The scholarship initiative supports students who have experienced significant barriers to education and early career development, while demonstrating leadership, community service and a commitment to addressing the climate crisis.

Successful on-campus scholars will undertake a one-year, full-time postgraduate taught master’s degree in Edinburgh, becoming part of the university’s academic and student community. The scholarship covers approved tuition fees, accommodation, travel, living expenses and study materials.

The online pathway offers master’s programmes and postgraduate diplomas, with financial and academic support designed to help scholars complete their studies and develop their careers.

The application deadline for the Applicant Declaration Form is October 26, 2026, at 5pm. The programme’s timeline also lists November 19, 2026, at 5pm, as the deadline for postgraduate assessment and scholarship main application forms.

Eligibility requirements

Applicants must be citizens and residents of an African country or hold refugee status in an African country. They must demonstrate a history of leadership and community service, as well as experience or ambition in making a meaningful contribution to addressing the climate crisis.

Candidates must have faced significant obstacles to education and early career development, which may include social, financial, personal, practical or health-related barriers.

Applicants must be aged 35 or younger in the year the programme begins. For the 2027/2028 academic year, only those born on or after January 1, 1992, are eligible. Anyone born in 1991 or earlier is not eligible.

For the online postgraduate diploma pathway, applicants may hold either an undergraduate or master’s degree from an African university, provided they graduate by November 19, 2026, and submit the required degree certificate and transcripts by the applicable deadline.

Applicants who already hold a master’s degree will have their undergraduate qualification assessed against the postgraduate diploma entry requirements. The programme will also review master’s transcripts to verify the university’s graduation date and location.

Applicants must have completed their undergraduate studies and be able to upload their degree certificate and official final transcript alongside their application by November 19, 2026.

Those applying for a master’s programme must not have previously completed a postgraduate degree. They must also not be enrolled at, or applying to enrol in, another university while receiving the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program scholarship.

On-campus scholarship benefits and courses

The on-campus scholarship covers full approved tuition fees, accommodation, travel expenses, a living-cost stipend and study materials.

Recipients will also participate in a climate leadership programme designed to equip and encourage them to drive change in their communities and countries. They will attend the Climate Enterprise School, an intensive week-long training programme focused on sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation.

Additional provisions include transition support and assistance for scholars with disabilities, based on an assessment of individual needs.

The available one-year, full-time on-campus master’s programmes are:

• Food Security

• Sustainable Energy Systems

• Entrepreneurship and Innovation

• Data, Inequality and Society

• Operational Research

• Environmental Sustainability

• Climate Change Finance and Investment

• Environment and Development

• International Development

• Public Health, Master of MPH

The university advises applicants to check the official programme webpage regularly, as the list of eligible on-campus courses may change.

Online scholarship and eligible programmes

The online pathway includes postgraduate diplomas intended for people considering a potential career change. These qualifications tend to have a more vocational focus.

Applicants holding either an undergraduate or master’s degree from an African university may apply for the relevant online programmes, provided they meet the graduation and document-submission requirements.

Online scholars will receive full approved tuition coverage, meaning they will not be required to pay any portion of their tuition fees. They will also receive an academic stipend to support access to a laptop and high-quality internet.

Other benefits include transition support, the opportunity to attend an in-person gathering and participation in the university’s wider Climate Leadership Programme. This includes regular online workshops, coaching and support.

Recipients will also take part in the Climate Enterprise School’s intensive week-long training in sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation. A dedicated Online Coordinator will provide programme support, while scholars with disabilities may receive additional assistance following an assessment of their needs.

The eligible online programmes and available study routes are:

• International Development (master’s route only)

• Global Food Security and Nutrition (master’s or diploma)

• Climate Change Management (master’s route only)

• One Health (master’s or diploma)

• Social Justice and Community Action (master’s or diploma)

• Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health (master’s or diploma)

• Global Health and Infectious Diseases (master’s or diploma)

• Data-Driven Breeding and Genetics (master’s or diploma)

• Digital Education (master’s or diploma)

• Data Science Technologies (master’s route only)

• Family Medicine (MFM) (master’s route only)

• Conservation Medicine (master’s or diploma)

• Climate Leadership Programme

Application timeline

The published schedule for the 2027/2028 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program outlines the following key dates:

• October 20, 2026: Applications open for eligible candidates.

• October 26, 2026, at 5pm: Applicant Declaration Form closes. The university notes that the form may close earlier if its application limit is reached.

• November 19, 2026, at 5pm: Deadline for postgraduate assessment and scholarship main application forms.

• Late November 2026 to January 2027: University committees assess submitted applications.

• Early February 2027: Successful and unsuccessful applicants receive admission decisions for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Edinburgh.

• Early February 2027: On-campus applicants are invited to interview.

• Mid-February 2027: Online applicants are invited to interview.

• Mid-February to March 2027: On-campus applicant interviews take place.

• Late February to mid-March 2027: Online applicant interviews take place.

• Late March 2027: Interview outcomes are announced for both on-campus and online applicants.

• April to August 2027: On-campus applicants receive support with admission and immigration procedures, while online applicants receive assistance with admission processes.

• September 2027: Academic programmes begin.

The programme information also states that applicants must complete the Applicant Declaration Form by October 19, 2026, despite listing October 26, 2026, at 5pm, as the form’s closing date. Applicants should consult the official university webpage to confirm the applicable declaration deadline and submission requirements.

How to apply

Eligible candidates can find application instructions, programme details and further information through the University of Edinburgh’s official Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program webpage.

Visit: University of Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Source: University of Edinburgh