The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh offers online (distance-learning) postgraduate scholarships so that talented young Africans can study a fully funded Master’s degree or postgraduate diploma while remaining in their home country and continuing their work and community commitments. Scholars choose from a fixed list of online programmes spanning development, climate, health, food systems, education and data. The program targets candidates who have faced significant barriers to education and who show a track record of leadership and service.
Successful scholars also join the Climate Leadership Programme and a supported online cohort. The 2026/27 cycle is now closed; the program runs annually.
Benefits & funding
- Full approved tuition fees — scholars pay no part of the tuition.
- An academic stipend to cover access to a laptop and high-quality internet.
- The opportunity to attend an in-person gathering.
- Participation in the Climate Leadership Programme.
- A dedicated Online Coordinator for support throughout study.
- Additional support for scholars with disabilities, based on an assessment of needs.
- (The official pages do not publish exact monetary figures for the stipend.)
Eligibility
- Be a resident and citizen of — or hold refugee status in — an African country (North Africa included).
- Be aged 35 or under for the 2026/27 year (born on or after 1 January 1991).
- Hold (or expect) an undergraduate degree of roughly a UK Upper Second-Class Honours (2:1) standard or higher, with transcript and certificate available by the stated documentation deadline.
- For the online Master’s: not have already completed a postgraduate degree. For the online postgraduate diploma: may hold either an undergraduate or a Master’s degree from an African institution.
- Demonstrate significant barriers to education (social, financial, personal, practical or health-related) and a record of community leadership and service.
- Not be enrolled at, or applying to enrol at, a separate university while holding the scholarship.
- Applications are especially encouraged from women, people from refugee and displaced backgrounds, and people with disabilities.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Republic of the Congo
+ 42 more
DR Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Rwanda · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sudan · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Residence required
Algeria · Angola · Benin · Botswana · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · Comoros · Republic of the Congo
+ 42 more
DR Congo · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Egypt · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Gabon · Gambia · Ghana · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Kenya · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Mali · Mauritania · Mauritius · Morocco · Mozambique · Namibia · Niger · Nigeria · Rwanda · São Tomé and Príncipe · Senegal · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sudan · Tanzania · Togo · Tunisia · Uganda · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Education required
Bachelor · Master
Age requirement
≤ 35 yrs
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Application process
- 1Apply for the scholarship only (not yet for the degree programme) through the University of Edinburgh online application system during the annual application window.
- 2If shortlisted, attend an online interview.
- 3Successful candidates receive a scholarship offer and then apply for admission to their chosen online programme through standard admissions.
Program timeline
14 October 2025
Applications open (2026/27 cycle)
Application deadline
21 November 2025
Initial assessment results
Early February 2026
Interview invitations
Mid-February 2026
Online interviews
End February–mid March 2026
Interview outcomes announced
End of March 2026
Programme starts
September 2026