Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po 2027 | Fully Funded
The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po is designed for students from the African continent who want to do a two-year Master’s degree at Sciences Po in France. The programme covers the full cost of tuition and living expenses in France for the whole time you study, and it gives you reserved housing in Paris, career support and a mentoring programme. Sciences Po has been a partner of the Mastercard Foundation since 2017 and is the only institution from the European Union to do so.
Also Read: University of Manchester Humanitarian Scholarships in UK | Fully Funded
You need to be admitted to a Sciences Po Master’s programme first, and the scholarship decision comes after that, so you handle two applications at the same time. The first scholarship deadline is 23 November 2026 and the second is 14 December 2026, and the final scholarship results come out in April 2027. There are strict rules about your nationality, your Bachelor’s university and your age, so read every section before you spend money on anything.
About the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program aims to award 100,000 scholarships to young Africans by 2030, as part of the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy to help 30 million young Africans secure dignified and fulfilling work. At Sciences Po, the second phase (2024 to 2033) aims to support 1,450 students and young professionals. The programme gives priority to refugees and displaced persons, women (especially from rural communities), persons with disabilities and people from isolated regions.
Scholars are encouraged to show leadership, think about their lasting impact and work as a community. In partnership with the Sciences Po Centre for Entrepreneurship, scholars can follow a full entrepreneurship track.
Sciences Po also runs other routes for African students:
- The Graduate Schools, for Bachelor’s holders aiming for a Master’s
- The Executive Master Potential in Africa, Development Policies and Management, for young professionals who want a higher degree in entrepreneurship
- The Summer School and Winter School, for Scholars at partner institutions
- Short custom programmes with partner universities in Africa
- A bridging programme for Bachelor’s holders with refugee or displaced status
Also Read: MESPOM Erasmus Mundus Scholarship in Europe
Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po (Graduate Study) |
| Host Country ⇒ | France (Sciences Po, Paris) |
| Study Level ⇒ | Master’s |
| Benefits ⇒ | Full tuition, living expenses in France, reserved housing in Paris, careers support and mentoring |
| Funded by ⇒ | Mastercard Foundation |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Citizens of African countries (dual citizens with a non-African country are not eligible) |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | 23 November 2026 (admission decision by 11 February 2027) 14 December 2026 (admission decision by 1 April 2027) |
What the Scholarship Covers
Scholarships cover the full cost of tuition and living expenses in France throughout your time at Sciences Po. In addition, Scholars get:
- Support before leaving for France, tailored support on arrival, and an official welcome programme for the first few weeks
- Housing in Paris reserved for Mastercard Foundation Scholars
- Personalised support throughout your studies
- Careers support, including guidance on your professional goals, a careers fair focused on jobs and internships in Africa, and access to the entrepreneurship track, the university’s business incubator and its network of employers and alumni working in Africa
- Careers workshops and conferences
- A mentoring programme run with the Africa Division of Sciences Po Alumni
- Access to the general student resources of Sciences Po
The support starts from the moment you are selected and lasts until you get your first job.
Read This: African Leadership Academy Scholarship in South Africa (How To Apply)
Eligible Applicants for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po
You must meet all of these:
- You hold the citizenship of an African country. Applicants with dual citizenship that includes a country outside Africa are not eligible.
- You are completing, or already hold, a Bachelor’s degree from a university on the list of partner institutions. There are two other ways in:
- You are completing, or hold, a Bachelor’s degree and took part in a recognised bridge or mentoring programme from the approved organisations list
- You are completing, or hold, a Bachelor’s degree and have, or had, UNHCR refugee status
- You are under 35 on 1 September of the year you submit the scholarship application.
- You do not already hold, and are not pursuing, a Master’s degree.
- You are applying to the programme for the first time.
- You meet Sciences Po’s academic requirements. Check the table of minimum academic results by country before you start.
- You apply to, and are admitted to, a two-year Master’s programme at Sciences Po. Dual degree programmes and one-year Master’s programmes are not eligible.
- You are selected by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Selection Committee.
Not eligible: students currently enrolled at Sciences Po, and students currently enrolled in or graduated from a French higher education institution.
Documents for the Eligibility Check
On the dedicated scholarship platform, you must provide:
- Proof of identity: passport, national identity card, UNHCR card or travel document
- A Bachelor’s degree certificate, or proof of your current undergraduate studies, at a university on the partner list
- Or, if your university is not on the list, proof that you completed or are completing a Bachelor’s (transcript, diploma or certificate) plus a certificate of successfully completing a recognised bridge programme
- Or proof that you completed or are completing a Bachelor’s plus documents confirming your refugee status
You also need the documents for your Sciences Po Master’s application. See the list of required documents and start now.
Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po: How to Apply (Step by Step)
- Check your eligibility. Make sure you meet every criterion above, including the academic table.
- Apply on the scholarship platform. Submit your request to verify your eligibility on the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application platform, and ask for the application fee waiver.
- Create your Master’s application at the same time. Use the Sciences Po admissions platform. If you do not create it now, you cannot get the application fee waiver later, even if you are found eligible.
- Wait for the Admissions Office email. If you are eligible and have started a Master’s application, you get an email explaining how to submit it without paying the fee. The time given is very short, so finish your Master’s application and documents well before that email comes.
- Complete the Master’s admission. The International Graduate Admissions Procedure is the only route that lets you be considered for the scholarship.
- Prepare your written application and interview. See the next section.
- Attend the interview if shortlisted.
Being eligible does not guarantee admission or selection. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria, you get no fee waiver and are not considered for the scholarship, though you can still apply for a Master’s by paying the fee.
Your Master’s file is reviewed only if it is complete. A missing transcript, a missing language test or a recommendation sent from a personal email address makes it ineligible. Get the letters of recommendation started early because they take time. If you apply for more than one scholarship, you must submit by the earliest deadline.
Check This: France Excellence Eiffel Scholarship Program at Paris-Saclay University
Preparing Your Written Application and Interview
In the written application and in the interview you are expected to:
- Show how your chosen Master’s, your background and your career goals fit together
- Show critical thinking and insight on the political, economic and societal challenges facing Africa and the world
- Show ambition, originality and perseverance through entrepreneurial or public service projects that can help Africa’s socio-economic transformation
Write in your own voice and use real experiences to explain how the programme will help you become a changemaker. The page warns that using artificial intelligence goes against the purpose of these assignments, and it may lower your score.
How Selection Works
If you are admitted to a Master’s and declared eligible, your application is considered for the scholarship. Several months can pass between your Sciences Po admission offer and the scholarship decision.
What the reviewers look for
- Significant barriers to accessing education, whether economic, social, geographical or other
- A strong commitment to developing the African continent and a clear aim to be a changemaker, especially in public policy and political, environmental and societal transitions
- Strong potential for transformative leadership and a capacity to create sustainable, measurable impact in your community, country or across Africa
Particular consideration goes to young women, refugees and displaced persons, and persons with disabilities.
Interview
Shortlisted, admitted applicants are invited by email to an online Zoom interview of about 25 minutes. Being eligible and admitted does not guarantee an interview, and an interview does not guarantee the scholarship.
Decision
The Scholarship Selection Committee decides together, and the programme team tells you the result. Successful applicants get an official offer that sets out the rights and responsibilities of Scholars, which you review before accepting.
- The offer is valid only for the academic year it is issued for. If you defer your admission to Sciences Po by a year, you are no longer eligible for the programme.
- If you are admitted but not selected, you must find other funding.
Application Deadline
The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po has two application deadlines. Pick the one that matches the date you want your Master’s admission decision.
| Scholarship deadline | You receive your Master’s admission decision by |
|---|---|
| 23 November 2026 | 11 February 2027 |
| 14 December 2026 | 1 April 2027 |
Contact
Check the Frequently Asked Questions first. If you do not find your answer, write to [email protected]. For questions about graduate international admissions, use the admissions contact form. You can also follow the programme’s LinkedIn page for news.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Nigerians apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Sciences Po?
Yes, if you hold Nigerian citizenship only (no dual citizenship with a non-African country), your Bachelor’s is from a partner university or you went through a recognised bridge programme, and you are under 35 on 1 September of the year you apply. Check the partner list for your university.
What are the deadlines?
23 November 2026 if you want your Master’s admission decision by 11 February 2027, and 14 December 2026 if you want it by 1 April 2027. Scholarship results are communicated in April 2027 either way.
Does the scholarship cover living costs?
Yes. It covers the full cost of tuition and living expenses in France for the whole time you study at Sciences Po, and gives you reserved housing in Paris.
Can I apply if I already have a Master’s degree?
No. You must not already hold, or be currently pursuing, a Master’s degree.
Can I defer my place and keep the scholarship?
No. The offer is valid only for the academic year it is issued for. Deferring your Sciences Po admission by one year ends your eligibility.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of November 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po website before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with Sciences Po or the Mastercard Foundation.
Official Application Portal
Join ScholarWaka Community
Get the latest scholarship updates and study abroad opportunities before anyone else.
