University of California MasterCard Scholarship 2025 Fully Funded

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Master's degree applicants must first apply to an eligible master's degree program before they can be nominated for the Mastercard Foundations Scholars Program. If a graduate program has multilple admission rounds with staggered deadlines, only those who submit applications in the first round can be considered for the Scholars Program.

Each graduate degree program(link is external) has specific requirements and deadlines. Applicants should carefully review these. The Graduate Division(link is external) also provides detailed information on the admissions process. Direct questions regarding admission requirements should be made to the specific graduate program. We outline more details of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application process for master's program here. We will recruit Mastercard Foundation Scholars through the fall of 2028.

While the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UC Berkeley is not open to undergraduates, students at this level are welcome to apply to the University of California, Berkeley. More information on the undergraduate process is available on the Undergraduate Admissions site(link is external). Other Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program partners(link is external) are recruiting undergraduates.


Application and Selection Sequence

  • September through early January: Master's degree program prospective applicants must first apply to the University of California, Berkeley through the regular admissions process(link is external). Admission application deadlines vary(link is external) from September to early January with most in December. If a graduate program has multilple admission rounds with staggered deadlines, only those who submit applications in the first round (before January) can be considered for the Scholars Program.
  • November 15: The Scholars Program and some graduate degree programs are able to provide a limited number of admission application fee(link is external) waivers. Applicants from African countries who complete the basic demographic information and provide the names of at least two recommenders in the UC Berkeley graduate admission online application(link is external) by November 15 will receive an invitation by email to apply for admission application fee waivers. Applicants will be informed of fee waiver decisions before December 1.
  • February: The Scholars Program at UC Berkeley will invite candidates nominated by the graduate degree programs to complete a supplemental application.
  • March: The Scholars Program will invite selected candidates for an online interview.
  • Late March/early April: The Scholars Program will communicate final decisions.

The main eligibility criteria are:

  • Being a citizen of an African country: This includes Africans who have been forcibly displaced or have refugee status within the African continent. Those with dual citizenship, asylee, refugee or permanent resident status in the US, Canada, UK or EU are not eligible.
  • Having academic talent: All prospective Scholars must first be admitted to a UC Berkeley master's degree program to be considered for the Scholarship. An important criteria for admission to the University is demonstrated academic excellence.
  • Demonstrating leadership potential: The Program seeks those committed to developing the skills and mindsets associated with transformative leadership, i.e, that which engages others in an ethical manner to generate positive and lasting change.
  • Experienced significant barriers to accessing higher education: This Scholarship is designed for those extremely talented individuals who might have faced barriers to quality higher education, including social, financial, personal, practical or health related.
  • Having demonstrated the commitment to give back to your community, country, or continent: We are looking for well-rounded students who are engaged in activities beyond the classroom. Some may be directly related to your field of study, but this may also include other issues (social, economic, political) that you are working on and passionate about. Applicants should elaborate on their achievements both in their application to UC Berkeley, and then later in the application for the Scholars Program.
  • Having expressed the desire and intention to return to your home country after completing your studies and post-graduation training: We are looking for students who are engaged with and passionate about issues affecting their communities, and who will take advantage of their education at UC Berkeley to better equip themselves with the knowledge and training to address these issues upon return. While important work can be done from abroad, the intention of the Program is to enable Scholars to return home, after forming valuable professional connections through internships, academic training and job placements. 

Other considerations

All other things being equal, we will give priority to candidates who:

  • Did their undergraduate degree at an African university.
  • Do not already have a post-graduate degree (i.e., master's or doctorate).
  • Have not already benefited from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
Every year the mix of candidates varies. There are always more well-qualified and deserving candidates than there are spaces in the Scholars Program at UC Berkeley.

Deadlines and Requirements

Graduate application deadlines vary by program. Please visit the Graduate Division Admissions Website(link is external) for up to date information on:

Which Master's Degree program?

Please note that bachelor and doctoral programs do not qualify for the Scholars Program at UC Berkeley.

UC Berkeley offers many master's degree programs. The following are eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program:

Contact us(link sends e-mail) if you are interested in UC Berkeley programs not listed here.

Note: We only make awards for master's degree program that are two years or less. Hence, concurrent and dual degree programs are not eligible since they take longer than two years. 

When considering any program, please keep in mind that it is your motivation for choosing your field, as well as your career goals that will determine if you are eligible for the Scholarship. Please revisit Eligibility Requirements to see if your goals are in line with those of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Application Guidance and Tips


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