University of Cambridge Mastercard Foundation Scholarship 2027/28

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. They aim to cover everything students need to thrive in Cambridge, including full tuition costs and a monthly maintenance allowance.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirements
• Interview Process
• Application Documents
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineNot Specified
• Study LevelMasters
• SponsorUniversity of Cambridge
• City to studyCambridge
• School to studyUniversity of Cambridge

Benefits

• Full tuition fees.

• Monthly living allowance.

• Visa application costs and Immigration Health Surcharge.

• Travel costs, including flights.

• Laptop allowance.

Requirements

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. 

Selection Process

Departments select applicants on a rolling basis, with offers made between December and February. Selection is based on your course application and not your scholarship statement.

Some departments interview shortlisted candidates before making an offer.

The team reviews applicants who have been offered a place on their chosen course and selects scholars based on both the course application and scholarship statement.

Offer letters are sent in late March or early April.

Application Documents

If successful, submit any outstanding documents by 31 July. This will usually include IELTS test results. The score required by most courses is either 7.0 or 7.5 overall but it's important to check your course's language requirements.

(You can apply without IELTS results. If your application is successful, you’ll receive a conditional offer).

Application Deadline

Not Specified

How To Apply

Start your course application

Open your chosen course's profile in the postgraduate course directory and click 'Apply Now'. Create an account to save and return to your application later.

2. Apply for an application fee waiver (if required to do so)

Once you’ve opened your application, you can apply for an application fee waiver.  

All Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program applicants are eligible for the application fee waiver if you meet the academic entry requirements of your chosen course.

If your country is listed below, the application fee will be waived automatically when you submit your application – you do not need to take any action.

Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania (United Rep. of), Togo, Uganda, and Zambia.

If your country does not appear on this list, you must submit an application fee request form using the link below, attaching copies of your transcript and passport:

Application Fee Waiver Form

Please complete the form as early as possible, and by the deadline of 20 November 2026. 

3. Apply for funding

During your application, opt in for funding to view eligible options. If you meet your chosen course's entry requirements, you'll be able to select the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Write your scholarship statement, focusing on: 

• Your career / education history
• Leadership potential
• How the scholarship will help you achieve your goals and aspirations
• How you hope to contribute to sustainable futures in Africa

4. Complete and submit your application

Submit your application by the course’s funding deadline – usually early December or January, earlier than the standard deadline.

You’ll also be asked to choose a College. This is where you’ll live, eat and have small group teaching sessions. Find out about the University’s 31 Colleges and how to choose one. 

For more information, visit University of Cambridge scholarship webpage.