dates: 2027 intakes — deadlines vary by partner university — 2027-01-31. Always confirm the exact deadline on the official source, as cycles shift year to year and some awards close early once funds are committed.

Strong applications are specific and evidenced: tie your goals to what the scholarship is actually for, supply every requested document in the right format, and give referees plenty of notice. A late or incomplete submission is the most avoidable reason good candidates miss out.