Mastercard Foundation Scholarships for African Students

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a scholarship for eligible applicants from all African countries at undergraduate and master’s level. It covers tuition, travel and accommodation, while applicants to North American universities must provide TOEFL and/or SAT scores as part of the international application process.

Key facts

• The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a scholarship programme.
• Applicants from all African countries are eligible.
• The programme supports undergraduate and master’s study.
• Funding covers tuition, travel and accommodation.
• North American universities require TOEFL and/or SAT scores from international candidates as part of the application process.
• The programme’s deadline for the coming cycle is not yet confirmed.
• You must check the official programme page for current application dates.

What is the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program?

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program provides scholarship support for undergraduate and master’s study. Its stated funding coverage includes tuition, travel and accommodation, so these are the areas you should examine first when assessing whether the programme fits your plans.

The programme is connected to Mastercard Foundation, a foundation. That matters because the provider and the university involved may each present information that you need to read carefully. The programme profile gives the broad eligibility and funding facts, but the official programme page remains the place to confirm the current application process.

Do not treat the programme name alone as proof that every participating university follows identical procedures. The available information specifically identifies a test requirement for North American universities. For any university outside that description, check the official programme page rather than applying the same requirement across institutions.

Who can apply for this scholarship?

The programme is open to applicants from all African countries. Start by checking your study level, because the programme supports undergraduate and master’s applicants.

The available information does not provide a separate list of academic grades, work experience, age limits, citizenship documents or field-of-study conditions. Do not fill those gaps with assumptions based on other scholarships. Check the official programme page for the current eligibility rules before preparing a final application.

Your first screening should be practical. Confirm your country, identify your study level and then review the requirements for the university and course you want to pursue.

This order saves time. An applicant can meet the broad country condition but still need to satisfy rules set by a particular university. The published facts do not state those additional rules, so the official page must settle them.

What does the Mastercard Foundation scholarship cover?

The programme covers tuition, travel and accommodation. These are three separate cost areas, and you should read the funding information with that distinction in mind.

Tuition relates to the cost charged for study. Travel relates to movement connected with the study arrangement. Accommodation relates to housing. The programme profile confirms that all three areas are covered, but it does not state the value, payment method, frequency or limits for any of them.

Do not assume that the listed coverage includes every personal or academic expense. The available information does not specify living allowances, books, visa costs, health insurance, meals, equipment or other charges. Before accepting an offer, check the official programme page for the full financial terms and any expenses that remain your responsibility.

The same caution applies to travel. Coverage is confirmed, but the facts do not state when travel is paid, which journeys qualify or how arrangements are made. Those details can affect your preparation, so look for them in the official programme information rather than relying on informal advice.

Do applicants need IELTS, TOEFL or SAT scores?

For international candidates applying to North American universities, TOEFL and/or SAT scores are required as part of the application process. The published requirement names TOEFL and SAT, not IELTS.

That does not establish a general IELTS exemption for every applicant or university. It confirms the stated requirement for North American universities. If you are applying to a university in another location, check its official instructions for the accepted tests and score conditions.

The wording also uses “and/or”. You should not decide in advance that both tests will always be required, or that only one will be accepted. The university’s application process determines which test or tests apply to your case.

Prepare around the institution you plan to apply to. First identify whether it is a North American university. Then read the relevant application instructions and confirm whether TOEFL, SAT or both are requested. If the page does not make the position clear, contact the programme or university before submitting.

Avoid listing a test score simply because another applicant used it. A score is useful only when it matches the requirement for your university and application route. The facts do not provide minimum scores, test validity periods or submission methods, so those details must be checked officially.

When will applications open or close?

The deadline for the coming cycle has not been confirmed. Do not rely on an old deadline, a post shared by another applicant or a date copied from a different scholarship.

Check the official programme page for current dates. The programme profile does not provide a confirmed opening date, closing date or rolling-deadline arrangement. Do not assume that applications are accepted throughout the year.

A sound preparation plan separates tasks that can begin now from information that must wait for the official announcement. You can identify your study level, confirm your country eligibility and determine whether your target university is in North America. You must still verify the live deadline and current application instructions before submitting.

Time zones can also create avoidable errors when a closing time is published. The available facts do not state a time zone, so read the official page carefully and record the deadline exactly as shown. Do not convert it without checking the stated location or submission system.

How should African applicants check their eligibility?

Begin with the two published eligibility points: the programme accepts applicants from all African countries and supports undergraduate and master’s study. If both apply to you, move to the university-specific instructions rather than assuming that the broad programme description answers every question.

Make a short verification record for your own use. Write down your country, intended study level, target university and the test information that applies to that university. This prevents a common mistake, which is mixing the requirements for North American universities with those for universities elsewhere.

Next, compare the funding coverage with your expected costs. Tuition, travel and accommodation are covered according to the programme profile. The profile does not state whether all other costs are covered, so mark those items for confirmation on the official page.

Do not submit until you have checked the current programme dates. A sound eligibility decision depends on using the correct university process, providing the required test evidence where applicable and following the current deadline.

Which information is still missing from the programme profile?

Several application details are not stated in the available programme information. These include academic thresholds, permitted courses, required documents beyond the named test scores, age conditions, application steps and selection criteria.

The funding details are also broad. Tuition, travel and accommodation are listed, but no values or payment rules are provided. The profile does not say whether other study or living expenses are covered.

The programme’s coming-cycle deadline is not confirmed either. Any guide that supplies a precise date without citing the current official programme page should be treated cautiously.

Use the official programme page to fill each gap. This is more reliable than applying rules from another scholarship, university or previous cycle. If a requirement is not stated there, ask the programme or university directly before spending time preparing documents that may not be accepted.

Frequently asked questions about the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Is the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program open to all African countries?

Yes. The programme profile states that applicants from all African countries are eligible. You must still check the programme page for additional conditions linked to the study level or university.

What study levels does the programme support?

The programme supports undergraduate and master’s study. The available information does not give further academic or course requirements, so confirm those details on the official programme page.

What costs does the scholarship cover?

It covers tuition, travel and accommodation. The profile does not state amounts, payment arrangements or whether other expenses are included, so check the official financial terms before applying.

Do I need TOEFL or SAT for this scholarship?

International candidates applying to North American universities need TOEFL and/or SAT scores as part of the application process. The available information does not state minimum scores or confirm the same rule for universities elsewhere.

Has the next application deadline been announced?

The deadline for the coming cycle has not been confirmed. Check the official programme page for the current dates and do not rely on an unverified date from another source.

What should you do next?

Check the official programme page before making an application plan. Confirm the current dates, your undergraduate or master’s route, the university-specific requirements and the financial terms for tuition, travel and accommodation.

If your target is a North American university, verify whether the process requires TOEFL, SAT or both. Do not guess minimum scores or add IELTS assumptions, because those details are not provided here.

Finally, keep a record of the instructions you used, including the deadline and any test requirement. If the official page leaves a point unanswered, contact the programme or university before submitting. That step protects you from using the wrong test information, missing a date or assuming that an uncovered cost is included.