Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Call for Applications for Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
at the University of the Western Cape – Academic Year 2024
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is an implementing partner of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Initiated in 2012, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a global initiative designed to develop the next generation of transformative leaders by enabling highly talented, service-oriented young people, primarily young Africans, to pursue their higher education and cultivate their leadership potential.The Scholars Program is specifically targeted towards young people whose access to higher education is impeded by economic and social barriers. The Program places a particular emphasis on reaching young women, refugees and forcibly displaced youth, and young people living with disabilities, who are encouraged to apply.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC supports academically talented youth from South Africa and other parts of the African continent. For the 2024 Academic Year, the Scholars Program at UWC will provide fully-funded opportunities for young scholars to study for i) undergraduate qualifications or ii) master’s degree qualifications.
1. Call for Applications
The University of the Western Cape invites applications for a limited number of undergraduate and master’s degree scholarships from qualifying candidates from South Africa and the African continent who are prepared to register for full-time study in 2024. Click here to download the call for applications.Applications are restricted to the following disciplines/fields of study:
1. Fields of Study
- Humanities & Arts (Applied Linguistics, History, Gender Justice, Migration Studies, Sociology for Development);
- Community & Health Sciences (Public Health);
- Economic & Management Sciences (Development Studies, Information Sciences and Migration Studies);
- Law (Governance and Human Rights);
- Natural Sciences (Biological, Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences).
2. Eligibility
At the time of application, an applicant must satisfy the following four criteria:
- Be no older than 30 years for the master’s degree studies;
- Meet the University's minimum admissions requirements (for program/discipline-specific information, visit www.uwc.ac.za) and must have applied for academic admission to the University for 2024;
- Be prepared to begin their first year of registration for full-time master’s degree study in January 2024;
- Provide evidence that access to university studies is impeded by social and economic barriers.
| Candidates who intend to register for a second master’s degree are ineligible to apply for this scholarship. |
3. Application Process
Apply for study to the University for 2024 (admission-and-financial-aid/apply, take note of application closing dates)Apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by completing the online application (preferred method) Click here to apply online.
If you are unable to apply online you may download an application by clicking here and email the completed form and supporting documentation to mcfsp-applications@uwc.ac.za (the completed form and supporting documents must be submitted as one email).
The preferred method of application is via the online form submission. Please note that no duplicate applications will be accepted and applications received via both routes (that is online and via downloadable form submission) will be automatically disqualified.
The closing date for all applications is Friday, 13 October 2023.
Due to the large volumes of applications received, we are unable to give personalized feedback to applicants.
If you do not hear from the university by Friday, 24 November 2023, please consider your application unsuccessful.
| Applicants are strongly advised to submit only ONE complete application. Incomplete and duplicate applications will be rejected. |
- The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC will communicate with applicants through email (preferred) and phone contact. Applicants should ensure that the phone numbers and email addresses provided are accurate and active in order to receive important information and feedback.
- After the selection process, successful applicants will be invited for a virtual or in-person interview conducted by independent panels.
- Applicants who are found to have provided false information during any stage of the application and selection process will be disqualified. Any attempt to influence the selection process will lead to automatic disqualification.
- Personal Information
- Academic Information
- Family Information
- Short Narratives
- Community Engagement
- Certification
1. Fields of Study
- Humanities & Arts (History, Linguistics, Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies);
- Economic & Management Sciences (Economics, Information Sciences and Public Administration);
- Education (Mathematics and Science, Foundation Phase);
- Natural Sciences (Biological, Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences).
2. Eligibility
At the time of application, an applicant must satisfy the following four criteria:
- Be no older than 26 years for the undergraduate studies;
- Meet the University's minimum admissions requirements (for program/discipline-specific information, visit www.uwc.ac.za) and must have applied for academic admission to the University for 2024;
- Be prepared to register for full-time undergraduate study in January 2024;
- Provide evidence that access to university studies is impeded by social and economic barriers.
3. Application Process
Apply for study to the University for 2024 (admission-and-financial-aid/apply, take note of application closing dates)Apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by completing the online application (preferred method) Click here to apply online.
If you are unable to apply online you may download an application by clicking here and email the completed form and supporting documentation to mcfsp-applications@uwc.ac.za (the completed form and supporting documents must be submitted as one email).
The preferred method of application is via the online form submission. Please note that no duplicate applications will be accepted and applications received via both routes (that is online and via downloadable form submission) will be automatically disqualified.
The closing date for all applications is Friday, 13 October 2023.
Due to the large volumes of applications received, we are unable to give personalized feedback to applicants.
If you do not hear from the university by Friday, 24 November 2023, please consider your application unsuccessful.
| Applicants are strongly advised to submit only ONE complete application. Incomplete and duplicate applications will be rejected. |
- The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC will communicate with applicants through email (preferred) and phone contact. Applicants should ensure that the phone numbers and email addresses provided are accurate and active in order to receive important information and feedback.
- After the selection process, successful applicants will be invited for a virtual or in-person interview conducted by independent panels.
- Applicants who are found to have provided false information during any stage of the application and selection process will be disqualified. Any attempt to influence the selection process will lead to automatic disqualification.
- Personal Information
- Academic Information
- Family Information
- Short Narratives
- Community Engagement
- Certification
