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Deadline: January 4, 2026
The Sciences Po Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2026–2028 is an outstanding opportunity for talented African students who aspire to pursue fully funded graduate studies in France. This prestigious initiative is a collaboration between Sciences Po — one of Europe’s leading social science universities — and the Mastercard Foundation.
The program aims to empower young African leaders committed to driving positive social, economic, and political change in their communities. It provides full financial support, academic mentorship, leadership training, and career guidance to enable scholars to become catalysts for sustainable development across Africa.
The scholarship targets exceptional students from Sub-Saharan Africa who demonstrate both academic excellence and a strong commitment to giving back to their communities.
Benefits
Selected Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Sciences Po will receive a fully funded scholarship package, which includes:
- Full tuition fee coverage for the entire duration of the graduate program.
- Living expenses, accommodation, and healthcare coverage while studying in France.
- Travel costs, including airfare to and from France.
- French language support and integration assistance to help scholars adapt to life in France.
- Access to career development workshops, internships, and networking opportunities.
- Leadership and entrepreneurship training aimed at preparing scholars for impactful careers upon return to their home countries.
SEE ALSO: Anzisha Prize Fellowship Program 2026 for Young African Entrepreneurs (USD $140,000 Prize to Grow Your Business)
Eligibility Criteria
You must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program:
- Hold citizenship in a country within Africa. Candidates who hold a second citizenship from a country outside the African continent are not eligible.
- Have completed or be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree programme at one of Sciences Po’s institutions of reference (see the list of institutions).
Or Have completed or are currently enrolled in a training foundation or mentoring programme offered by a bridging programme organisation partnering with the Mastercard Foundation (see the list of institutions). - Be in genuine need of funding for your higher education (please note: documents proving your financial situation will be required for your application).
- Show a commitment to achieving change in Africa, particularly in the areas of public policy and major political, environmental and societal transitions.
- Be under 35 when you begin your Master’s programme.
- Not already hold a Master’s degree.
Tailored Support
In addition to funding tuition, Sciences Po provides Scholars with a range of tailored resources to support their studies and facilitate their transition into employment. Specifically, Scholars have access to:
- Support in the run-up to leaving for France, tailored support when they arrive, and an official welcome programme to help them integrate in their first few weeks.
- Housing in Paris reserved for Mastercard Foundation Scholars.
- Personalised support throughout their studies, ensuring every student has the best possible experience at Sciences Po.
- Careers support: guidance to help students identify their professional aspirations; a careers fair focusing on employment and internship opportunities in Africa; access to the entrepreneurship track, the university’s business incubator (FR) and its network of employers and alumni working in Africa; opportunities to attend careers support workshops, conferences, etc.
- A mentoring programme co-run with the Africa Division of Sciences Po Alumni.
- Access to the wide range of general resources Sciences Po provides to guide students through every step of their studies.
Application Timeline:
If you want to apply to both Sciences Po and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, we strongly advise you to begin preparing and assembling the supporting documents you need for your application well in advance, as it will certainly take a long time to obtain some of them (see below).
- Application platform opens: early October 2025
- Application deadline for Master’s programmes and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: 4th January 2026
- Sciences Po admissions decisions released: mid-December 2025, mid-February 2026, early April 2026, depending on the application date.
- Scholarship allocation decisions released: early May 2026
- Master’s programmes begin: end of August 2026
