Mastercard Foundation Scholarship: Requirements & How to Apply

Key Facts

Status: Applications Closed
Provider: Mastercard Foundation
Field of Study: MBA & Postgraduate
Study Level: Undergraduate

Honours

Postgraduate / Masters
Application Closes: Sat, 31 Oct 2026 - 12:00

Reviewed & Verified by Makona Mandla Lead Editor, Bursary Verification

Closed Closed

Sat, 31 Oct 2026 - 12:00

Eligibility Requirements

Citizen of an African country (UCT), including South Africa
Academic talent and commitment to excellence
Significant social and economic barriers
Leadership potential and community service
Admission to the partner university
Full-time study on an eligible programme

Documents Needed

Requirements depend on the university. Pretoria's call used a completed form with supporting documents for each level. UCT uses its own online scholarship form. Keep your ID or passport, academic results, proof of financial circumstances and evidence of your community work ready.

About Mastercard Foundation Scholarship

The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship funds talented young Africans who face serious social and economic barriers to higher education. In South Africa, the Mastercard Foundation works through universities such as the University of Cape Town and the University of Pretoria. For the 2027 intake, UCT's final postgraduate deadline was 31 October 2026.

UCT's bachelor's deadline was 30 September 2026. At the University of Pretoria, a published copy of the call lists 31 August 2026 for undergraduates and 30 September 2026 for postgraduates. So this African scholarship has closed for 2027. Watch both universities for the next round.

Funding Details

UCT describes scholarships with comprehensive support, but its page does not list amounts. A published copy of the Pretoria call lists tuition, campus room and board, books, a monthly stipend, health insurance, start-up funds and visa fees. It also lists a one-time internship in Africa, along with mentoring, tutoring, counselling and leadership courses.

We found no work-back obligation. Instead, the programme expects scholars to serve their communities. Check the exact terms at your chosen university, because benefits can differ between institutions.

Start preparing well before the next round opens. Ask a teacher, lecturer or community leader who knows your work to support your application, and gather your results and evidence of your community service in one folder. Admission and scholarship deadlines can fall close together, so note both dates.

Where You Can Study

UCT supports a first bachelor's degree, as well as eligible postgraduate diplomas in Health Sciences, honours degrees and coursework master's programmes. It does not fund part-time study, or research-only master's and PhD degrees. Its six faculties are Commerce, Engineering and the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law and Science. At Pretoria, the call covers undergraduate, honours and master's study.

About Mastercard Foundation

About the Mastercard Foundation The Mastercard Foundation is a global philanthropic organisation with its head office in Toronto, Canada. It was created in 2006 through a gift from Mastercard, yet it operates independent…

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Address: 250 Yonge Street, Suite 2400, Toronto, ON M5B 2L7, Canada

Fields of Study & Who Can Apply

At UCT, you must be a citizen of an African country, including South Africa. You should be academically talented and face significant social and economic barriers. You should also show potential for ethical leadership and a commitment to serving your community.

UCT particularly encourages young women, people living with disabilities, refugees and forcibly displaced young people to apply. Bachelor's applicants must also receive an offer of admission from UCT.

Your application should show more than good marks. Give examples of how you have led others, helped your community and dealt with hardship. This scholarship looks for future leaders who will use their education to serve others, so your own story matters. Be specific about what you did and what changed because of your work.

Application Procedure

Apply for admission first. At UCT, submit your university application and then the scholarship form through the Scholars Program page. At Pretoria, the call asked you to apply to the university, then submit the form for your level by email. Pretoria's listed enquiry number is +27 (0)12 420 4297.

Applications for this cycle have closed. Check the provider's site for the next intake.