Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund for Africans 2026 | £50,000 Grant Opportunity

The Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund 2026 supports top-notch training initiatives and seeks to expand and fortify current partnerships between Cambridge and African researchers.

A Workshop Grant of up to £50,000 or a Fund Research Catalyst Grant of up to £20,000 is available from the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research.

This article will give interested and qualified candidates more information about this opportunity, including the requirements and a step-by-step application guide.

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Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund 2026 Summary

• Hosts: Mastercard Foundation | University of Cambridge
• Category: Fellowships
• Eligible Countries: African Countries
• Reward: £50,000 Grant
• Language Requirements: No IELTS Required 
• Deadline: January 15, 2026

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Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund 2026 Details:

The goal of the Mastercard Foundation and University of Cambridge Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund is to support top-notch training initiatives while fostering new and improved partnerships between researchers in Cambridge and Africa.

Research on sustainability and climate resilience is the scheme’s main focus. As long as the application for the award can demonstrate how the research relates to these areas, this focus is interpreted broadly.

Awards are given to two researchers—one from an African university or research institution and the other from the University of Cambridge—who are post-doctoral and above, though equal experience will be taken into account.

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Eligibility Requirements for Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund for Africans 2026

The following requirements must be met to be eligible for the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund:

• Awards are given to two researchers—one from an African university or research institution and the other from the University of Cambridge—who are post-doctoral and above, though equal experience will be taken into account.
• Applications from all academic subject areas, including the humanities, arts, social sciences, and sciences, are encouraged.
• We especially support creative research. Proposals for multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research as well as training activities pertaining to research, are encouraged.

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Benefits of Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund for Africans 2026

• The Mastercard Foundation has generously contributed £7.7 million to support the research fund, which will operate between 2025 and 2030.
• Up until 2029, the Mastercard Foundation and University of Cambridge Climate Resilience and Sustainability Research Fund will give out awards annually. After that, the award will be used to fund projects for 2029–2030. The majority of awards are expected to be given for events that will occur over 12 months.
• Applications are being accepted for a Workshop Grant worth up to £50,000 or a Research Catalyst Grant worth up to £20,000 in this round. Many grantees are expected to be able to apply for and receive substantial funding from other funding sources using the initial findings from their research catalyst grant.

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Required Documents for Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund 2026

To apply, candidates must be ready to submit the following documents;

• Application Form
• Case for support
• An itemised budget (template provided)
• A lay summary
• A letter of support from the department/faculty of the Cambridge-based PI. (For the Department
  of Engineering, a letter of support from the Head of Division is needed.) An email from an
  institutional email account is also acceptable.
• A letter of support from the department/institution of the Africa-based PI. An email from an
  institutional email account is also acceptable.
• CVs (maximum 2 pages) for both the Cambridge-based and Africa-based PI
• The details of two suggested referees are also required; these should be individuals who have no conflicts of interest with the applicants (e.g. they should not be from the same Department).

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How to Apply for Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund 2026 (Step by Step)

To apply for the 2025 Cambridge University Mastercard Research Fund, interested and qualified candidates should;

• Register and complete a saveable online application form, available on the Cambridge-Africa website.
• Final submissions should include the required documents listed above.
• The deadline for submission is 15th January 2026, and applications can be submitted at any time before this.
• Any queries should be sent to [email protected]

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Deadline

January 15, 2026

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