American University of Beirut (AUB) Mastercard Scholarship 2026/2027 | Fully Funded
The American University of Beirut (AUB) Mastercard Foundation Scholarship stands as one of the most prestigious fully funded graduate opportunities in the region, aimed at empowering academically talented African, Lebanese, and refugee candidates who demonstrate exceptional leadership potential and financial need. However, one of the most common pitfalls applicants encounter is assuming the scholarship operates on a single blanket deadline.
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In reality, the AUB Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program runs across three distinct application tracks, each governed by its own independent window, eligibility criteria, and mode of delivery. Understanding this tiered structure early is critical for prospective scholars—missing one date does not automatically close the door to the entire program if you are positioned for another pathway.
A major blind spot in typical coverage of this scholarship is the Online Graduate Scholarship track. Often completely overlooked by applicants, AUB offers fully funded online master’s degrees (including programs in Engineering Management, Business Administration, Computing in Education, and Healthcare Leadership) designed specifically for working professionals or scholars unable to relocate.
If you are an African citizen, a Lebanese national, or a refugee planning your strategy for upcoming intake cycles, treating these pathways separately allows you to build a far more realistic timeline. Below is everything you need to know about how each track operates, what the scholarship covers, and how to prepare your application well before the next deadlines open.
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American University of Beirut Mastercard Scholarship Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | American University of Beirut Mastercard |
| Host Country ⇒ | Lebanon |
| Study Level ⇒ | Master’s and PhD |
| Benefits ⇒ | Full tuition, accommodation, living expenses, health insurance, books, laptop, airfare, monthly stipend |
| Funded by ⇒ | American University of Beirut, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | African countries, Lebanon (Master’s only), refugees in Lebanon or Africa |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | PhD track closed November 6, 2025. On-campus Master’s closed March 12, 2026. Online Master’s closed May 18, 2026. All three tracks are now closed for 2026/27 |
An 1866 Institution With a Distinctly Broad Scholarship Structure
The American University of Beirut was founded in 1866, making it one of the oldest and most established universities in the Middle East, known for its liberal arts-inspired approach to education and a genuinely multicultural student body. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at AUB layers onto that foundation a specific mission: preparing young people, particularly from underserved communities across Africa and the region, to become agents of change in their communities, countries, and regions — not simply funding a degree in isolation.
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What distinguishes AUB’s version of this partnership from many Mastercard Foundation Scholars programmes elsewhere is its structural breadth. Rather than a single funded track, AUB offers full scholarships across on-campus Master’s programmes (both thesis and non-thesis), a dedicated online Master’s pathway covering five specific programmes, and PhD scholarships for eligible candidates — each running its own separate application and deadline structure rather than sharing one unified process.
Understanding the Three Separate Deadlines
This is the structural detail most other coverage misses. The PhD track runs on its own, notably earlier calendar — the 2026/2027 cycle’s PhD deadline was November 6, 2025, months ahead of either Master’s deadline. On-campus Master’s applications, covering both thesis and non-thesis tracks, closed March 12, 2026. Online Master’s applications, covering a distinct set of five fully online graduate programmes, closed later still, on May 18, 2026, with RUSE score submission required by the end of June.
Because the three deadlines span nearly seven months, missing the PhD deadline in November did not necessarily mean missing the entire cycle if a Master’s pathway aligned with your goals. Applicants interested specifically in AUB’s online Master’s programmes also had considerably more time to apply than those pursuing on-campus study. Confirm which specific track and deadline applies to your intended programme before assuming you’ve missed your window entirely.
Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility differs meaningfully depending on whether you’re applying for a Master’s or PhD track:
General requirements, across all tracks:
- You must be 35 years old or younger
- You must have strong academic standing in your previous degree
- Your demonstrated talent must exceed your available financial resources — this scholarship is explicitly designed for students who couldn’t otherwise afford graduate study, not simply the strongest applicants regardless of financial circumstances
- You must show genuine leadership potential and real commitment to community engagement
- You must be willing to commit fully to the Scholars Program’s required learning experiences and workshops, extending beyond your coursework
- You must demonstrate Readiness for University Studies in English (RUSE) by the specified deadline for your track
Eligible groups for Master’s scholarships:
- Citizens of African countries
- Citizens of Lebanon
- Refugees living in Lebanon or on the African continent
Eligible groups for PhD scholarships:
- Citizens of African countries
- Refugees living on the African continent
Note that Lebanese citizens are eligible for the Master’s track specifically, but not the PhD track — a distinction worth being clear about if you’re a Lebanese applicant considering doctoral study through this specific programme.
