How to Apply for the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship: A Step-by-Step Guide
The African Leadership College of Higher Education (ALCHE) Mastercard Foundation Scholarship is one of the most sought-after fully funded opportunities for African students, but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. Many applicants approach it as a single form when it’s actually two separate applications, assessed at two separate stages, by two separate teams. Understanding that structure and preparing the right documents for each stage is the difference between a smooth process and a rejected file.
This guide walks through exactly how the process works, stage by stage, based on patterns we’ve seen across successful applications.
For current eligibility criteria, deadlines, and the official application portal, always check ScholarWaka’s ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship guide, which is updated every cycle.
Want to see what this looks like in practice? Read one 2026 scholar’s full application journey
About the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the ALCHE in Mauritius provides fully funded undergraduate scholarships to talented African students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It supports students who demonstrate strong academic potential, leadership qualities, and a genuine commitment to giving back to their communities but cannot otherwise afford higher education.
Degree programs available under the scholarship:
- BSc. Entrepreneurial Leadership
- BSc. Software Engineering
- BSc. Computer Science
- BSc. International Business and Trade
The Scholarship Covers
- Full tuition for the entire duration of the degree.
- A monthly stipend to cover personal expenses.
- Feeding and accommodation on campus, fully covered.
- Visa and travel costs, including flights.
- Internship placements built directly into the four-year program, giving students real work experience before graduation.
- Membership in the wider Mastercard Foundation Scholars community, a network extending across the Foundation’s partner institutions globally.
It’s Two Applications, Not One
The single biggest mistake applicants make is treating this as one process. It isn’t. You must complete the ALCHE admission application first. You will receive an email with a link to apply separately for financial aid only after the university confirms your admission, typically within one to two weeks. That second application is the scholarship itself.
You cannot apply for the scholarship on its own. The university assesses admission solely on your academic record and English proficiency, not your financial situation.
Stage One: The Admission Application
Admission decisions tend to move quickly — usually within one to two weeks. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Your WAEC result. ALCHE generally looks for a combination adding up to at least five across your best subjects — for example, three A’s and two B’s, or a similar mix of A’s and B’s.
- A strong result in English specifically — at least an A or B.
- An English proficiency test, in addition to your WAEC English grade. The university commonly accepts IELTS, TOEFL, and Duolingo, so a weaker WAEC English grade can often be offset by a strong score of 90 or higher on one of these tests.
- Your transcript, covering all senior high school records (SS1 through SS3), requested from whichever secondary school you sat your final exams at. You only need to submit the transcript from the school where you wrote WAEC, regardless of how many schools you attended before then.
- A passport, or a national ID if you don’t have one yet. You can start the admission process with a national ID and submit your passport later, so a missing passport shouldn’t delay you from applying.
- Basic questions from the admission panel about your background and who is currently sponsoring your education.
No personal statement, essay, or video is required at this stage. That comes later, at the financial aid stage.
Stage Two: The Financial Aid Application
This is where the real scrutiny happens, and it’s the stage most applicants underestimate. It typically takes about a month to process. Here’s what’s assessed:
- Three to six months of bank statements — a parent’s or guardian’s, not necessarily your own.
- Provide proof of your parent or guardian’s employment, such as an employment letter or supporting documentation if they are self-employed.
- Your birth certificate.
- Provide proof of how you paid your previous school fees, such as a receipt or, if you attended a public school without paying fees, a letter from your principal confirming this.
- Two to three recommendation letters, from mentors, teachers, or community leaders who know your work directly — not family members. Whoever writes your letter should be able to speak to the same story you’re telling in your own essay. If your essay describes financial hardship or community involvement, your referees should be able to confirm the same details. Consistency across every document is what reviewers are checking for.
- A written essay covering your background, your community impact, and why you need the scholarship.
- A video application, at least 5 minutes long, addressing the same material — your purpose for studying at ALCHE, what you plan to do with the opportunity, and evidence of your impact so far. Photos or footage of work you’ve actually done strengthen this significantly.
- A short assessment section built into the financial aid form.
There is no formal interview at any point in this process. Everything is assessed through the documents, essay, and video you submit.
