September 17, 2026 · The Talentrah Team
If you've heard of one Africa-wide scholarship by name, it's probably this one. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has funded more than 58,000 scholarships since it started, with a stated goal of reaching 100,000 by 2030 — and it's worth understanding how it's actually structured, because the structure changes how you apply.
There's no single application. The Foundation itself doesn't select scholars or run one common form — it funds a network of partner universities across Africa and abroad, and each partner runs its own admissions and its own scholarship selection. Applying to "the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program" really means applying to one of its partner universities and being considered for the scholarship as part of that school's own process.
Who it's for. Nigerian and other African secondary-school leavers and university graduates — the program funds secondary, undergraduate and master's study (not PhD), for students who show academic talent and financial need, with an explicit expectation that scholars give back to their communities afterward.
What it covers. Tuition, accommodation, books and academic materials, mentoring and leadership development, and a return flight — confirmed on the Foundation's own site.
The deadline that isn't one. Because every partner sets its own timeline, there's no single date we can give you. If a specific university's Mastercard Foundation program interests you, that university's own admissions page is where the real deadline lives — not the Foundation's homepage.
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