The Mastercard Foundation is an established foundation that works with visionary organizations to encourage and allow young people in Africa and Indigenous communities in Canada to access dignified and fulfilling work by providing them with quality and good online education in Universities.
They believe that there can be a world where young people are actively involved and are thriving and their voice, contribution, and dreams matter, A future where young people are driving transformative change and accomplishing their full potential.
The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at The University of Edinburgh believes that all young people, no matter their starting point in life or challenges, should have an equal chance to gain a quality education and pursue their aspirations and dreams to improve the lives of both themselves and others around them.
The University at the beginning of every academic section offers tuition scholarships for online distance learning programs mainly postgraduate for students from sub-Saharan Africa.
The scholarship covers the full tuition fees and gives them a small study allowance to allow for access to quality internet. This scholarship is designed to cover only, three-years of part-time online study.
Financial Support isn’t all that the Scholarship Program provides.
The Scholars are allowed to participate in activities as part of the wider Scholars Program with the University of Edinburgh, activities which include regular online workshops with the scholars, online coaching and support, and the opportunity to attend regional scholar-led workshops, events, and Seminars
Scholarships are available for the following postgraduate programs:
- MSc International Development
- MSc Global Health Policy
- MSc Global Food Security and Nutrition
- MSc Social Justice and Community Action
- MSc Data Science, Technology and Innovation
- MSc Digital Education
- MSc One Health
Just like every Scholarship program, the University of Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has its own special eligibility criteria And these Criteria includes:
- Applicant must be a graduate or be about to graduate as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar in a Mastercard Foundation partner institution.
- Applicants must qualify academically for admission to the University of Edinburgh for a relevant degree programme earlier listed
- Applicant must be a citizen of an African country (with the exception of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco & Tunisia), whose personal circumstances would make accepting an online study offer from the University of Edinburgh difficult. Applications from Malawi, Ethiopia, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Nigeria are particularly welcome.
- Applicant as expected to demonstrate or show a track record of leadership and service within their community and former school/university.
- Applicant must be able to present economic circumstances which show their lack financial means to pursue higher education in their home country or elsewhere
- Applicants have to demonstrate an awareness of online degrees, and be able to show how they will approach the unique challenges and opportunities provided by online, part-time study.
- Applicants should not have completed a postgraduate degree previously and should not be enrolled at a separate university while on scholarship.
Deadline
Applications for September 2024 entry to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh opened on Monday, Jan 31st 2024 at 10.00 (GMT) and closed at 16:00 (GMT) on Monday, March 14th 2024