Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Edinburgh: Fully Funded Online Master’s for Africans
- Deadline
- November 19, 2026
- Country
- United Kingdom (online, study from Nigeria)
- Institution
- University of Edinburgh
- Value
- Full tuition fees plus an academic stipend for a laptop and internet, an in-person gathering, and the Climate Leadership Programme
- Level
- Masters
- Eligibility
- International Students
- Field
- International Development, Climate Change, Global Health, Data Science, Education
About
Quick answer: The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh pays 100% of tuition for a part-time online Master’s (up to 3 years) or postgraduate diploma (up to 2 years), plus a stipend for a laptop and good internet, so you study from Nigeria while keeping your job. There is also a one-year on-campus Master’s track. For 2027/28 you must first attend a mandatory virtual information session (15–24 September 2026) to unlock the application form; forms open on 13 October and the main application closes 19 November 2026 at 5pm UK time.
Programmes are sustainability and climate-justice themed: International Development, Climate Change Management, Global Food Security and Nutrition, One Health, Global Health and Infectious Diseases, Social Justice and Community Action, Biodiversity Wildlife and Ecosystem Health, Data-Driven Breeding and Genetics, Digital Education, and Data Science Technologies.
Eligibility
- Citizen and resident of an African country (or holding refugee status in one) — Nigerians qualify.
- Aged 35 or under when the programme starts: born on or after 1 January 1992 for 2027/28.
- Master’s track: no previous postgraduate degree; the online diploma accepts graduates with or without a Master’s.
- Have faced significant barriers to education or early career (social, financial, health-related); show leadership and community service.
- Women, people from refugee or displaced backgrounds and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
- Must meet the academic entry requirements of the chosen Edinburgh programme.
Additional Information
How to apply: (1) register for and attend an information session between 15 and 24 September 2026 — attendance is compulsory and is what gives you the application link; (2) submit the Applicant Declaration Form when forms open on 13 October (it closes 19 October at 5pm, or earlier once the cap is reached); (3) complete the Postgraduate Assessment and the Scholarship Main Application by 19 November 2026, 5pm; (4) interviews run mid-February to March 2027, with results at the end of March 2027. Everything is free. Questions: mcfsp@ed.ac.uk. Also see the Mastercard Foundation programme at Pan-Atlantic University (undergraduate, in Nigeria) and our UK scholarships list. Checked 6 September 2026.