Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027 at Cambridge University

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027 at the University of Cambridge is a fully funded master's scholarship for African students, awarded by the Mastercard Foundation with the University of Cambridge in the UK. It supports full-time postgraduate study at Cambridge.

It is open to citizens of African countries who live in Africa, across eligible master's courses. The award covers full tuition fees, a monthly maintenance allowance, visa costs, the Immigration Health Surcharge, travel, a laptop allowance and leadership development. Application dates are on the official page. Read the sections below for eligibility, benefits and how to apply.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program aims to provide comprehensive financial support for successful scholars.

Benefits include:

• Full University tuition fees
• Monthly maintenance allowance
• Student visa costs
• Immigration Health Surcharge
• Travel costs
• Laptop allowance
• Leadership development opportunities
• Participation in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars community
• Post-course programming and activities

The program is designed to cover the major costs associated with studying and living in Cambridge.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Cambridge is available for:

• Master's degrees
• Full-time postgraduate master's courses
• Eligible one-year master's programs

The scholarship does not support undergraduate or PhD study.

Eligible applicants can apply for a wide range of full-time master's courses at the University of Cambridge.

However, the following courses are specifically excluded:

• Master of Accountancy (MAcc)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Corporate Law (MCL)
• Master of Finance (MFin)

Applicants should check the individual Cambridge course page to confirm that their chosen program is eligible.

Possible areas of study include:

• Engineering
• Computer science
• Environmental sciences
• Climate and sustainability
• Development studies
• Social sciences
• Natural sciences
• Public policy
• Education
• Humanities
• Other eligible master's disciplines

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Cambridge is specifically for applicants from Africa.

Applicants must be citizens of an African country and generally must be living in an African country. Students who are temporarily outside Africa for study or work may also be eligible.

The program encourages applications from talented students who have demonstrated leadership potential and a commitment to contributing to their communities, home countries or Africa more broadly.

To be considered for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027 at Cambridge, applicants must generally:

• Be a citizen of an African country.
• Be living in an African country, unless temporarily abroad for study or work.
• Hold a bachelor's degree.
• Meet the academic entry requirements of the chosen Cambridge master's course.
• Apply for an eligible full-time master's program.
• Demonstrate leadership potential.
• Show a commitment to giving back to their community, home country or Africa.
• Demonstrate commitment to sustainability and climate resilience.

Academic requirements vary by course. Some Cambridge master's programs require the equivalent of a UK first-class degree, while others may accept an upper second-class equivalent. Applicants should therefore check the specific entry requirements of their chosen course.

The program also actively encourages applications from women, refugees, internally displaced people and people with disabilities.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application is incorporated into the University of Cambridge postgraduate application. Applicants should follow these steps carefully:

Step 1: Choose an Eligible Master's Course

First, select an eligible full-time master's course at the University of Cambridge. The program excludes the Master of Accountancy, MBA, Master of Corporate Law and Master of Finance.

Check the specific course's academic requirements and funding deadline before applying.

Step 2: Start the Cambridge Application

Create an application through the University of Cambridge postgraduate application system and begin your application for the selected master's course.

Applications for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program open in September for courses beginning in October of the following year.

Step 3: Apply for an Application Fee Waiver

All Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program applicants can apply for an application fee waiver if they meet the academic entry requirements of their chosen course.

Applicants from certain African countries receive the fee waiver automatically. Applicants from other eligible countries may need to submit a fee waiver request with a copy of their transcript and passport.

For the 2027/2028 intake, applicable fee waiver requests should be submitted by 18 November 2026.

Step 4: Apply for Funding

During the Cambridge application, select the funding option and choose the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program if you are eligible.

Applicants must complete a scholarship statement covering:

• Educational and career background

• Leadership potential

• How the scholarship will help achieve their goals

• How they plan to contribute to sustainable futures in Africa

The scholarship statement is an important part of the funding application.

Step 5: Submit the Cambridge Application

Complete all required sections and submit the application by the course's funding deadline.

For the 2027/2028 intake, the application and funding deadline depends on the selected course and is generally either in early December 2026 or early January 2027. This deadline is earlier than the standard application deadline for many courses.

Step 6: Departmental Selection

After applications are submitted, the relevant Cambridge departments review applicants. Departmental selection takes place from December to February.

Some departments may interview shortlisted applicants before making an admission decision.

Step 7: Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Selection

Applicants who receive an offer of admission to their chosen course can then be considered for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

The Mastercard Foundation team assesses candidates using both their Cambridge course application and scholarship statement.

Successful scholarship offers are expected to be made in late March or early April 2027.

Step 8: Submit Outstanding Documents

Successful applicants may need to submit outstanding documents before beginning their studies. These can include English-language test results such as IELTS if required by the selected course.

The official guidance states that outstanding documents should be submitted by 31 July.

Application Timeline:

For the 2027/2028 academic year, the official Cambridge timeline is:

• Applications open: Early September 2026

• Application and funding deadline: Early December 2026 or early January 2027, depending on the course

• Departmental selection: December 2026–February 2027

• Mastercard Foundation selection: Late February–early March 2027

• Scholarship offers: March–April 2027

Applicants should always check their chosen Cambridge course page because the exact funding deadline varies by program.