The Fully Funded Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in South Africa accepts applications from Africans, who want to pursue master's or bachelor's degrees at the University of the Western Cape for the academic year 2024. This Program supports academically talented and brilliant youth from South Africa and other continents in Africa. 

The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is a partner of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program was initiated in 2012. The fully funded Scholarship is a global initiative that is designed to develop the future generation of transformative and motivated leaders by enabling highly talented, brilliant, service-oriented young people, mainly young Africans, to pursue their higher education free at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa and brings up their leadership potential. 

This program specifically targets those young people whose access to higher studies is hindered by economic and social barriers. The UWC Mastercard Scholarship Program places particular importance on reaching young women, young people living with disabilities, refugees, and forcibly displaced youth. These types of people are encouraged to apply for this fully funded Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program at UWC. The UWC scholarship program offers a limited number of scholarships, which means it is very competitive, so applicants must have an excellent academic record.

The benefits of the Fully Funded Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in South Africa are:

1. The fully funded Mastercard scholarship will provide free bachelor’s or master’s studies at the University of the Western Cape.

2. An international networking opportunity.

3. It is a fantastic opportunity for Africans to grow and gain leadership qualities.

4. The UWC scholarship is a fantastic chance to study for free in South Africa.

The eligibility criteria for the Fully Funded Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program in South Africa are stated below:

Undergraduates:

1. At the time of application, applicants must be 26 years old for undergraduate studies.

2. Applicants must meet the University’s minimum admissions requirements.

3. Applicants must have applied for academic admission 2024 to the University.

4. Applicants must be ready to start full-time undergraduate study in January 2024.

5. Applicants must be able to provide proof that their access to university studies is affected by social and economic barriers.

Postgraduate:

1. At the time of application, applicants must not be older than 30 years for the master’s degree studies.

2. Applicants must meet the University’s minimum admissions requirements.

3. Applicants must have applied for academic admission 2024 to the University.

4. Applicants must be ready to start full-time master’s study in January 2024.

5. Applicants must be able to provide proof that their access to university studies is affected by social and economic barriers.

6. Applicants who want to register for a second master’s degree are not eligible for this UWC scholarship 2024.

Eligible Fields

Bachelor Program:

• Humanities & Arts (History, Linguistics, Sociology, and Women’s and Gender Studies);
• Education (Mathematics and Science, Foundation Phase);
• Economic & Management Sciences (Economics, Information Sciences, and Public Administration);
• Natural Sciences (Biological, Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences).

Postgraduate Program:

• Humanities & Arts (Applied Linguistics, History, Gender Justice, Migration Studies, Sociology for Development);
• Economic & Management Sciences (Development Studies, Information Sciences and Migration Studies);
• Community & Health Sciences (Public Health);
• Law (Governance and Human Rights);
• Natural Sciences (Biological, Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences)