University of Cambridge and Mastercard Foundation is accepting applications for Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Cambridge 2027/28. This scholarship is relevant to Full-time one-year Master's degree and is based in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Full tuition costs and a monthly maintenance allowance. The programme's support also includes the core costs identified in its applicant guidance, with scholarship support designed to enable scholars to study and live at Cambridge. The current application deadline is The exact deadline is the chosen course's funding deadline, normally in early December 2026 or early January 2027; fee-waiver requests where required are due by 18 November 2026.

The Cambridge Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program develops African postgraduate scholars whose academic and leadership interests connect with climate resilience, sustainability and positive impact across Africa. The current cycle opened Applications for 2027/28 opened in September 2026. The normal programme or award period is One academic year. The support is tied to the specific study, research, placement or project structure described by the funder.

About the programme

The main academic, research or professional scope is Eligible full-time one-year Cambridge postgraduate courses, excluding MBA, MCL, MFin and MAcc. The opportunity is relevant here because it supports Full-time one-year Master's degree. The Cambridge Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program develops African postgraduate scholars whose academic and leadership interests connect with climate resilience, sustainability and positive impact across Africa. Applicants should make sure their proposed course, project, placement or research topic fits this scope before completing the application.

What the funding covers

Full tuition costs and a monthly maintenance allowance. The programme's support also includes the core costs identified in its applicant guidance, with scholarship support designed to enable scholars to study and live at Cambridge. For an applicant comparing postgraduate funding, the practical point is to separate the published package from costs that remain outside it. The programme should therefore be described as fully funded and not as providing benefits the organisation has not listed. Where rates can change by academic year, the final award-year amount should be taken from the official offer.

Who can apply

Citizens of African countries who are resident in an African country, subject to the programme's stated exceptions for temporary absence, refugees and internally displaced applicants, and who meet an eligible Cambridge Master's course's entry requirements. Applicants must be African citizens and residents under the published rules, choose an eligible full-time one-year postgraduate course, and meet the academic conditions for that course. MBA, MCL, MFin and MAcc programmes are excluded. Host location and applicant eligibility are separate issues: the programme is hosted in United Kingdom, while eligibility is determined by the rules above. Applicants should not assume a programme is global simply because it accepts some international candidates.

Study or research focus

For postgraduate applicants, the important point is how the funding connects to the work supported. This is not unrestricted cash: it is attached to full-time one-year master's degree and to the organisation's stated purpose. In this case, the published package is Full tuition costs and a monthly maintenance allowance. The programme's support also includes the core costs identified in its applicant guidance, with scholarship support designed to enable scholars to study and live at Cambridge. Applicants can therefore judge whether the support matches the costs and activities involved.

Application requirements

The scholarship is integrated into the Cambridge course application. Applicants opt in for funding and complete a scholarship statement covering education and career history, leadership, goals and contribution to sustainable futures in Africa. Course-specific academic documents are also required. These requirements should be prepared using the formats and limits in the current instructions. Where university admission is separate from funding, completing one does not complete the other. A reference, supervisor approval, nomination or endorsement is required only where the programme states it.

How the application works

Start the chosen Cambridge postgraduate course application, select funding consideration and choose the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program when eligible. Submit the complete course application by the course's funding deadline. The opening information for this round is: Applications for 2027/28 opened in September 2026. Applicants should use the official route linked below because it contains the current form, programme conditions and cycle-specific changes.

Deadline and timing

The deadline is The exact deadline is the chosen course's funding deadline, normally in early December 2026 or early January 2027; fee-waiver requests where required are due by 18 November 2026. This is a Master's-only programme at Cambridge. The scholarship form is built into the academic application rather than being submitted as a completely separate external application. Applicants should allow time for any separate admission, supervisor approval, nomination, reference submission or institutional sign-off described above.

Before submission, confirm that you fall within the eligibility group for this cycle, that the proposed course or project is eligible, and that every required document can be submitted by The exact deadline is the chosen course's funding deadline, normally in early December 2026 or early January 2027; fee-waiver requests where required are due by 18 November 2026. This is a Master's-only programme at Cambridge. The scholarship form is built into the academic application rather than being submitted as a completely separate external application. The official page below is the correct place to begin.

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