Mastercard Foundation Scholarship program is an educational development programme that seeks to empower talented and transformative emerging leaders who are committed to serving their community. The initiative empowers young leaders to gain advanced education, knowledge and skills while strengthening their leadership capabilities. As a Mastercard scholar, one receives funding for undergraduate or master’s education in specific fields of study.

The Mastercard Scholars Program seeks to create an ecosystem of young leaders who are driving socio-economic transformation in Africa. Furthermore, they seek to achieve this by leveraging inclusive education for the vulnerable population. The scholarship is open for young people with focus on refugees, women, individuals with disability and internally displaced persons.

So, if you are searching for a scholarship program for African students, Mastercard Foundation Scholarship is for you. Here is full information on the partner Universities, scholarship requirements, and application guidelines for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program.

Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Partner Universities

The Mastercard foundation works with different academic institutions and Non-Governmental Organizations to provide university education to Africans. The partnering  academic institutions are in Africa, Europe, North America, and Asia. Therefore, the Mastercard Foundation is among the foundations offering leading scholarships for study abroad programs. Full list of the Mastercard Foundation scholarship participating Universities and countries include 

• Makerere University Kampala, Uganda 
• University of Edinburgh, UK
• Ashesi University College, Berekuso, Ghana
• University of British Columbia, Canada
• Arizona State University, US
• Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa) Rwanda
• University Of Global Health Equity Kigali, Rwanda
• American University of Beirut, Lebanon 
• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
• Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique Benguerir, Morocco
• African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), Capetown, South Africa 
• University of Rwanda, Kigali 
• McGill University Montreal, Canada
• University of California Berkeley, US
• African Leadership University (ALU), Rwanda
• Cambridge University, UK
• University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin
• International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
• University of Pretoria, South Africa 
• Queen’s University Kingston Ontario, Canada 
• University of Toronto (U of T), Canada 
• Escuela de Agricultura de la Región Tropical Húmeda, (EARTH University) Costa Rica
• University of Oxford, UK
• Pan-Atlantic University Lagos, Nigeria 
• University of Cape Town (UCT), South Africa 
• Sciences Po Paris, France 
• United States International University-Africa (USIU-A) Nairobi, Kenya
• Université Gaston Berger (UGB) Saint-Louis Senegal 
• University of Gondar, Ethiopia 
• University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa 

The Mastercard Foundation scholarship program has different application timelines for each institution. Also, the partnering universities have different admission requirements and application timeline.

Eligible Programs Funded By The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship 

Every year partnering institutions select eligible courses for the Mastercard Foundation scholarship program. Hence, one needs to confirm eligible programs for the MasterCard scholarship from the partnering institutions websites. Over the years, some programs have been consistently funded by the Mastercard foundation. Therefore, Let’s dive into the list of eligible courses under the Mastercard Foundation scholarship program. These programs are

• Food Security 
• Master of Science in Information Technology
• Master of Science in Electrical Engineering 
• Computer Engineering
• Master of Science in Engineering Artificial Intelligence
• Master of Accountancy (MACC)
• Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Corporate Law (MCL)
• Master of Finance (MFIN) 
• Master of Science in Information Technology, 
• MSc Electrical Engineering 
• MSc Computer Engineering
• MSc/PGD Global Food Security and Nutrition
• MSc Engineering Artificial Intelligence
• MSc/PGD Global Health Research 
• Master in Gender and Development
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Science in Economics
• MSc Data Science (Biostatistics / Data Mining)
• MSc IoT Embedded Computing Systems
• MSc Electrical Power Systems
• MSc Biomedical Engineering
• MSc Health Supply Chain Management

Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Requirements

Individuals with interest in the Mastercard foundation scholarship need to meet certain criteria. This includes criteria set by the scholarship body and the admission requirements at the partner university. Here are the general requirements from mastercard foundation for applicants 

• Be a citizen of African Country
• Be 35 years or less during application 
• Possess no master’s degree prior to this time
• Demonstrate financial need and barriers limiting access to education 
• Possess and show records of leadership and service 

Check Other Master’s Scholarships

Some of the basic requirements of the partnering institutions for Mastercard foundation scholars include 

• GPA minimum requirements for previous education
• English Proficiency 
• Online application
• Transcript
• Degree Result (For graduate programs)
• Personal statement
• Admission/application fee (Where necessary)

Since the Mastercard foundation scholarship is highly competitive, meeting the general requirements is a basic step for all applicants. Here are qualities that differentiates potential scholars from every other applicant.

