Applications for the 2026/2027 academic year are now open

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.

The programme aims to cover everything students need to thrive in Cambridge, including tuition costs and a monthly maintenance allowance.

We’re pleased to announce that applications for the 2026/2027 academic year are now open.

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 (except if identify as an internally displaced person or have refugee status). 
• Be applying for an eligible master’s course of up to one year in length. 
• Meet the academic requirement of the course you’re applying for. Most master’s courses require a first-class undergraduate degree, some a 'good' second-class.
  • Please check the entry requirements for your course in the Course Directory and visit the International qualifications page to find the equivalent ​qualifications for your country. 

How to apply

Please visit our ‘How to apply’ page for more information on applying to the University of Cambridge, and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Find out more

We’re holding a series of webinars during the application period – an opportunity for prospective applicants to find out more about the programme and how to apply. Please come along to find out more and meet the team.

The programme supports diversity in all its forms and actively encourages women, refugees, internally displaced people, and people with disabilities to apply.