Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is managed through our partner universities and non-governmental organizations. The application process and decision-making are managed by our partners. If you are interested in becoming a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, please apply through one of the partner universities.

Each partner institution offers different programs and has their own timelines for admission, fees, and application guidelines. We recommend that you research the program of your choice and contact the relevant institution for more information.

Yes and no. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program provides scholarships at the secondary, undergraduate, and master’s levels. However, scholarships are not currently available to PhD candidates.

Our partner institutions are primarily in Africa, but we also have partners in North and Central America, Europe, and the Middle East.

The Mastercard Foundation does not provide sponsorship or financial support to candidates who are not awarded scholarships through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program provides financial, psychosocial, and academic support to Mastercard Foundation Scholars. Financial support includes, but is not limited to, tuition fees, accommodation, books and other academic materials, mentoring, counselling, leadership development, and a return air ticket to a Mastercard Foundation Scholar’s country of origin, if necessary.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is implemented through our partner universities and NGOs that serve young people from underrepresented backgrounds. The application process and decision-making are managed by each partner university in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Each partner in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program sets their own deadline. Please check the Program website of the partner institution(s) of your choice for the specific deadline.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is implemented through our partner universities and NGOs that serve young people from underrepresented backgrounds. The application process and decision-making are managed by each partner university in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. We recommend that applicants research the application guidelines or contact the institution of their choice directly for more information.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is managed individually by our partners, who set their own admission fees. Please read through the application guidelines and/or contact the partner institution(s) of your choice for more information. For institutions that require application fees as part of the admissions process, the fees will be reimbursed if the candidate is selected for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Admission fees are required by many of our implementing partners as part of the application process. North American universities require TOEFL and/or SAT scores as part of the application process for international candidates. Understandably, these costs can be a barrier for many potential Mastercard Foundation Scholars. Although we are unable to influence these admission requirements, we have found the following options to be helpful to some applicants:

– In some cases, universities may be able to assist with the completion of tests. For applicants confident that they can fulfill the requirements of the SAT and TOEFL, they should ask their counsellor or principal for a letter of support or similar documentation that expresses their confidence in the candidate’s academic achievements. These letters of support, along with the candidate’s story, should be shared with the admissions office at the university to which they are applying.
– Some candidates have also found support to cover the costs of the SAT or TOEFL through Education USA.
– We have partnered with Africa-based universities that offer undergraduate or graduate programs and do not require SAT or TOEFL scores.

Each partner university in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program manages its own application process. Thus, candidates can apply to as many universities as they wish. However, we remind applicants that while there is no limit to the number of universities you can apply to, it is important to note that it takes a great deal of effort to complete an application submission package, and application fees may also be required.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is highly competitive. Gaining admission to a partner institution does not guarantee selection for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

The Mastercard Foundation partners with institutions whose vision and work are aligned with our goals, mission, vision, and Young Africa Works strategy. At this time, the Foundation is unable to accept unsolicited proposals. Currently, our team is focused on expanding the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program to more universities in Africa. Periodically, we circulate requests for proposals to closed groups of universities. We encourage interested organizations to follow our social media channels and visit this webpage for future opportunities to collaborate.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program celebrated its 10-year anniversary, themed “Scholars@10: A Decade of Transformative Impact and Learning,” in September 2022. The event was an opportunity to demonstrate the program’s impact, share our learning from the past decade, and look to the future. Celebrating this important milestone was also an opportunity to recognize the efforts of our diverse and dynamic partner network and our brilliant and resilient Mastercard Foundation Scholars.