UBC & Mastercard Foundation
Full funding — tuition and books, flights, room and board, living stipends and health insurance — for a master's degree at UBC if you are a citizen or refugee of an African country aged 35 or younger.
Published by G Paul · last checked September 26, 2026
No fixed dollar amount is posted — contact UBC & Mastercard Foundation to confirm the exact value of the stipends and coverage for your specific award before you apply. This is a scholarship, not a loan, so you do not have to pay it back. It covers your tuition and books, flights and immigration support, room and board, health insurance, and provides stipends for your living expenses. This is for you if you are a young person from Africa committed to driving inclusive and socio-economic change on the continent through sustainable leadership and community-led development. Applications for the Winter 2027 intake opened on August 31, 2026, and expressions of interest were due by September 6, 2026, so that round is closed. On the program's published timeline, the expression of interest opens August 31; eligible applicants are invited to apply (September 15–30), successful applicants then apply to their UBC faculty (November 1–20), candidates are contacted for interviews (December 20–January 1), and selected scholars receive offers from February to early March. Applications are judged on your academic merit for admission to your chosen program, your track record as a transformative leader and of service within your community, the quality of your application in line with the program theme, and your potential impact on the development of your home country. Ask UBC & Mastercard Foundation during your application how the money will reach you — some awards pay students directly, others apply funds to tuition. Confirm this so you can plan your cash flow. Renewal conditions aren't listed — if you're counting on this for multiple years, confirm with UBC & Mastercard Foundation whether it's one-time or renewable and what you need to maintain.
To be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars master's program at UBC, you must have completed a bachelor's degree, not already have a master's degree, be 35 or younger when you apply (born in 1990 or after), be a citizen or a refugee of an African country, apply for a master's degree in one of the eligible programs, and meet that program's minimum academic requirements. The eligible programs are the Master of Food and Resource Economics, Master of Food Science, Master of Sustainable Forest Management, Master of International Forestry, Master of Urban Forestry Leadership, Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management, Master of Science/Master of Applied Science in Forestry (thesis-based), and Master of Data Science. The program especially aims to reach women, refugees, internally displaced people and persons with disabilities.
This is what the award's official page said when we last checked. Rules change, so confirm on the award's official page before you apply.
Check you meet every requirement, and note each document they ask for.
Your school's registrar can take a week or two.
Give your referees at least two weeks' notice, and send them your résumé.
Be specific about what you did and what changed because of it. Proofread it twice.
We don't have a confirmed date for this round. The award's official page will have it.
Use the Apply on the official site button on this page: it opens the official application page in a new tab.
We don't have a confirmed deadline for this one. Check the award's official page for this year's date.
Yes. It is open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and international students.
FundMyCourse.ca · checked Sep 26, 2026
Varies. Check the official page
fundmycourse.ca/scholarships/mastercard-foundation-scholars-program-at-ubc