Educational Level: Postgraduate, Country: UK

The Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh will provide 1 year postgraduate on campus scholarships to students living or working in Africa with great academic and leadership potential but few educational opportunities.

On top of the full scholarship (tuition fees, accommodation, travel and living costs stipend), the Scholars Program facilitates a transformative leadership programme to inspire and support Scholars in making change in their communities and countries on their return home.

See also: Australia Awards Scholarships

Scholarships are available for the following on-campus postgraduate programmes only:

Africa and International Development
Food Security
Sustainable Energy Systems
Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Data, Inequality and Society (on campus only)

Eligibility

You must meet the eligibility criteria to apply:

Applicants must qualify academically for admission to the University of Edinburgh for a relevant degree programme listed above. You will generally need to have achieved the equivalent of a UK Second Class (Upper) Bachelor’s (Hons) degree or higher. Find out more about the postgraduate entry requirements for your country
Applicants must have graduated from undergraduate study before December 2022 and must be in possession of a degree certificate and official, final transcript to upload alongside their application
Applicants must be residents and citizens of a Sub-Saharan African country
Applicants must be without the financial means to study oversees independently
Applications from female scholars, scholars from refugee and displaced backgrounds, and scholars with disabilities (see FAQs for further information) are particularly welcome.
Applicants must demonstrate a track record of leadership and service within their community
Applicants should not have previously completed a postgraduate degree and should not be enrolled at a separate university while on scholarship
Applicants must be 35 or younger on the 1 September 2023

Suggested: Massey University Master’s Research Scholarship

Important Dates

Applications for the 2023 online Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, for postgraduate degrees only, opened on Thursday 15 December at 10am UK time and will close on Friday 27 January at 5pm UK time.

The application timeline 2023 is as follows:

15 December 2022 (10am UK time): Applications open
11 and 16 January 2023 (4-5pm UK time): Application Information Sessions – Register for the session
27 January 2023: Applications close
27 – 30 March 2023: On-campus Interview shortlisting begins; both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified (Please note references will be requested for applicants invited for an interview)
3 – 21 April 2023: On-campus Interviews take place
Early May 2023: On-campus interview outcomes will be announced
May – August 2023: Support provided through admission and immigration processes
September 2023: Academic program starts