Fully Funded Mastercard Cambridge Master's Scholarship

Organization: University of Cambridge

Type: Scholarship

Location: Global

Deadline: December 8, 2026

Funding: Fully Funded

The University of Cambridge runs the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, which pays for young Africans to take a one year master's degree at Cambridge. The programme's themes are climate resilience and sustainability, but you can apply for almost any full-time master's course, and the scholarship application is built into the course application itself. Scholars also get a leadership programme, mentoring and support to take up a placement with an Africa-based organisation afterwards. **What you get:** - Full course fees for a one year, full-time master's at Cambridge - A monthly maintenance allowance for living costs - Student visa and UK Immigration Health Surcharge paid - Travel to Cambridge, including flights and airport transfer - A laptop - A week-long orientation, a mentoring scheme and a leadership development programme run with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership - A three-day social ventures course at King's College Entrepreneurship Lab - Support to take up a 3 to 6 month placement at a leading Africa-based organisation after your degree **What you'll do:** - Choose an eligible full-time master's course in the Cambridge Postgraduate Course Directory and apply to it - Opt in for funding in the course application and select the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program - Write a scholarship statement on your career and education, your leadership potential, your goals, and how you hope to contribute to sustainable futures in Africa - Study in Cambridge for 9 to 12 months as a member of one of the University's 31 Colleges **Key dates:** - Applications opened in early September 2026 for courses starting October 2027 - Application fee waiver request (applicants from African countries not on the automatic waiver list): by 18 November 2026 - Funding deadline: 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027 depending on the course, 11:59pm UK time - Departmental selection: December 2026 to February 2027 - Scholars Program selection: late February to early March 2027 - Scholarship offers: late March to April 2027 - Outstanding documents, usually IELTS results: by 31 July 2027 - Information webinars: 6 October and 3 November 2026, 11am UK time **More information:** - Check your chosen course's own funding deadline in the Cambridge Postgraduate Course Directory; it is earlier than the standard course deadline - Selection for a place on the course is by the department; the Scholars Program then chooses scholars from applicants who hold an offer - Most courses need IELTS 7.0 or 7.5 overall, but you can apply without results and receive a conditional offer - The programme warns of a scam offering paid application help in Cambridge's name; do not pay anyone to help you apply

University of CambridgeScholarship

Fully Funded Mastercard Cambridge Master's Scholarship

Dec 08, 2026 23:59:00 GMT

Opportunity type

Scholarship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Dec 08, 2026 23:59:00 GMT

About this opportunity

What you get:

Full course fees for a one year, full-time master's at Cambridge
A monthly maintenance allowance for living costs
Student visa and UK Immigration Health Surcharge paid
Travel to Cambridge, including flights and airport transfer
A laptop
A week-long orientation, a mentoring scheme and a leadership development programme run with the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
A three-day social ventures course at King's College Entrepreneurship Lab
Support to take up a 3 to 6 month placement at a leading Africa-based organisation after your degree

What you'll do:

Choose an eligible full-time master's course in the Cambridge Postgraduate Course Directory and apply to it
Opt in for funding in the course application and select the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Write a scholarship statement on your career and education, your leadership potential, your goals, and how you hope to contribute to sustainable futures in Africa
Study in Cambridge for 9 to 12 months as a member of one of the University's 31 Colleges

Key dates:

Applications opened in early September 2026 for courses starting October 2027
Application fee waiver request (applicants from African countries not on the automatic waiver list): by 18 November 2026
Funding deadline: 8 December 2026 or 6 January 2027 depending on the course, 11:59pm UK time
Departmental selection: December 2026 to February 2027
Scholars Program selection: late February to early March 2027
Scholarship offers: late March to April 2027
Outstanding documents, usually IELTS results: by 31 July 2027
Information webinars: 6 October and 3 November 2026, 11am UK time

More information:

Check your chosen course's own funding deadline in the Cambridge Postgraduate Course Directory; it is earlier than the standard course deadline
Selection for a place on the course is by the department; the Scholars Program then chooses scholars from applicants who hold an offer
Most courses need IELTS 7.0 or 7.5 overall, but you can apply without results and receive a conditional offer
The programme warns of a scam offering paid application help in Cambridge's name; do not pay anyone to help you apply

Who can apply

Citizen of an African country
Resident in an African country, unless temporarily away for study or work (exception for internally displaced people and refugees)
Hold a bachelor's degree and meet the academic entry requirements of your chosen course (many require a UK first-class degree or equivalent, some an upper second)
Apply for a full-time master's course; the MBA, Master of Corporate Law, Master of Finance and Master of Accountancy are excluded
Demonstrate a commitment to giving back to your community, home country or Africa, and to sustainability and climate resilience
Dual African and UK passport holders are not eligible
Master's applicants only; not for PhD or undergraduate study
No upper age limit

AI Verification

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This opportunity is run by an established organization, and we confirmed its key details against the official source. As always, never share sensitive personal or financial information until you are sure a request is genuine.

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Cross-checked 10 of 12 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+Full course fees, a monthly living allowance, your student visa and UK health surcharge, flights to Cambridge and a laptop
+Almost any full-time one-year master's course at Cambridge, not only climate subjects, and you apply for the scholarship inside your course application
+A leadership programme, mentoring and support to take up a 3 to 6 month placement at an Africa-based organisation after your degree
+No upper age limit, and women, refugees, internally displaced people and people with disabilities are particularly encouraged
+Run by the University of Cambridge with the Mastercard Foundation, with free information webinars on 6 October and 3 November at 11am UK time

Worth checking yourself

!Cambridge charges an £85 application fee. It is waived automatically for citizens of 32 listed African countries; if your country is not listed (for example Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana or South Africa), send the waiver request form by 18 November 2026, before you submit. A waiver covers one course only, and if you pay first the fee will not be refunded as a waiver
!Only for citizens of an African country who live in Africa, unless temporarily abroad for study or work; dual African and UK passport holders cannot apply
!The funding deadline is Tuesday 8 December or Wednesday 6 January at 11:59pm UK time depending on your course, so check yours in the course directory
!You must first win a place on the course, and many courses ask for a UK first-class degree or equivalent and IELTS 7.0 or 7.5
!The MBA, Master of Corporate Law, Master of Finance and Master of Accountancy are excluded. Do not pay anyone for help applying: the programme warns of a scam using Cambridge's name

Sources checked

MAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyMAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyMAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyMAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyMAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyMAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyMAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyMAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyMAmastercardfoundation.fund.cam.ac.ukApplyPOpostgraduate.study.cam.ac.ukOfficialPOpostgraduate.study.cam.ac.ukOfficialPOpostgraduate.study.cam.ac.ukOfficialPOpostgraduate.study.cam.ac.ukOfficial

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