Mastercard Foundation Graduate Scholars Program for Africans 2024

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Gondar will award a total of 160 graduate scholarships for eight years, which started in the 2018/19 Academic year. The scholarship will directly benefit academically talented but disadvantaged youth from five East African countries – Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea , Djibouti and South Sudan. The Graduate Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is designed to help Scholars acquire transformational and leadership skills and demonstrate high professional and scholarly competencies to effectively influence global, regional, national and local socioeconomic development trends. The Program will avail excellent academic and nonacademic support to Mastercard Foundation Scholars during their stay at the University of Gondar.

About MasterCard Foundation

The Mastercard Foundation is an international non-governmental organization established by Mastercard in 2006. The organization, which is based in Toronto, Ontario, has supported work in 49 countries.In 2018, Mastercard Foundation shifted to a specific focus on Africa, through its Young Africa Works strategy. The foundation develops programs primarily focused on reducing gender and economic inequality, expanding access to quality education, increasing the opportunities for decent work, and supporting overall economic growth.Funding is primaril... continue reading

Graduate Scholars Program

Aim and Benefits of Graduate Scholars Program

• The scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, accommodation/boarding, a stipend and additional expenses such as books. The scholarship also includes academic, financial and social support to help awardees develop into capable leaders in their communities, and experiential activities such as summer camps.

The following expenses are not covered by the scholarship:

• Personal travel
• Family allowances
• Treatments for advanced medical or chronic conditions

Graduate Scholars Program Courses

• Accounting
• Development and Environmental Management Studies
• Economics
• Gender and Development Studies
• Law

Requirements for Graduate Scholars Program Qualification

• Earned a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline relevant to their proposed graduate program from recognized University using English as a medium of instruction in the past 5 years with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) at graduation;
• Be citizen and permanent resident of Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan or Djibouti (and residents of the respective countries for at least five years at the time of their application);
• Youth applicants with disabilities;
• Female applicants with financial difficulty to finance graduate university education.

Documents Required for Application

• A medical paper signed by the Health/Hospital Board attesting to your disability type and degree, if you have been assessed by a health professional

• Completed and signed Scholarship Application Form;
• Detailed resume of academic, non?academic and volunteer work;
• All elementary, high school and university transcripts/student copy;
• Two letters of recommendations from previous universities;
• National and/or resident identification card, or passport;
• Testimonials regarding their economic disadvantage (for Kebele/Woreda Administrator);
• Letter from District Police Office regarding their criminal record; and,
• Testimonial about voluntary community giveback and leadership.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

• Applications can be completed and submitted  online.
• You can also Download a Paper Application (English) form and send by email ([email protected]) or mail (Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program; P.O. Box 1082; Gondar, Ethiopia) after filling the required information along with scanned copies of relevant testimonials and credentials.

For more details, visit Mastercard Foundation website.