Deadline: Varies according to the course
The Centre for African Studies and the Mastercard Foundation are involved in a ten-year partnership to support 108 Masters students from sub-Saharan African countries who are academically talented and committed to transformative change on the continent. The Programme recruits widely across sub-Saharan Africa and encourages applications particularly from women, people with disabilities and those who are refugees or displaced.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
The main eligibility criteria are:
- Be a citizen of a sub-Saharan African country: This includes Africans who are refugees or displaced within the African continent. This scholarship is not intended for citizens of North African countries. Those with dual citizenship, asylum, refugee or permanent resident status in the USA, Canada, UK or EU are not eligible.
- Have academic talent: All prospective scholars must first be admitted to a UC Berkeley master's programme in order to be considered for the scholarship. An important criterion for admission to the University is demonstrated academic excellence.
- Demonstrate leadership potential: The Programme seeks those committed to developing the skills and mindsets associated with transformational leadership, i.e. that which engages others in an ethical way to generate positive and lasting change.
- From disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds: This scholarship is designed for those extremely talented individuals who would otherwise not have access to additional quality education.
- Having demonstrated a commitment to giving back to their community, country or continent: We're looking for well-rounded students who are involved in activities beyond the classroom. Some may be directly related to your field of study, but this can also include other issues (social, economic, political) that you are working on and passionate about. Applicants must detail their achievements both in their UC Berkeley application and later in their scholarship application.
- He has expressed his desire and intention to return to his country of origin after completing his studies: We are looking for students who are engaged and passionate about issues affecting their communities and who will leverage their education at UC Berkeley to better equip themselves with the knowledge and training to address these issues upon return. While important work can be done from abroad, the intention of the Programme is to allow Fellows to return home after forming valuable professional connections through internships, academic training and job placements.
BENEFITS
Mastercard Foundation scholars receive a comprehensive scholarship equivalent to the costs associated with obtaining a master's degree, which includes travel, tuition, Berkeley student fees, visa and SEVIS fees, housing, food, living expenses and cohort subscription programmes that will focus on leadership and entrepreneurship.
APPLICATION
Master's degree candidates must first enrol in a postgraduate programme before being considered for the Mastercard Foundations Scholars Programme. Not all undergraduate programmes are eligible. Here is a list of master's programmes.
Each postgraduate programme eligibility has specific requirements and candidates should analyse them carefully. A Postgraduate Division also provides detailed information on the admission process for international students. Direct enquiries about admission requirements should be made to the specific postgraduate programme. Here are more details of the application process for the Academics Programme for the master's programme here.
