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Fully-Funded Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at the University of British Columbia, Canada! Apply for 2026 in-take!!

Fully-Funded Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at the University of British Columbia, Canada! Apply for 2026 in-take!!

The UBC is thrilled to announce its continued collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (MCFSP) for the upcoming 2024/25 academic year. This enduring partnership plays a pivotal role in empowering the next generation of leaders hailing from economically disadvantaged communities, providing them with the education and skills necessary to contribute to social and economic progress in their home countries.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: A Vision for Change

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a global initiative with a 10-year mission to educate and develop young leaders poised to drive social and economic transformation in their communities. This program specifically targets young individuals from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in Africa, aiming to address gaps in secondary and tertiary education in the region.

Africa, with over 60 percent of its population under the age of 25, stands as the youngest continent globally. Despite significant economic and political strides, Sub-Saharan Africa faces challenges in enrolling its youth in quality secondary and tertiary education. The MCFSP seeks to alter this narrative by offering comprehensive support to scholars, arming them with the knowledge, skills, and values crucial for success in the global economy.

What the scholarship Covers

  • Tuition & Books
  • Flights & Immigration support
  • Room and Board
  • Stipends for living expenses
  • Health Insurance
  • Career services & Support
  • Access to a global Mastercard Foundation alumni network
  • **Social Entrepreneurship Fund (Initiative for scholars who are enterprising and want to start a venture back on the continent)

Scholarship Eligibility and Application Details

Requirements:

To be eligible for consideration for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Masters’ Degree Program at UBC, the applicant must:

  • Have completed a Bachelor’s degree.
  • Not already possess a graduate or PhD degree.
  • Be 35 years old or younger at the time of application.
  • Be a citizen or refugee of a Sub-Saharan African country.
  • Have lived a significant part of their life in a Sub-Saharan African country.
  • Present economically disadvantaged financial circumstances.
  • Have achieved academic excellence under difficult circumstances.
  • Show leadership qualities or potential.
  • Demonstrate an interest in and commitment to giving back to their home community.
  • Be a person who requires a Canadian study permit to study in Canada.
  • Not be a person who claimed or will claim asylum or protected person status after arriving in Canada.
  • Commit to returning to Africa to apply their training and skills for the betterment of others.

Applications for the Winter 2026 intake are opening from August 30th 2025.

To be eligible for consideration for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Masters’ Degree Program at UBC, the applicant must:

  • have completed a Bachelor’s degree;
  • not already have a Master’s degree;
  • be 35 years old or younger at the time of application (i.e. born in 1990 or after);
  • be a citizen or a refugee of an African country;
  • be applying for a Master’s degree in one of the eligible programs listed below;
  • meet the minimum academic requirements of the program they are applying to.

1. DECIDE your Program(s) of Interest from the list.

This scholarship is for the following programs ONLY

2. Submit an expression of interest by September 12th 2025.

General Stream– For all interested candidates (except refugees), click here (https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_abEbecGlW7Z0LMW) to submit an expression of interest.

Refugees Only Stream– If you are submitting an expression of interest, click here (https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4UT66EElsr19oGi) to submit an expression of interest.

Round 1

3. Applicants who are eligible will be invited to apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by October 15th 2025.

The selection process for applications is based on the following criteria:

  • Academic merit of the candidate that qualifies for admissions to the program of choice
  • Track record as a transformative leader and service within their community.
  • Quality of application in line with the Program theme.
  • Potential impact on the development of the applicant’s home country.

Your fully completed application should include (all in one application form online):

  1. Complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Application Form. 
    Note: for the personal statements, succinctly answer each question.
  2. Submit a CV/resume.
  3. Provide two reference letters on official letterhead. Attach these to the application. DO NOT email them 
  4. Transcripts.

Round 2

4. Apply to your UBC Faculty by November 26th 2025. Late applications will not be considered.

  1. Once your Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application is complete, successful applicants will receive an email with instructions to submit an online application to UBC. Review the instructions for faculty applications
  2. You may be eligible for a fee waiver if your citizenship and correspondence address is located in one of the world’s 50 least developed countries, according to the United Nations. Please visit this website to check which countries are on the list: If your country is not listed above, please request a fee waiver when you are submitting your Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application package. If you are invited to move to the Faculty Application step, we will provide instruction on how to use a fee waiver during the program application process. If you submit your application without applying your fee waiver, we are unable to provide a refund.

Now that you have read the entire application process and determined you are eligible to apply, Why WAIT? APPLY NOW

General Stream- Click here

Refugees Only Stream- Click here

For further questions about the UBC Mastercard Foundation Scholarship, please email: mcfsp.admissions@ubc.ca

Now that you have read the entire application process and determined you are eligible to apply, Why WAIT? APPLY NOW

General Stream- Click here

Refugees Only Stream- Click here

Apply to UBC:


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