Fully Funded UWC Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2025 for Young Africans

Applications are now open for the 2025 University of the Western Cape (UWC) Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has opened applications for the 2025 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. This program offers full scholarships to talented African students, aiming to create future leaders by supporting young people who face economic and social barriers.

The scholarships target academically strong students, with a special focus on young women, refugees, displaced youth, and people with disabilities. Both undergraduate and master’s degree opportunities are available, providing full funding for South African and other African students to study full-time at UWC starting in 2025.

The program emphasizes developing leadership skills and encouraging community service, helping bright students access higher education who might otherwise struggle to do so. Aspiring African leaders should seize this chance to study at UWC for free by applying now for the 2025 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Applications are restricted to the following disciplines/fields of study:

Postgraduate Qualification: Master’s Degree

Fields of Study

• Arts & Humanities (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).

Eligibility Criteria for the UWC Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

• 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 2025;
• Be prepared to begin their first year of registration for full-time master’s degree study in January 2025;
• 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 to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Undergraduate Studies

 Fields of Study

• Arts & Humanities (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).

Eligibility Criteria for the UWC Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

At the time of application, an applicant must satisfy the following four criteria:

• Be no older than 26 years for 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 2025;
• Be prepared to register for full-time undergraduate study in January 2025;
• Provide evidence that access to university studies is impeded by social and economic barriers.

Candidates who intend to register for a second undergraduate degree are ineligible to apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Benefits of the UWC Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

• In addition to providing support for tuition fees, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC provides a range of specialised resources to support
• Mastercard Foundation Scholars to facilitate their transition into dignified and fulfilling work. In particular, Mastercard Foundation Scholars will be provided with:
• Pre-arrival support and an official on-boarding welcome programme;
• Housing in a UWC residence on campus;
• Personalised support throughout their studies, ensuring that every Mastercard Foundation Scholar has the best possible experience at UWC;
• A monthly stipend and meal allowance;
• Medical aid;
• Laptop;
• Study materials allowance; and
• Holistic wrap around support programmes.
• Mastercard Foundation Scholars are required to sign a scholarship agreement once they are accepted and enrolled onto the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
• The Program will only fund Mastercard Foundation Scholars taking up full time studies at UWC – for 2 years – masters degrees,– undergraduate degrees, for the minimum duration of study.

Application Process

Step 1: Apply for admission to study at UWC

To apply for the 2025 UWC Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, follow these two key steps:

First, submit your academic application to UWC for the 2025 academic year. Visit the UWC admissions website and apply online. Remember to check and meet the application deadlines for your chosen program.

Next, once you receive your UWC application number, use it to complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application. You can only apply for this scholarship after successfully submitting your UWC academic application.

Step 2:  Apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

After submitting your application to study at UWC, apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by completing the online form at study/partnerships/mastercard-foundation-scholars-program.

READ ALSO: Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship Programme 2025 for Young Africans at the University of Oxford

If you have any difficulty submitting your application, email: ssganda@uwc.ac.za for assistance.

You will need to complete six main sections in the application form:

• Personal Information
• Academic Information
• Family Information
• Short Narratives
• Community Engagement
• Certification

Please note that no duplicate applications will be accepted and applications received in duplicate will be automatically disqualified.

The closing date for all applications is Friday, 30 August 2024. If you do not hear from the university by Friday, 15 November 2024, please consider your application unsuccessful.

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APPLY HERE

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For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program