ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarships 2026 in Mauritius (Fully Funded)
The African Leadership College of Higher Education’s Mastercard Foundation Scholarship runs on two separate tracks depending on where you’re applying from, and right now those two tracks are in very different places. If you’re an international African student applying from outside Mauritius, that window closed on 19th June 2026. If you’re a Mauritian national or resident, your deadline of 18th September 2026 is still open.
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The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at ALCHE provides Fully Funded Scholarships to talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds. International Students can apply for undergraduate degree programmes and receive support to study in Mauritius without financial barriers. The scholarships are awarded to students who show academic excellence, financial need, leadership qualities, and a strong commitment to improving their communities.
This guide walks through the full scholarship regardless of which track applies to you, so international applicants can use the time to prepare properly for the next round while Mauritian applicants can move on to theirs right now.
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ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarships Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | ALCHE Mastercard Foundation |
| Host Country ⇒ | Mauritius |
| Study Level ⇒ | Undergraduate |
| Benefits ⇒ | Full tuition + additional financial support throughout studies |
| Funded by ⇒ | Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with ALCHE |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | African countries |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | International Students: closed 19th June 2026. Mauritian Students: 18th September 2026 — currently open |
About The ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarships
ALCHE isn’t structured like a typical university, and understanding that shapes how you should think about this scholarship. Rather than declaring a major, ALCHE students declare a “mission”, a specific problem or area of impact they want to spend their degree working toward and the entire academic model is built around blending classroom learning with internships, community projects, and hands-on practical work rather than sitting purely in lecture halls.
The Mastercard Foundation partnership that funds this scholarship reflects that same philosophy: it isn’t just paying tuition for promising students; it’s specifically targeting young Africans who’ve already shown leadership and community commitment but have been blocked from higher education purely by financial circumstance.
The scholarship is designed for students who are unable to afford a university education and who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. The programme supports students who have strong academic records and leadership potential. Students at ALCHE do not simply choose majors. Instead, they declare missions and focus on the impact they want to create in the world. The college offers a learning experience that combines classroom study with internships, community work, and practical projects.
The Foundation runs this same scholarship model across dozens of partner institutions throughout Africa and beyond, but ALCHE’s version is notably intentional about who it prioritises: female applicants, students with physical or learning disabilities, and students from especially difficult socio-economic backgrounds are all explicitly and actively encouraged to apply, not just nominally welcomed. Importantly, scholarship access is gated behind admission first: you cannot apply for this funding without first qualifying for a place at ALCHE on your own academic merit.
Degree Programs Available
- BSc. Software Engineering
- BSc. Entrepreneurial Leadership
- BSc. International Business and Trade
- BSc. Computer Science
What You Get From the Scholarship
This is a full-ride award, and it’s worth understanding everything bundled into it beyond just the tuition line:
- Full tuition fee coverage for the duration of your ALCHE degree.
- Additional financial support throughout your studies, layered on top of tuition, to help cover the broader cost of attending.
- Access to internships and off-campus learning projects woven directly into your coursework, not offered as a separate extracurricular add-on.
- Structured leadership and entrepreneurship training, reflecting ALCHE’s “mission-driven” academic model rather than a traditional major-based structure.
- Membership in the wider Mastercard Foundation Scholars community, a network that extends well beyond ALCHE itself across the Foundation’s partner institutions globally.
- A learning experience explicitly built around creating measurable positive change in your home community, which shapes both your coursework and the practical projects you’ll take on.
- Degree options currently available under this scholarship: BSc. Entrepreneurial Leadership, BSc. International Business and Trade, BSc. Computer Science, and BSc. Software Engineering.
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Eligibility Requirements
- You must be otherwise unable to afford ALCHE tuition without financial aid and able to demonstrate that need with supporting documents.
- You must meet all of ALCHE’s standard admission requirements; the scholarship only opens up after you’ve qualified for admission on academic merit.
- You need a strong national examination record, with at least a B average.
- You must be 26 years old or younger.
- You need to show real leadership potential, not just academic strength; active involvement in community service or development work matters here.
- You must be committed to using the opportunity to give back to your community after graduating.
- You must be eligible to study in Mauritius — either as a Mauritian citizen or as someone who qualifies for a student residence permit in Mauritius.
- Female applicants, students with physical or learning disabilities, and students from especially disadvantaged backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply, though meeting the core criteria above remains the baseline for everyone.
What You’ll Need to Pull Together
- A completed ALCHE admission application, with Mauritius selected as your preferred campus.
- A completed scholarship application form, submitted after your admission eligibility is confirmed.
- Academic transcripts and national examination results.
- Proof of household income and documentation showing genuine financial need.
- Personal background and guardianship details.
- Referral letters from respected members of your community.
- Essays and video submissions addressing the themes ALCHE sets for the application.
- Documentation of how your previous education was financed.
- Proof of your eligibility to study in Mauritius, whether through citizenship or a residence permit qualification.
- Any further documents ALCHE specifically requests during review.
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How to Apply
If you’re applying under the Mauritian Students track (open now, deadline 18th September 2026):
- Submit your ALCHE admission application, selecting the Mauritius Campus as your preferred campus.
- Wait for your admission decision, which typically takes two to four weeks after you submit.
- Once you’re confirmed eligible for admission, complete the scholarship eligibility check to move into the scholarship process itself.
- Fill in the full scholarship application form, covering your household income, personal background, education financing history, and leadership experience.
- Upload your essays, video submissions, and every supporting document requested.
- Submit referral letters from people in good standing in your community.
- Complete the ALCHE Fit Challenge, an online assessment that takes roughly 25 minutes.
- Submit your completed scholarship application and wait for the review committee’s decision.
If you’re an international African applicant whose window has closed:
Your 19th June 2026 deadline has passed for this cycle, but ALCHE runs this scholarship annually, so use the coming months to strengthen your file: start gathering your national examination results and financial documentation early, request your community referral letters well in advance rather than in the final weeks, and draft your essays and video submission themes ahead of time so you’re not writing them under deadline pressure when the next international round opens.
Application Deadline
International Students needed to have their applications in by 19th June 2026, and that window has closed for this cycle. Mauritian Students have until 18th September 2026, and that application track remains open as of this writing. ALCHE hasn’t published dates for the next international round, but given this scholarship runs every academic year, expect a fresh window to open well ahead of the 2027/2028 intake worth checking ALCHE’s official admissions page periodically as that period approaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship still open for international applicants?
Not for this cycle — the International Students deadline was 19th June 2026. If you’re a Mauritian citizen or resident, though, your deadline of 18th September 2026 is still open.
Can Nigerian students apply for the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship?
Yes. The scholarship is open to students from across Africa, including Nigeria, provided you meet ALCHE’s admission requirements and can demonstrate genuine financial need. You would apply under the International Students track and its associated deadline.
Do I need to be admitted to ALCHE before I can apply for the scholarship?
Yes. Only applicants who first qualify for admission to ALCHE on their own academic merit are permitted to continue into the scholarship application process — you can’t apply for the funding on its own.
What is the ALCHE Fit Challenge, and is it hard to pass?
It’s an online assessment, taking roughly 25 minutes, used as part of the scholarship review process rather than the admission process itself. ALCHE doesn’t publish a public pass threshold, so treat it as a genuine part of the evaluation rather than a formality.
Does financial need alone guarantee a scholarship?
No. ALCHE weighs financial need alongside academic strength, leadership potential, and community involvement together — meeting one criterion strongly doesn’t outweigh falling short on the others.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of July 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program page before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the African Leadership College of Higher Education or the Mastercard Foundation.
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