Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Guide 2027
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is for academically talented young Africans with financial need. There is no single global form: you apply through one of 62 partner universities and organisations, each with its own process and deadline.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
5 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program does not have a single application portal. There is no central website where you submit one form and compete for all the scholarships at once. The Foundation funds 62 partner universities and organisations, and each of them runs its own independent programme. Cambridge, Oxford, Berkeley, McGill, Makerere, KNUST, Sciences Po, CMU-Africa, AUB — all separate applications, different deadlines, different essay questions, different eligibility tweaks. If you didn't know that, this guide is exactly where to start.
The Thing That Confuses Everyone
There is no central application
Students search for "how to apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship" expecting to find one form. It doesn't exist. The Mastercard Foundation is the funder — not the recruiter. Each partner university runs its own programme with its own application system, deadlines, essay prompts, and selection process. Applying to MCF means choosing a specific partner institution and applying to their MCFSP — and you do that directly on that university's website.
The Mastercard Foundation is the funder — not the recruiter. Where you apply matters as much as how well you apply.
Not all partners are the same
Cambridge focuses on climate and sustainability. Edinburgh has an online programme for working professionals. McGill is for public health, nutrition, policy and sustainable agriculture. Oxford’s programme is built around pandemic preparedness and recovery. Berkeley plans to fund 201 master’s students over ten years. Makerere advertised 245 undergraduate and 13 master’s scholarships for 2026/2027. These are not the same scholarship in different wrappers — they have genuinely different focuses, selectivity levels, and expectations from applicants.
What the Programme Is
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program was launched in August 2012. The Foundation now reports more than 58,000 scholarships committed, more than 20,000 alumni, and that 71% of scholars are young women. Its stated aim is to double that impact by enabling 100,000 young people to access higher education by 2030.
The programme funds young Africans — primarily from financially disadvantaged backgrounds — for education at top institutions in Africa and internationally, at the secondary, undergraduate and master's levels. The emphasis is on three things: academic talent, financial need, and demonstrated transformative leadership.
The Foundation describes the scholarship's purpose as developing "transformative leaders who give back." This means the scholarship is not simply a financial grant — it comes with structured leadership development, mentorship, career support, and an explicit expectation that scholars will return to Africa and contribute to the continent's development after graduating. The leadership and give-back elements are embedded into the programme itself, not just the application.
Is This Scholarship Right for You?
Full rules →You are an African citizen, academically strong, and your financial situation genuinely limits your options. You have shown leadership in your community, school, or profession — not just in titles but in actual action and outcomes. You have a clear idea of what you want to study and why it matters for Africa. This scholarship was built for you.
You have work experience in development, health, agriculture, tech, climate, or public policy. You're applying for a master's at an international partner — Cambridge, Edinburgh, Berkeley, McGill, Sciences Po. Your profile needs to show both academic readiness and meaningful professional impact.
Most partners name refugees and displaced people as a priority group, and some set quotas: Makerere reserves at least 25% of its scholarships for refugees and internally displaced persons. If you are displaced and academically qualified, the programme is specifically designed to include you.
The Foundation's own FAQ says scholarships are not currently available to PhD candidates. The exception is AUB — the American University of Beirut — whose MCF page lists PhD scholarships for African citizens and refugees living on the continent. If doctoral study is your goal, check AUB specifically.
What's in These 10 Pages
The four core requirements in detail — what "African" means, how financial need is assessed, what counts as transformative leadership, and who is excluded.
Partner institutions organised by region and programme level, with selectivity context and focus areas to help you choose where to apply.
What the scholarship actually covers — tuition, accommodation, stipends, flights, laptops, medical insurance — and how it varies across partners.
Step-by-step process for each partner model — integrated applications, pre-screenings, supplemental forms — and documents you will need across all partners.
The selection framework: what reviewers are evaluating, how leadership is weighted, and common profile mistakes that sink otherwise strong applications.
How to write the personal statement and leadership essays — structure, tone, common prompts across partners, and what not to write.
What the return obligation actually means, how it is enforced, community service requirements during study, and what happens after graduation.
Direct answers to the questions that come up most often — dual citizenship, multiple applications, deferral, reapplying, and the "Sub-Saharan Africa" confusion.
Where MCF scholars go after graduation — sectors, organisations, geographic patterns — and what the alumni network actually offers in practice.
Programme Quick Facts
| Founded | August 2012 |
| Scholarships committed so far | 58,000+ (20,000+ alumni; 71% young women) |
| Goal by 2030 | 100,000 young people |
| Global partners | 62 universities and NGOs |
| Partner countries | Africa, UK, France, Canada, USA, Lebanon, Costa Rica |
| Levels funded | Secondary (NGO partners), undergraduate, master's (PhD only at AUB) |
| Part-time / online available | Yes — Edinburgh online programme for working professionals; AUB online master's |
| Religion requirement | None |
| Gender | Open to all; many partners have specific women or refugee quotas |
| Application fee | The Foundation never charges one; partner admission fees are reimbursed if you are selected |
| Who runs the application | Each partner university independently |
Scam Warning
The Mastercard Foundation does not charge application fees or solicit payments from individuals. Applications go only through official partner university portals — not third-party websites, Facebook posts, WhatsApp agents, or individuals claiming to help you apply. The Foundation has warned about Facebook posts that advertise MCF recruitment and ask for an application fee; those groups are not linked to it. Some partner universities charge their normal admission fee; the Foundation reimburses it if you are selected. Anyone else charging you to apply is running a scam — report it to local law enforcement and to ethics@mastercardfdn.org.