• Possess and demonstrate self awareness 
• Tell a unique story
• Excellent academic performance 
• Commitment to community engagement 
• Possess leadership potential 

Benefits of The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship

Just like other scholarship programs, Mastercard Foundation offers financial aid to selected scholars. Note that the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship for international students is fully funded for African students to study abroad or locally. Benefits of the Mastercard Foundation scholarship include that the funding covers

• Tuition
• Basic living expenses 
• Accomodation 
• Laptop and internet connectivity fee 
• Books and stationery support
• Mentorship support 
• Leadership development 
• Professional support to transition to work
• Health insurance 
• Travel expenses 

Some of the benefits scholars receive is dependent on the study location and learning mode. Some benefits are for onsite scholars studying in another country while other benefits are for students offering online programs. Whichever category you belong to, Mastercard Foundation scholarship provides full support to ensure seamless access to quality education.

The mastercard foundation scholars program covers undergraduate, diploma and master’s programs.  However, currently the Mastercard Foundation scholarship does not cover PhD programs. The undergraduate study is usually a full-time onsite program. But, the master’s education under Mastercard Foundation scholarship covers both online and onsite programs.

How To Apply For The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

To apply for the mastercard foundation scholarship, candidates need to observe the following 

• Conduct research about your program of interest, university’s admission requirements
• Attend the scholarship information session of the Mastercard Foundation 
• Select schools and study program of choice (There is no limit to the number of schools one can apply to)
• Meet the the school’s admission requirements and take note of the opening and the deadline for scholarship application alongside the  application instructions 
• Gather the required documents and contact referees
• Get the application package ready including the answers to the essay questions
• Upload your documents and provide answers to questions following the instructions provided 
• Submit your application 

There will be no consideration for incomplete applications. As such, applicants have to commence their application on time. Many institutions are changing criteria for application. It is important to understand the criteria set by the partnering institution. For some universities, one needs to attend an information session while some institutions require one to fill a pre-assessment test.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is a Mastercard Foundation Scholarship?

The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship is a fully funded scholarship opportunity for Africans to study abroad or locally, to develop their knowledge and expertise while strengthening their leadership capabilities to work and provide innovative solutions in their countries.

What are the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Requirements?

The mastercard foundation scholarship requirements vary from school to school, yet the basic requirements are academic excellence, English proficiency (where necessary), leadership potential, transcript, degree result (where necessary) and writing an essay (personal statement). The mastercard foundation requirements for scholars include 35 years age cap, be an African living in Africa, academic excellence, leadership potential and experience in community development or service.

List the universities under the Mastercard scholarship.

Some of the universities under the Mastercard scholarship include Makerere university, University of Edinburgh, University of California Berkeley, Pan Atlantic University, University of Cambridge,  EARTH University, University of Gondar, University of Toronto, Kwame Nkrumah University, and Cambridge University.

The Benefits of MasterCard Foundation Scholarship Program 

The benefits of the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship include that it covers travel expenses, accommodation, tuition, and basic living expenses alongside leadership and professional development

Mastercard Foundation scholarship courses 

The mastercard foundation scholarship cover certain undergraduate and master’s courses in Gender and Development, Business Administration (MBA), Economics, Data Science (Biostatistics / Data Mining), Food Security, IoT Embedded Computing Systems, Corporate Law, Electrical Power Systems, Electrical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, finance, Health Supply Chain Management and Information Technology.