Berkeley’s Mastercard Foundation Scholar Program for Africans 2023/24

Applications are invited from suitably qualified candidates from Sub-Saharan African countries for Berkeley’s MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program 2024, to support the postgraduate studies of African students at UC Berkeley, USA.

Berkeley’s MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program for Africans 2023/24

Master’s degree level of education ensures that not only individual students are offered enhanced skills and knowledge, but also the network of future leaders to cooperate and provide their share in sustainable development across various sectors in Africa. This would mean interventions with very high impact potential in the empowerment of people to bring effective positive change in their communities and beyond.

Also See: MasterCard Foundation Scholarships 2024 | Application Guide

Berkeley’s Mastercard Foundation Scholar Program 2023/24 | Eligibility Criteria

The Berkeley MasterCard Foundation Scholars program has laid down requirements which must be met by the applying student. Below is a breakdown of the requirements:

Citizenship: This fellowship is only available for citizens of countries that are located in the continent of Sub-Saharan Africa. This includes individuals who are refugees/displaced within the African continent. However, citizens from North African countries are not eligible for this fellowship. Further, individuals with dual citizenship, asylee, refugee, or permanent resident status in the US, Canada, UK, or EU are not eligible.
Academic Talent: Prior to entering into the Scholarship, Pre-Selected candidates must be admitted into a UC Berkeley master’s degree program. The University necessarily seeks evidence of academic excellence in all applicants.

Leadership Potential: The Program looks for people with leadership potential and a deep commitment to acquiring the skills of transformational leadership, such as engaging others in an ethical way to produce positive and lasting change.
Socio-Economic Background: This scholarship is intended for students coming from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It is created to support people who are immensely talented and otherwise could not pursue further and quality education.
Commitment to Community: The applicant has to express a desire to return and give back to their community, country, or continent. This can include such activities outside the classroom that entail issues relating to one’s field of study as well as broader issues in the social, economic, or political sphere.

Intention to Return Home: Applicants should express interest and intention to return to their home country on completion of their studies. They should demonstrate a commitment to and passion for addressing challenges to public life in their communities showing how they will utilize the education at UC Berkeley to address such challenges in their countries upon return.

Application Deadline: Varies by Program

How to Apply

To apply for the Berkeley’s MasterCard Foundation Scholar Program 2024, all interested applicants have to go through a two-step process:

Apply to graduate programs at UC Berkeley: Explore the UC Berkeley website for graduate programs. Choose one that best fits your area of interest and future career intentions. Scroll down that graduate program’s Admissions page to find deadlines.

Any application material as required shall be prepared and submitted, including transcripts, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, or any other documents so specified by the program.

Note the deadlines for the applications with great attention to the submission of your application on time.
Stand by for a notification for admission from UC Berkeley.

Apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program:

Once provisionally admitted to an eligible graduate program at UC Berkeley, students can then apply for the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program.
The website of the UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program contains application instructions and deadlines.
Prepare documents that the scholarship application requires. This may include essays, letters of recommendation, financial documentation, and any other materials specified by the scholarship program itself.

Be sure to address all the eligibility criteria and requirements as outlined by the
Mastercard Foundation Scholar Program.
Submit your scholarship application before the deadline.