Application Deadline: October 15, 2025
Applications are now open for the 2026 University of British Columbia Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. The University of British Columbia (UBC) is pleased to be partnering with The Mastercard Foundation to foster the next generation of African leaders. After supporting over 171 Mastercard Foundation Scholars in its first phase, The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC will provide 351 academically talented young people from Africa with access to quality and relevant university education at UBC. After graduating, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars will then utilize their learning and experiences to contribute to the economic growth and social transformation of their communities in Africa.
Requirements
Requirements:
To be eligible for consideration for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Masters’ Degree Program at UBC, the applicant must:
Have completed a Bachelor’s degree.
Not already possess a graduate or PhD degree.
Be 35 years old or younger at the time of application.
Be a citizen or refugee of a Sub-Saharan African country.
Have lived a significant part of their life in a Sub-Saharan African country.
Present economically disadvantaged financial circumstances.
Have achieved academic excellence under difficult circumstances.
Show leadership qualities or potential.
Demonstrate an interest in and commitment to giving back to their home community.
Be a person who requires a Canadian study permit to study in Canada.
Not be a person who claimed or will claim asylum or protected person status after arriving in Canada.
Commit to returning to Africa to apply their training and skills for the betterment of others.
Benefits
- Tuition & Books
- Flights & Immigration support
- Room and Board
- Stipends for living expenses
- Health Insurance
- Career services & Support
- Access to a global Mastercard Foundation alumni network
- **Social Entrepreneurship Fund (Initiative for scholars who are enterprising and want to start a venture back on the continent)
Expression of Interest
General Stream- Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC : 2026/2027 Expression of Interest
Refugees Only Stream- Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC : 2026/2027 Expression of Interest
Deadline to submit an EOI is September 12, 2025
Eligible candidates will be contacted after September 15 to apply to the Scholarship for one of the following faculties and programs at UBC’s Vancouver campus:
Faculty of Forestry
Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM)
Master of International Forestry (MIF)
Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management (MGEM)
Faculty of Land and Food Systems
Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE)
Master of Food Science (MFS)
Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)
Master of Science/Master of Applied Science in Forestry (Thesis-based)
Faculty of Science
Master of Data Science
Application Timeline:
- Expression of Interest: August 30th, 2025
- Apply: September 15 – October 15, 2025
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