What is Mastercard Foundation scholarship for 2023 2024?
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Cambridge aims to offer fully-funded opportunities to exceptional students from economically marginalized and hard-to-reach communities in Africa to pursue their Master’s training, develop transformative leadership skills, and contribute to climate resilience and sustainability efforts in Africa. The program covers all expenses, including travel and visa costs, accommodation, meals, allowance for a laptop, health coverage, and a living stipend. In addition, it provides support for dependant children who may accompany a Scholar.
Prospective Mastercard Foundation Scholars can apply to a wide range of courses available at the University, as addressing the climate crisis requires diverse expertise in both scientific/STEM disciplines and the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The program provides training in various academic fields, from the creative arts and writing to the social sciences and technical disciplines. A multidisciplinary approach to climate action and response is crucial, and the program aims to develop scholars who can contribute effectively across various disciplines.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Cambridge, applicants must demonstrate citizenship of an African country and provide evidence of being from an economically marginalized or disadvantaged background. Additionally, applicants must be a resident of an African country, unless they can prove temporary absence for study or work with an intention to return or have been displaced.
The program supports Master’s courses of up to one year or part-time equivalent across a wide range of disciplines, including LLM, MASt, MEd, MPhil, and MRes. However, the program does not fund courses such as CPGS, Master of Accountancy (MAcc), Business Administration (MBA), Master of Corporate Law (MCL), Master of Finance (MFin), MSts, PGCert, and PG Dip. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program covers the cost of travel and visas, accommodation, meals, a living stipend, and tuition fees.
The program also provides an allowance for dependent children who may accompany the scholar. Evidence will be required at a later stage of the Scholarship selection process.
For more information about support available to refugees at Cambridge University, see the website.
How to Apply for Mastercard foundation scholarship 2023
To apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Cambridge, follow these steps:
Step One: Apply for admission to your chosen Master’s course at the University by the funding deadline (either December 1st, 2022, or January 5th, 2023). Make sure to indicate that you want to apply for funding. Check the course directory for the relevant funding deadline.
Step Two: Complete the separate Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form to apply for the funding. Be sure to demonstrate how you meet the eligibility criteria. Submit this form as soon as possible, but no later than January 5th, 2023.
Step Three: When applying for your Master’s course, you’ll need to pay a £50 application fee. However, if you’re from a country that automatically receives a fee waiver, you won’t have to pay this fee. Check Section 3 of the application guidelines for the list of eligible countries. If you’re from a country that doesn’t automatically receive a waiver and the fee presents a financial barrier for you, you can apply for a manual waiver by completing the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Fee Waiver Form and submitting it to [email protected]. Complete this step before submitting your application through the Applicant Portal.
Deadlines:
- For applicants with a funding deadline of December 1st, 2022, submit your fee waiver form at least five working days before the funding deadline (by November 25th, 2022).
- For applicants with a funding deadline of January 5th, 2023, submit your fee waiver form by December 19th, 2022.
- If you’re applying for a reimbursement of your application fee, complete the form by January 5th, 2023.
Note that you must receive a conditional offer of admission from the University to be considered for a Scholarship. For any questions, email [email protected].
Your application and information will be kept and anonymized for evaluation of the Program’s outcomes and effectiveness.