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MasterCard Scholarship at UC Berkely (University of California Berkeley, USA)2025

United StatesMasterCard

United StatesScholarshipFully FundedRolling deadlinephd

4 min readOpportunity Station

Program details

Key facts at a glance

Host country: United States
Region: North America
Institution: MasterCard
Study level: PhD
Funding: Fully Funded

Program overview

Full description, requirements, and what to expect

The goal of the UC Berkeley MasterCard Scholarship is to develop a cohort of morally-driven, enterprising, and vibrant youth leaders who will drive socioeconomic change throughout Africa. The University of California, Berkeley and The Mastercard Foundation have partnered globally with academic institutions and non-profits who also think that education is the key to social and economic advancement. Over 40,000 young people have benefited from over $1.2 billion in educational and leadership development investments made possible by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

With the exception of doctorate candidates, the program at the Centre for African Studies at UC Berkeley has funded more than 120 undergraduate and master’s students between 2012 and 2020.

Host Country: United States of America (USA)

Eligible Countries: All Sub-Saharan African Countries

Reward: Full Scholarship | Accommodation | Monthly Stipends | Airfare Tickets

Deadline: Varies by Program

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Requirements & preparation

Review eligibility, benefits, and documents before you apply

Eligibility criteria

8 requirements to review

Citizenship Requirement: Applicants, including refugees or internally displaced people within Africa, must be citizens of a Sub-Saharan African nation. North African nationals, as well as people holding dual citizenship, permanent residency, or refugee status in the US, Canada, UK, or EU, are not eligible for the scholarship.
Academic Talent: A prerequisite for admission to a master’s degree at UC Berkeley is a track record of academic success.
Leadership Potential: The program is looking for people who have the capacity to lead and who are dedicated to bringing about long-lasting, positive change in an ethical and revolutionary way.
Socioeconomic Background: Highly brilliant people from socioeconomically disadvantaged households who might not otherwise have access to high-quality education are the target audience for the scholarship.
Applicants should exhibit a strong commitment to giving back by actively participating in their communities.
Host Country: United States of America (USA).
Eligible Countries: All Sub-Saharan African Countries.
Reward: Full Scholarship | Accommodation | Monthly living allowances | Airfare Tickets.

Benefits & funding

4 perks included · Fully Funded

Complete financial support Scholarship: All expenses associated with obtaining a master’s degree are covered by the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship.
Extensive Coverage: It includes living expenses, housing, food, travel, tuition, UC Berkeley student fees, visa and SEVIS fees, and access to cohort programs that emphasize entrepreneurship and leadership.
Extra financing for MBA Students: In order to receive additional financing from the Haas Business School, MBA students must apply for Haas scholarships and satisfy the deadlines for both Round One and Round Two.
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Important dates

Deadlines and listing updates

Application deadlineRolling — applications accepted on an ongoing basis
Published on Opportunity StationNov 14, 2024
Last updatedOct 18, 2026

Participating location

Where this opportunity takes place

United States · North America

scholarshipusfully-funded

Next step

Ready to apply?

Use the official application website to submit your application directly to the program organizer. The link opens in a new tab so you can keep this guide open.

https://educationusa.state.gov/find-financial-aid

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