The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Cambridge enables talented young Africans to pursue a master’s degree and grow their leadership potential.
We aim to cover everything students need to thrive in Cambridge, including full tuition costs and a monthly maintenance allowance.
We’re pleased to announce that applications for the 2027/2028 academic year are now open.
If you are a passionate, ambitious young African committed to creating impact and driving positive change, we encourage you to apply and take the next bold step in your academic and leadership journey.
Programme themes and eligibility
Our programme themes are climate resilience and sustainability. Recognising the wide range of expertise required to address these complex challenges, prospective Mastercard Foundation Scholars can apply for any full-time one-year postgraduate courses at the University, excluding:
- Master of Business Administration (MBA)
- Master of Corporate Law (MCL)
- Master of Finance (MFIN)
- Master of Accountancy (MACC)
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a citizen of an African country.
- Be resident in an African country, unless you can show temporary absence for study or work (exception – if you identify as an internally displaced person or have refugee status).
- Meet the academic requirement of the course you’re applying for.
2026/2027 Mastercard Foundation Scholars at the summer garden party
How to apply
The first step is to explore master's courses available at the University of Cambridge using the Postgraduate Study Course Directory.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application is built into the course application. You’ll be asked to submit a scholarship statement, covering your career / education history, leadership potential, how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals, and how you hope to contribute to sustainable futures in Africa.
Please visit our ‘How to apply’ page for more information.
Find out more
We’re holding a series of webinars during the application period – an opportunity to find out more about the programme and how to apply.
Remaining dates:
- Tuesday 3 November, 11am (UK): Sign up now
The programme supports diversity in all its forms and actively encourages women, refugees, internally displaced people, and people with disabilities to apply.