Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UC Berkeley for Young Africans

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of California, Berkeley, is a partnership to support master’s degree students from African countries who are academically talented and committed to transformative change on the continent. The program recruits widely across Africa and emphasizes leadership, with priority for women, people with disabilities, and those who are refugees or displaced. Mastercard Foundation Scholars receive a comprehensive scholarship covering costs associated with earning a master’s degree, including travel, tuition, housing, and related expenses, plus cohort programs focused on leadership and entrepreneurship.

Travel, tuition, housing, living expenses, student fees, visa-related costs, and leadership/entrepreneurship cohort programs.

Applicants must be citizens of an African country and must first be admitted to a UC Berkeley master’s degree program to be considered. The program seeks demonstrated academic excellence, leadership potential, and commitment to returning to one’s home country after studies.

Applicants must apply to an eligible UC Berkeley master’s degree program; once admitted, they can be nominated for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Specific program deadlines vary by graduate program.