The University of Pretoria (UP) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation (MCF) is delighted to announce MasterCard Foundation Scholarship commencing in January 2019. This scholarship is available for high achieving African students interested in studying at undergraduate or postgraduate levels.

Course Level: Scholarships are available to pursue Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs commencing in January 2019.

Eligible Countries: African students are eligible to apply for this scholarship.

Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia and  Zimbabwe.

Eligibility Criteria: Applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Candidates should be citizens of the Sub-Saharan African country.
  • Applicants should come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and demonstrate financial neediness.
  • Candidates should demonstrate leadership potential and ought to be involved in a giving back project e.g. in a community, at school, church etc
  • Academic excellence is paramount and students have to maintain a high academic average at all times.
  • Candidates need to be first time applicants as first-year students in the degree programme.

Undergraduate Scholars

Please note that the scholarship is for first-time applicants, applying as first-year students to undergraduate programmes. The MCFSP currently offers scholarships to students who have applied for and have been admitted to one of the following faculties at UP:

  • Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
  • Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
  • Faculty of Humanities for entry into the BPolSci (Political Studies or International Studies only)

Postgraduate Scholars

  • Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences
  • Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences
  • Faculty of Humanities for entry into the Honours or Masters (Political Studies or International Studies only)
  • Faculty of Engineering – continuing students are eligible to apply

Method of Application: Steps to apply are given below:

Step 1

-You may apply online
-To use the online Application system, you will need Internet access and an email address that you can access regularly. As soon as you submit your online application, a student number (EMPLID) will be sent to this email address as confirmation of receipt.
-Alternatively, you can submit a hard copy of your application form to the University of Pretoria address.

Step 2

-The application will be evaluated by members of the relevant faculty and you will be informed of the outcome.
-Undergraduate applicants are required to write the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or the National Benchmark Test (NBT).

Step 3

-Download application forms for the MCFSP from the website.

Online Scholarship Application

Scholarship Link

Scholarship Applications Deadline: Applications to study at the UP open on March 1, 2018, and close on August 30, 2018. Applications for the MCFSP open on May 1, 2018, and close on September 15, 2018.