What University of Cape Town Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027 actually covers.
The University of Cape Town's Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is open for 2027 entry, funding academically strong young Africans at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. It is one of the more accessible entries in the Mastercard Foundation network for students who would rather study on the continent than travel to North America or Europe, and it carries the same comprehensive funding model as the overseas partners.
The package covers tuition for the chosen programme, accommodation on UCT's campuses, living expenses, medical aid, a study visa where one is needed, and annual return travel between the scholar's home country and Cape Town. A laptop is included, which matters more than it might appear for students arriving without personal computing equipment into degree programmes that assume it. Beyond the money, scholars receive academic support and structured skills development in entrepreneurship and career readiness, and join an alumni network that now spans tens of thousands of scholars worldwide.
Selection is explicitly values-weighted. UCT and the Foundation are looking for evidence of leadership potential, a commitment to social impact and a stated dedication to African development, assessed alongside the academic record. Applicants who present strong grades but no record of community involvement tend not to progress; the programme's stated purpose is to develop transformative leaders, not simply to subsidise high achievers.
The process trips up a meaningful number of applicants every cycle because it runs on two tracks. A candidate must first apply for academic admission to UCT in the ordinary way, satisfying the entry requirements of their chosen faculty and programme, and then submit a separate scholarship application. These are assessed by different offices and one does not imply the other.
Applications close on 31 October 2026. Because the academic admission step has its own timeline and can require documents from previous institutions, applicants should begin the UCT admission application substantially earlier than the scholarship deadline itself.
Who can apply.
Open to undergraduate, masters applicants seeking to study in South Africa.
Open to applicants from across the African continent. Confirm specific nationality eligibility on the official application page.
Every academic discipline is accepted.
This programme does not restrict by field. Research proposals across humanities, sciences, engineering, agriculture, and medicine are all accepted.
From here to submitted.
Scholar Africa helps you discover, shortlist, and track. The application itself is submitted on the provider's site.
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Save itAdd this to your shortlist so we can recommend similar scholarships and remind you of the deadline.
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Prepare your documentsMost providers ask for the same set - transcripts, references, a personal statement, ID. Use the checklist below to track progress across all your applications.
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Apply on the provider's siteSubmit on the provider's site before October 31, 2026 · 51 days left.
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Track the outcomeAdd to your tracker so you can update the status as the provider responds (shortlisted, interview, decision).
Document checklist
Checks are local to this device - they're not stored. Always confirm exact requirements on the provider's official application page.
What we checked, when we checked it.
Scholar Africa runs a link-liveness check on every listing before it goes live and an admin manually reviews every scholarship submitted by providers. University of Cape Town Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027 has been reviewed and verified by our team. Five deeper checks (contact, organisation, winners, third-party, formal audit) are on the roadmap.
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Other scholarships worth a parallel application.
Same eligibility window or destination. Many strong applicants apply to three or four programmes per cycle.