Top Scholarships in Africa for Students

Africa is home to a growing number of world-class academic institutions and pan-African international organizations offering accessible, high-quality higher education without the substantial financial burden associated with studying overseas. This comprehensive directory consolidates major scholarship programs across the continent—including the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, the Pan African University (PAU) Scholarships, the African Development Bank (AfDB) Japan Africa Dream Scholarship, and university-specific merit schemes in top study destinations such as South Africa, Egypt, Rwanda, Ghana, and Kenya—spanning undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree levels.

Don’t Miss: Top Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students

Funding structures range from fully funded packages—covering 100% of tuition, monthly living stipends, university housing, health insurance, learning materials, and round-trip travel allowances—to partial tuition support and research grants. When applying for African scholarship opportunities, prospective candidates must carefully navigate key structural and demographic requirements. Several top awards target applicants based on precise eligibility criteria, including restrictions to specific host institutions, alignment with regional development goals, or dedicated quotas for refugees, displaced youth, and women in STEM disciplines. Carefully review the host country’s requirements, age limits, and application criteria before applying.

Also, Check Out: Top Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Europe

Top Scholarships in Africa for Students Summary

1. African Graduate Fellowships at the American University in Cairo (AUC)

AUC’s fellowship is specifically for non-Egyptian African nationals, meaning Egyptian applicants themselves are explicitly excluded despite AUC being based in Egypt — a distinction worth confirming before applying if you’re an Egyptian national assuming this covers your own country. Selection weighs both strong academic ability and demonstrated financial need together, so a strong transcript alone isn’t sufficient without also showing genuine financial constraint.

Scholarship Name ⇒ African Graduate Fellowships at AUC
Host Country ⇒ Egypt
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for AUC African Graduate Fellowships Application Process

2. Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Pan-Atlantic University

Pan-Atlantic holds a genuinely notable distinction as the first Nigerian university to partner with the Mastercard Foundation on this initiative, committing to educate 650 Scholars over ten years. What’s particularly worth noting is the programme’s explicit priority groups — young women in STEM, displaced youth, and students with disabilities are specifically named as focus populations, not simply general eligibility categories.

Scholarship Name ⇒ Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Pan-Atlantic University
Host Country ⇒ Nigeria
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for Pan-Atlantic University Application Process

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3. James Aryam Scholarships

Named in memory of James Aryam, a former Executive Director of Windle International Uganda who died in 2021, this scholarship is genuinely narrow and specific: restricted to female refugees currently residing in Uganda or Kenya, who originate from Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, or Somaliland, pursuing education-related Master’s or Postgraduate Diploma programmes specifically. You need a first degree equivalent to a British upper second (2:1) or above, and — importantly — you must apply directly to at least two eligible Ugandan universities yourself, then separately complete Windle Trust International’s own scholarship application, uploading proof of your university application submission as part of that process.

Scholarship Name ⇒ James Aryam Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Uganda
Study Level ⇒ Master’s & Diploma
Click Here for James Aryam Scholarships Application Process

4. Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship (QECS)

QECS spans multiple host countries across the Commonwealth rather than focusing on a single institution, so your university and country placement depend on which participating Commonwealth institution accepts you rather than a fixed destination. The scholarship specifically targets low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries, reflecting its development-focused mission of building leadership capacity in communities facing significant barriers to postgraduate funding.

Scholarship Name ⇒ Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship (QECS)
Host Country ⇒ Various Commonwealth countries
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for QECS Application Process

5. Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholarship

Makerere’s Mastercard partnership operates at genuinely large scale — 1,000 scholarships committed to academically bright but economically disadvantaged Sub-Saharan African youth at the Master’s level, a considerably larger cohort than many other single-institution partnerships on this list. Because eligibility is specifically restricted to Sub-Saharan Africa rather than the continent broadly, applicants from North Africa should confirm this restriction applies to them before investing application time.

Scholarship Name ⇒ Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ Uganda
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for Makerere University Application Process

6. UNIFEMGA Scholarship Fund

This is a genuinely narrow scholarship, worth being precise about: it’s restricted specifically to Muslim students already studying at Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria, backed by OAU’s Muslim Graduates Association — not open to Nigerian students generally, and not open to students at other Nigerian universities regardless of religion. Applicants need to already be at 200 level or above, meaning first-year students don’t yet qualify, and the fund explicitly encourages female representation in academia as part of its stated mission.

