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Published: 16 Jun 2025
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is specifically targeted towards young people whose access to higher education is impeded by economic and social barriers. The Program places a particular emphasis on reaching young women, refugees and forcibly displaced youth, and persons with disabilities, who are encouraged to apply.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC supports academically talented youth from South Africa and other parts of the African continent. The aim of the Program is to equip youth with the necessary tools and education to drive transformative change which will positively impact their communities and countries. For the 2026 academic year, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC will provide fully-funded opportunities for young scholars to study for undergraduate qualifications
| Application Deadline | August 30, 2025 |
| Funding Type | Fully Funded |
| Country to study | South Africa |
| School to study | University of the Western Cape |
| Type | Undergraduate |
| Course to study | View courses |
| Sponsor | Mastercard Foundation |
| Gender | Men and Women |
Mastercard Foundation Scholars will be provided with:
For Undergraduate Studies:
Be no older than 26 years for the undergraduate studies;
Meet the University's minimum admissions requirements (for program/discipline-specific information, visit www.uwc.ac.za) and must have applied for academic admission to the University for 2026;
International applicants must apply for exemption through Universities South Africa (USAf) to determine if they meet South Africa's minimum higher education admission requirements. (For exemption applications and additional information, please visit https://usaf.ac.za/facilitating-entry-to-sa-universities/).
Be prepared to register for full-time undergraduate study in January 2026;
Provide evidence that access to university studies is impeded by social and economic barriers.
Step 1: Apply for admission to study at UWC
Step 2: Apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC
Once you have successfully submitted your application to study at UWC, apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by completing the online application available via study/partnerships/mastercard-foundation-scholars-program.
For more details, visit Mastercard Foundation scholarship webpage
