Uc Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UC Berkeley funds African students to complete a Master's degree at the University of California, Berkeley, one of the world's top-ranked universities. The Mastercard Foundation runs similar scholar programmes at universities across Africa, Canada, and the United States, all aimed at developing transformative African leaders.

Unlike a general international scholarship, this programme is exclusively for citizens of African countries, including those who have been forcibly displaced or hold refugee status within Africa. It is built around leadership development as much as academic achievement.

Because admission to UC Berkeley comes first, and the scholarship follows, this opportunity rewards students who are already strong enough academically to be genuinely competitive for a Berkeley Master's programme.

The scholarship covers the full cost of a UC Berkeley Master's degree, including travel, tuition, Berkeley student fees, visa and SEVIS fees, housing, food, and general living expenses.

Recipients also join cohort signature programmes focused on leadership and entrepreneurship, connecting them with other Mastercard Foundation Scholars across Berkeley and the Foundation's wider global network.

This scholarship funds study exclusively at UC Berkeley. You must first apply to, and be admitted into, a UC Berkeley Master's degree programme through the university's regular admissions process before the Program considers you for the scholarship itself.

Because admission and scholarship selection are separate steps, being invited to apply for the scholarship is itself a strong signal that your academic application has already succeeded.