Scholarship Name ⇒ UNIFEMGA Scholarship Fund
Host Country ⇒ Nigeria
Study Level ⇒ Undergrad–PhD
Click Here for UNIFEMGA Scholarship Fund Application Process

7. Midwestern Oil and Gas Scholarship

This is a corporate-funded, geographically restricted award — jointly backed by Midwestern Oil and Gas Company and SunTrust Atlantic Energies, and specifically targeted at Delta State indigenes and host communities in Nigeria, reflecting the companies’ operational footprint and corporate social responsibility commitments in that specific region. Applicants from outside Delta State, or without genuine host community ties, don’t qualify regardless of academic strength.

Scholarship Name ⇒ Midwestern Oil and Gas Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ Nigeria
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for Midwestern Oil and Gas Scholarship Application Process

8. Bridge Foundation Universities Scholarship

At N700 million in total funding, this is one of the largest single scholarship pools on this list, run through WealthBridge Financial Services Holdings, and it’s specifically structured to support both STEM and business students — a deliberately broad field coverage compared to many Nigerian corporate scholarships that restrict funding to a single discipline. Beyond direct financial support, the programme layers in mentorship, internship opportunities, and career development pathways, positioning it as a genuine career-launching platform rather than tuition assistance alone.

Scholarship Name ⇒ Bridge Foundation Universities Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ Nigeria
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for Bridge Foundation Scholarship Application Process

9. European Commission Intra-Africa Scholarships

This is structurally distinct from most entries on this list: rather than funding African students to study outside Africa, it funds mobility between African institutions themselves — Master’s, doctoral, traineeship, and staff mobility within participating African higher education consortia. Because funding is distributed across multiple separate consortia rather than one central programme, deadlines and specific eligible countries vary meaningfully depending on which consortium and host institution you’re applying through.

Scholarship Name ⇒ European Commission Intra-Africa Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ African countries (varies by consortium)
Study Level ⇒ Master’s, PhD, and others
Click Here for Intra-Africa Scholarships Application Process

10. Unubiko Foundation Tertiary Education Scholarship Awards

This scholarship sits within a specifically girl-focused mission — the Unubiko Foundation states directly that supporting the girl-child’s access to higher education is a core part of its broader commitment to improving lives through education. While the eligibility line doesn’t explicitly state a gender restriction, the stated foundation mission suggests female applicants are likely prioritised or specifically targeted — confirm the exact current eligibility criteria directly rather than assuming either way.

Scholarship Name ⇒ Unubiko Foundation Tertiary Education Scholarship Awards
Host Country ⇒ Nigeria
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for Unubiko Foundation Scholarship Application Process

11. AltSchool Africa Scholarships

AltSchool runs an ongoing, rotating portfolio of scholarship funds rather than a single fixed award — different named funds appear and close as new training cohorts open, each with its own eligibility conditions covering groups like women, Nigerian residents specifically, or engineering-track applicants. Before applying, know that sitting AltSchool’s entrance assessment carries a real cost (roughly ₦20,000 for diploma programmes), and most scholarship funds require a stricter 85% pass mark, well above the roughly 70% threshold for standard (non-scholarship) admission.

Scholarship Name ⇒ AltSchool Africa Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ Nigeria
Study Level ⇒ Diploma
Click Here for AltSchool Africa Scholarships Application Process

Frequently Asked Questions

Which of these scholarships are restricted to a single university or a very narrow demographic, despite appearing on a broad “Africa” list?

UNIFEMGA is restricted specifically to Muslim students already enrolled at Obafemi Awolowo University. James Aryam is restricted to female refugees from four specific countries residing in Uganda or Kenya. Midwestern Oil and Gas is restricted to Delta State indigenes specifically — none of these three are genuinely open across Africa broadly.

Do any of these run through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program?

Yes — Pan-Atlantic University and Makerere University are both partner institutions under the broader Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, meaning you can’t apply to the Foundation directly; you apply to the specific university, and nomination follows admission.

Which of these requires applying to a separate university directly, alongside the scholarship application itself?

James Aryam Scholarships require you to independently apply to at least two eligible Ugandan universities, then separately complete the Windle Trust International scholarship application with proof of your university submission attached.

Which of these has the largest total funding pool?

The Bridge Foundation Universities Scholarship, at N700 million total, represents the largest single funding commitment among the entries listed here.

Are any of these scholarships genuinely open to students from any African country?

AUC’s African Graduate Fellowships (excluding Egypt), Makerere’s Mastercard Foundation Scholarship (Sub-Saharan Africa broadly), QECS (Commonwealth low- and middle-income countries), and Intra-Africa Scholarships (varies by consortium but generally pan-African) offer the broadest continental eligibility among the entries here.

Disclaimer: All scholarship details, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official and closely tracking sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on each scholarship’s official page before applying. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with any of the institutions or organisations listed above.