The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program was established at CMU-Africa in 2016. The program provides generous financial, social, and academic support for students whose talent and promise exceed their financial resources. With a vision that education is a catalyst for social and economic change, the program focuses on developing leaders who are transformative, encouraging them to be active contributors in their communities.
CMU-Africa and the Mastercard Foundation have partnered to support students whose talent and promise exceed their financial resources. The graduate students complete their Master of Science degrees in Information Technology, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or Engineering Artificial Intelligence. Upon completion of the program, the Scholars go on to lead changes in their communities and contribute to meaningful transformation across the continent.
Criteria
Scholars face social and economic barriers and have demonstrated the following attributes:
- Academic talent: Scholars value learning and have the drive to complete their education.
- Commitment to giving back: Scholars have demonstrated a commitment to improving their communities.
- Potential to lead: Scholars will become role models, mentors, and change-makers.
Benefits
The program focuses on:
- Holistic support: The scholarship covers application preparation support, orientation, tuition and fees, health insurance, travel and basic living expenses, project, and entrepreneurship support. Scholars also have access to a range of resources that support their well-being and academic success.
- Career preparation: Scholars benefit from tailored activities to prepare them for the workplace. Throughout their studies, they participate in professional development activities including, but not limited to, internship and career fairs, networking opportunities with industry leaders, one-on-one career coaching that prepare them to pursue their goals upon graduation.
- Leadership development: Scholars develop leadership skills through participation in student clubs, community service, and a variety of programs that equip students to become change-makers. During their time at CMU-Africa, the Scholars take a series of leadership training sessions tailored to their needs to ensure they are equipped with cutting-edge leadership skills that will enable them to lead with distinction.
- Giving back: Scholars live out the give-back ethos of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by leading and participating in community service activities, developing, and implementing projects that make a difference in the lives of others. They collaborate with the members of the CMU-Africa community to push their give-back agenda.
Method of Application
There are two steps to apply to CMU-Africa:
Important Requirement:
In response to the current global COVID-19 pandemic, we will not be accepting GRE scores this admissions cycle.
Important Dates: Important dates for applying to CMU-Africa and understanding the admissions decision process
October 1: All program applications open. Begin your application to the MSIT, MSECE, MSEAI programs
December 15: Early admission deadline. Submit your application by the early admission deadline of December 15 for CMU-Africa to cover your competency test fees. Learn more about test fees
January 15: Final application deadline. Any application received after the early admission deadline will only be considered if submitted with valid DET/IELTS/TOEFL.
January-April: Applications are reviewed. After the final application deadline, all components of applications are reviewed
April-May: Admissions decisions are shared with applicants. You will receive email communications from the admissions team on the status of your application at every stage. You can also view the status of your application through your application portal.
July-August: The New Student Foundation Program is held for admitted students. This program supports new students in a successful transition to CMU-Africa
September: The semester begins for admitted students. The Academic Calendar serves as Carnegie Mellon University’s information source and planning document for students, faculty, staff, and departments, as well as outside organizations. The calendar includes registration dates, class start dates, add/drop deadlines, exam dates, and more. View CMU-Africa’s academic calendar
For More Information,
Visit the Official Webpage
Application Deadline: December 15, 2023.
