Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at McGill University
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at McGill — fully funded master's scholarship for African students in public health, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, or public policy. ~35 scholars per year, 2024–2034. Covers tuition, housing, stipend, airfare, and leadership training.
- Provider
- Mastercard Foundation (hosted at McGill University)
- Deadline
- Funding type
- Full Funding
- Host country
- Canada
- Institution
- McGill University
- Level
- postgraduate
- Award
- Full tuition + on-campus housing + monthly stipend + books/laptop/tutoring + round-trip airfare + health insurance + leadership training + convocation/return-flight support
- Duration
- Master's degree (typically 1–2 years)
Eligibility
- Citizen of and currently living in an African country — Ethiopian citizens eligible. Dual citizenship or asylee/refugee/permanent resident status in US/Canada/UK/EU disqualifies
- Under 35 years old at the time of application
- Bachelor's degree (or equivalent); First Class Honours or equivalent strongly preferred
- Never registered for or completed a master's degree before
- Admissible to McGill in one of the eligible graduate programs (public health, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, or public policy)
- Exceptional record of service, leadership, and community involvement, with demonstrated intent to return and contribute to home country
- Valid passport and admissible to Canada as an international student (study permit required)
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at McGill University is one of the largest scholarship and leadership initiatives for African students in the world. From 2024 to 2034, the program brings together gifted leaders and changemakers from across Africa to pursue fully funded master’s degrees at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Since 2013, McGill has partnered with the Mastercard Foundation to support over 200 scholars from more than 20 African countries.
The program focuses on students who aspire to improve and transform nutrition, public health, public policy, and sustainable agriculture across Africa.
What the scholarship covers
- Full tuition: All international student tuition fees for the entire program
- On-campus housing: Comfortable accommodation near campus
- Monthly stipend: For food, personal expenses, and transportation
- Academic resources: Book allowance, laptop, and tutoring services
- Travel: Round-trip airfare to Montreal
- Health insurance: Full medical coverage
- Leadership training: Professional development and leadership workshops
- Post-graduation support: Convocation expenses and return flights to home country
Eligible programs at McGill
The scholarship is open to applicants admissible to one of McGill’s eligible graduate programs in:
- Public health — including Master of Public Health (MPH) and related streams
- Nutrition — Master’s-level programs in human nutrition and dietetics
- Sustainable agriculture — Plant Science, Agricultural Economics, and related disciplines
- Public policy — Master of Public Policy and related streams
See the official eligibility page for the full list of qualifying degree programs.
How to apply
You must apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program first. Only after passing pre-screening will you be invited to apply to McGill itself.
- Check your eligibility on the official eligibility page.
- Attend a virtual info session to receive the application form link (sessions are held in July each year).
- Complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form during the application window.
- Pre-screening: If your application passes, you’ll be asked to provide additional documentation.
- Apply to McGill: Successful pre-screened applicants receive a fee waiver and instructions to apply to their chosen program at McGill.
Applications submitted outside the official process will not be accepted. Applicants who previously deferred a McGill offer must reapply to the scholarship.
Do not contact supervisors or professors directly. Thesis-track applicants selected for a fee waiver will receive instructions from the program team on how to secure a supervisor.
Application timeline (anticipated 2026–2027 cycle)
Dates below are forecast based on the just-closed 2025–2026 cycle pattern. Confirm against the official application page once dates are published.
- Jul 2026: Virtual info sessions — attend one to learn about eligibility and receive the application link
- Early Aug 2026: Applications open (forecast — last cycle opened Aug 4 at 9 AM EST)
- End of Aug 2026: Applications close (forecast — last cycle closed Aug 31 at 4 PM EST)
- Sep–Nov 2026: Pre-screening — successful applicants invited to apply to McGill; unsuccessful applicants notified
- Dec 2026: McGill application deadline for fee-waiver candidates
- Early–mid Feb 2027: Admission decisions communicated
- Mid Feb–end Mar 2027: Scholarship Committee selects final recipients
- Sep 2027: Fall 2027 cohort starts at McGill
Selection criteria
- Academic merit: Credentials that qualify for admission to McGill
- Leadership and service: Track record of transformative leadership and community involvement
- Alignment with Mastercard Foundation values: Application quality evaluated against the program’s ethos
- Potential impact: Clear vision for contributing to your home country’s development
- Barriers overcome: Consideration given to applicants who faced significant social, financial, personal, or health-related barriers to education
For Ethiopian students
Ethiopian citizens living in Ethiopia are fully eligible. This program is a remarkable opportunity to gain advanced skills in public health, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, or public policy at a world-class Canadian university — and bring those skills back to address critical challenges at home. McGill is located in Montreal, one of the most affordable and multicultural cities in Canada.
Prepare for IELTS or TOEFL with Atenu’s English courses, and read our Studying in Canada guide for visa and cost-of-living information.
Interested in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program?
Visit the official McGill page for full details, or explore more scholarships for Ethiopian students.
Apply on the official site
We never collect application data — you'll be sent to the sponsor directly.
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