What the Scholarship Covers — and What It Doesn't
The short answer: the MCF scholarship is fully funded in the sense that it covers everything you need to study. The longer answer is that "everything" varies by partner, and there are things nobody covers — most importantly, your family.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
4 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
Standard Coverage — Nearly Universal Across Partners
These items are covered at effectively every MCF partner university. The Foundation itself lists tuition fees, accommodation, books and other academic materials, mentoring, counselling, leadership development, and a return air ticket to your country of origin where needed. If a partner does not include one of the items below, it is the exception worth specifically verifying — not the rule.
Almost always covered
- Full tuition fees for the complete degree duration
- Accommodation (on-campus or equivalent stipend)
- Books and learning materials
- Monthly living / maintenance stipend
- Return economy airfare to home country (or equivalent allowance)
- Visa application fees
- Health insurance or medical cover
- Mentorship and leadership programming costs
Covered at specific partners
| Extra | Where |
|---|---|
| Laptop | Explicitly provided at Cambridge, CMU-Africa, University of Rwanda, KNUST, and USIU-Africa. Edinburgh online scholars receive an academic stipend for a laptop and good internet. |
| Immigration Health Surcharge (UK) | Covered at Cambridge and Oxford only. |
| Settling-in allowance | Oxford provides a one-time payment for initial set-up costs. |
| Emergency / Thrive Fund | Oxford has this specifically named, for genuine hardship during the programme. |
| Africa-based internship | Berkeley covers round-trip airfare and living stipend for the Africa-based internship in master's programmes longer than two semesters. |
| Transport to/from home region | USIU-Africa mentions this explicitly in addition to standard airfare coverage. |
| Admission application fee | Where a partner charges its normal admission fee, the Foundation reimburses it if you are selected as a scholar. |
What Is NOT Covered
Edinburgh's FAQ states it directly: "The Programme only covers costs for an individual, and we are unable to provide financial or practical support for family members." This is the case at all partners without exception. If you have a spouse, children, or other dependents, you are responsible for every cost associated with them. This is the single most cited source of financial stress among scholars throughout the programme.
Other exclusions across partners
- PhD programmes (except at AUB, which is the notable exception in the network)
- Dual or concurrent degree programmes — Berkeley's FAQ explicitly excludes these
- Application fees at non-partner institutions
- Part-time programmes at most partners (Edinburgh's online option is the main exception)
- Personal travel expenses beyond the allocated return flights
- Clothing, furniture, or personal consumables beyond what a living stipend covers
Coverage by Partner — Five Examples
These are drawn from official partner pages. Details change between cycles — always verify on the partner's current MCFSP page before applying.
Full course fees · monthly maintenance (UKRI doctoral rate) · laptop provided · visa fees + IHS (UK surcharge) · return economy flight · pre-arrival preparation costs.
University and college fees · living costs (UKRI research doctoral rate) · return economy flight to UK · visa fees and IHS · settling-in allowance (one-time) · emergency Thrive Fund (hardship).
Full tuition and functional fees · on-campus accommodation · monthly stipend · books and learning materials · transport.
Both levels: full tuition · on-campus accommodation · laptop provided · return ticket allowance · monthly stipend · psychosocial support activities · internship placement support.
Tuition and functional fees · laptop provided · books · accommodation and meals · medical insurance · monthly stipend · transport to and from home.
Psychosocial Support — This Is Real, Not Marketing
Every MCF partner provides structured psychosocial support. This is not a one-line bullet on the scholarship website — it is a formal programme component at all partners, and the Foundation lists psychosocial support alongside financial and academic support. It was designed to address specific, documented challenges: financial pressure from family at home, cultural isolation in foreign environments, and imposter syndrome in elite academic contexts. These are consistently cited by scholars as real difficulties. The support exists because the programme was built around them — not to brand the scholarship more attractively.
At all partners
- Designated Scholars Program staff (pastoral support, not only admin)
- Peer mentorship from senior scholars and alumni
- Extended orientation (before and after arrival) for transition support
- Career development services
At specific partners
- Oxford: Thrive Fund for emergency needs plus dedicated peer network.
- Berkeley: dedicated scholars coordinator with specific cultural transition support.
- Edinburgh: "Transitions and Mentoring Toolkit" specifically for scholars navigating cross-cultural academic environments.
- University of Rwanda: explicitly listed as a core programme component alongside academic mentorship.
- CMU-Africa: wellbeing support integrated into the scholar experience from day one.
The Baobab Platform and Baobab Summit
These provide community and networking support across the entire MCF scholar network — not just at individual partner universities. The Summit brings scholars together from all over the world annually. The Platform serves as an ongoing digital community for alumni and current scholars alike.
The Leadership Development Component
This is built into the programme at all partners. It is not optional, not an add-on, and not extra cost. The scholarship funds it.
Oxford
A Leadership and Impact Programme runs in Year 1. Year 2 includes a 4 to 6 month Ubuntu period of service within an African organisation. Both are funded and scheduled as part of the scholarship.
Edinburgh
A Climate Leadership Programme with placements and workshops is embedded in the scholar experience. This is consistent with Edinburgh's focus on climate and sustainability.
Berkeley
Structured leadership training is part of the programme, alongside an internship in Africa for scholars in master's programmes longer than two semesters. Berkeley covers the airfare and living stipend for the internship.
African partner universities
Community service and engagement activities are woven throughout the degree at KNUST, Makerere, University of Rwanda, USIU-Africa, and others. These are structured, not informal suggestions.