What If You Don’t Have a Bank Statement?
This is a real barrier for applicants from very low-income households where no one in the family holds a formal bank account. If your family’s income comes from something informal — farming, trading, barter — that’s exactly the story worth telling honestly in your essay. Where possible, having a parent or guardian open a basic account for the purpose of the application can help, even if the statement simply shows minimal activity. The bank statement isn’t there to prove wealth; it’s there to support the financial picture described in your essay and recommendation letters.
The One Habit That Separates Strong Applications From Weak Ones
Applicants who document their community work as they go — rather than trying to reconstruct it from memory when the application opens — consistently submit stronger essays and videos. Posting your activities to LinkedIn or Instagram, keeping certificates organised, and saving photos and short videos of the work you do gives you an existing archive to draw from, rather than a blank page under deadline pressure.
One scholar credits exactly this habit for her win. See how she used documentation to turn her application around
Typical Timeline
- Two intakes per year: ALC-HE admits students through a February intake and an October intake. Application windows and deadlines differ depending on which intake you’re applying for, so always confirm current dates on the official guide before submitting.
- Admission decision: roughly 1–2 weeks after submitting.
- Financial aid decision: roughly 1 month after submitting a complete application.
- Total, start to offer: typically around a month to five weeks if nothing is missing — longer if documents are incomplete or need to be resubmitted.
- Successful applicants are typically notified around June or July, ahead of enrolling for October intake, and October or November ahead of enrolling for February intake.
- After the offer, there’s a second stage of paperwork — passport processing, signed documents, and an entry permit — which usually takes 4 to 6 weeks and shouldn’t be left until the last minute.
Practical Tips for Applicants
- Start early and document everything. Don’t wait for the application to open before you start building a record of what you’ve done.
- Don’t just mention things – show impact. Certificates, photos, videos, and consistent social media activity around your actual work carry more weight than a claim on paper.
- Be ready for rejections, but don’t give up. Rejection is common at this level and isn’t a verdict on whether you belong.
- Keep your story consistent. Whatever you say about your background in your essay, your video, and your recommendation letters needs to match, down to the details. Reviewers cross-check for consistency, not to catch you out, but because consistency is how they verify a story is real.
Where to Go Next
For this cycle’s exact deadlines, eligibility criteria, and the official application portal, head to ScholarWaka’s ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship guide.
For a first-hand account of what this process looks like from the applicant’s side, read this scholar’s full application journey
If you want structured support putting your own documents and essay together, ScholarWaka’s mentorship community
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I apply for admission and the scholarship at the same time?
No. You apply for ALCHE admission first, based on your academic record and English proficiency. Only after admission is confirmed do you receive a link to apply separately for financial aid, which is the scholarship stage.
Is there an interview for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at ALCHE?
No. There’s no formal interview. The process is assessed entirely through your submitted documents, written essay, and video application.
What WAEC grades do I need?
You’ll generally need a combination of A’s and B’s totalling at least five across your subjects (for example, three A’s and two B’s), with a strong grade specifically in English, supported by an additional English proficiency test such as IELTS, TOEFL, or Duolingo.
What if my family doesn’t have a bank statement?
Tell that story honestly in your essay — informal or non-bank income (farming, trading, etc.) is common among applicants this scholarship is designed for. Where possible, have a parent or guardian open a basic account so a statement, even a simple one, can support the picture in your essay and recommendation letters.
How long does the whole process take?
Typically about 1–2 weeks for an admission decision, and roughly a month for the financial aid decision, assuming your documents are complete. Successful applicants are usually notified around June or July.
What intakes does the ALC-HE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship offer?
ALC-HE runs two entry points each year — a February intake and an October intake. Application windows and deadlines differ depending on which intake you’re applying for, so always confirm current dates on the official guide before submitting.
What does the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship cover?
It’s a full-ride award. Coverage includes full tuition, a monthly stipend, feeding, accommodation, visa costs, and travel — students are not expected to fund any part of their education or living costs out of pocket. Scholars are also placed into internships during their four years of study as part of the program.
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