Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarship Application is Open! The scholarship combines financial support with a leadership programme that will challenge you, grow you, and connect you to young African changemakers.
The leadership development programme
The programme is built on our founding principles of reconciliation, education, entrepreneurship, and leadership, and a belief that leadership begins with inner transformation. We aim to keep Nelson Mandela’s legacy alive by equipping young African leaders with the competence and courage to transform the continent into a place where everyone has equal opportunity to thrive. Our programme is delivered primarily through a series of week-long residential workshops which you will attend during your time in residence.
Benefits
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship offers comprehensive funding for the core costs associated with your studies.
- Tuition and registration fees
- A study materials allowanceÂ
- Accommodation and meal allowances
- A medical aid allowanceÂ
- A personal allowanceÂ
- Research and conferencing grants can be made available on request
- Economy-class flights for international scholars from their home countries to their institutions at the start and end of their studies
Requirements
- I can study at a postgraduate level in English. Take this free test if you’re unsure.
- Citizen of an African country
- Applicant between the ages of 19 and 29 in the year of applying
- By 1 Jan 2027,Applicant should have an undergraduate degree with excellent academic results (above 70% or upper-second class Honours)
- Aspire to be an ethical leader and I am committed to using my talents to advance equality, freedom and human dignity in Africa
- Admire Nelson Mandela’s ability to bridge divides and bring people together around our common humanity
- Prepared to reflect deeply on my own leadership and undergo a process of personal change and growth
Selection Process
We look for young leaders who aspire to the principles below and who have demonstrated the potential to live them out.
Leadership
Do you aspire to be a visionary leader who has moral authority? Do you see leadership as more than just personal ambition – as a way to pursue the advancement of equality and freedom, human rights and human dignity? And do you want to guide and inspire others to reach their full potential?
Reconciliation
Do you believe that reconciliation – combined with reparation – is the key to harnessing an imperfect past to develop a more just world? And are you prepared to start the process by looking at your own internal landscape?
Education
Do you have excellent academic results but believe that your education should not only benefit you but make a difference for others? And do you agree that intellectual excellence must be accompanied by character and a rounded personality?
Entrepreneurship
Do you want to see Africa take its rightful place as an equal and competitive presence in the global world? Have you demonstrated individual effort, innovation and creativity to this end?
Read the Characteristics sought in a Mandela Rhodes Scholar.
Check the timeline
- March: Applications open on Monday, 9 March 2026. Candidates can add recommenders on the platform and begin uploading their documentation and working on their personal essays. See ‘requirements’.
- April:Â Applications close by the end of Tuesday, 14 April 2026 23:59 GMT+2. No late or incomplete applications will be accepted under any circumstances.
- July:Â You will be notified by mid-July whether or not you are through to Round Two.
- July:Â You will be notified by the end of July whether or not you are through to Round Three.
- August:Â You will be notified by the end of August if you are invited for an interview in the Final Round, or if you have been unsuccessful.
- October:Â Interviews will be conducted in South Africa in October. If you are in the final round and you are based outside South Africa, you will be flown in for an in-person interview with our selection committee. You will be notified by the end of October if you are selected as a Mandela Rhodes Scholar.
- October-December:Â Selected Mandela Rhodes Scholars must do their best to secure acceptance at their university of choice, and their study visa for travel to South Africa in January.
For scholars from outside South Africa…
Important: Applicants from outside South Africa may need to complete SAQA verification to start their studies at a South African university.
Application Documents
- Recommenders: We require three letters of recommendation, in English, as part of your application. Your recommenders must submit their letters through our application platform. Without these letters, you cannot submit your application. Get in touch with three people who have relevant experience of you and insight into your character as soon as possible – even before applications open – to ask them permission and give them time to write their letters. Once you register a recommender on the platform, they will receive an email asking them to log on and upload their letter.
- Documentation:Â You will be required to upload certificates of completion for your degrees, transcripts of your academic results, and scans of your ID and passport documents. Your documents and transcripts must be provided in English.
- Essays:Â You will be asked to write two short essays, one on your personal journey, and one on a specific question relating to our principles.
- Application for university:Â You will be asked to fill in your proposed course of study on your application. We do not require proof that you have applied, but we recommend that you apply as soon as possible, and to more than one university.
- Do your qualifications meet the requirements for your proposed course of study? Each country has its own framework for registering and rating qualification levels. In South Africa, this is managed by the South African Qualifications Agency (SAQA). SAQA accreditation can take 4-8 weeks , which can delay your acceptance to university and thus your study visa to South Africa.
- To ensure that you will be accepted for your chosen programme, we highly recommend that you find out as soon as possible what the National Qualification Framework (NQF) requirements for your course are, and whether your qualifications meet these requirements.
- Masters programmes in South Africa may require several years of work or clinical experience as an admission requirement. It is your responsibility to check if you will be accepted to the course, and apply for backup options.
Method of Application
Click Here to Apply
Note: You must state what degree you are planning to study. You do not have to have applied or been accepted, but we highly recommend that you apply as soon as possible. If you do not get accepted into a South African institution, you will not be able to accept the scholarship if awarded. Apply early and have multiple options in case you do not get accepted to your first choice.
For More Information,
Application Deadline: April 14, 2026.