What the American University of Beirut Mastercard Scholarship Covers
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the American University of Beirut (AUB) delivers a fully funded financial award combined with a transformative personal, academic, and professional development framework. Designed to nurture ethical leaders and community change agents across Africa and Lebanon, the scholarship covers 100% of direct educational and living costs alongside mandatory, tailored leadership programming.
1. Complete Academic & Direct Educational Coverage
- Full Tuition Waiver: Covers 100% of academic tuition fees for the entire nominal duration of your approved degree program (Master’s or PhD).
- Mandatory University & Registration Fees: Waives all institutional registration, laboratory, library, technology, and student activity fees required by AUB.
- Academic Books & Course Materials: Comprehensive financial allowance or direct provision covering all mandatory textbooks, specialized software licenses, and academic course packs required by your department.
- Personal Laptop Computer: Every admitted scholar receives a high-performance laptop equipped with the digital tools and software required for advanced graduate coursework and research.
2. Living Expenses, Housing, & Healthcare
- University Housing / Accommodation:
- On-Campus Scholars: Fully funded room and board in official AUB student residential halls or designated off-campus housing facilities near campus.
- Online Master’s Scholars: Targeted digital/connectivity support and home-office assistance to ensure uninterrupted remote study.
- Monthly Living Allowance (Stipend): A recurring monthly cash stipend disbursed directly to scholars to cover personal daily expenses, local transportation, food, and basic household needs beyond core room and board.
- Comprehensive Health Insurance: Full health and medical insurance coverage provided for the complete duration of study, ensuring full access to AUB University Health Services (UHS) and the AUB Medical Center (AUBMC) for inpatient and outpatient care.
3. International Travel & Relocation Support
- Relocation Airfare: Full coverage of round-trip international economy-class airfare from the scholar’s home country to Beirut, Lebanon, at the start of the academic program, alongside return travel upon degree completion.
- Visa & Entry Support: Administrative assistance and full fee reimbursement for official student entry visas, residency permits, and medical clearances required by Lebanese immigration authorities.
4. Co-Curricular, Leadership, & Civic Engagement Commitments
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program operates on the core principle that scholars are community change agents, not merely academic degree seekers. As part of the scholarship terms, scholars undertake a mandatory, parallel developmental curriculum:
- Structured Leadership Development: Mandatory participation in specialized leadership retreats, ethics seminars, public speaking modules, and management workshops designed to build transformative leadership capacity.
- Community Service & Social Impact Projects: Hands-on engagement in field-based civic initiatives, local community outreach, and grassroots problem-solving projects within Lebanon or remotely in scholars’ home countries.
- Mentorship & Academic Advising: Access to dedicated program coordinators, academic advisors, and alumni mentors providing continuous academic monitoring, mental health support, and career counseling.
- Career Guidance & Professional Networking: Specialized support for securing summer internships, career placement, resume workshops, and direct access to the international Mastercard Foundation Scholars Alumni Network.
Required Documents
Submitting an application for graduate studies and scholarship funding at the American University of Beirut (AUB)—such as through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program—requires a mandatory, multi-step digital application process. Because administrative and financial evaluations operate in parallel, candidates must complete both institutional admission filings and financial aid declarations to ensure full eligibility.
1. Primary AUB Online Graduate Application
- Portal Submission: Completed and submitted directly via AUB’s central online graduate admissions portal.
- Financial Funding Selection: Within the main admission application, candidates seeking funding must explicitly check and select the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (or relevant funding scheme) under the Financial Opportunities section before final submission.
- Data Integrity: Personal details, academic records, and degree choices must match official legal identification and academic transcripts exactly.
2. Standard Institutional Supporting Admission Documents
In addition to the primary application form, applicants must upload standard academic and personal bio-data verification items:
- Official Academic Transcripts & Certificates: Scans of degree certificates and complete semester-by-semester official transcripts from all previously attended universities/tertiary institutions. Certified English translations must accompany non-English documents.
- Letters of Recommendation: Two to three confidential academic or professional recommendation letters submitted directly by referees through the portal system.
- Identity Documents: Clear, high-resolution copy of a valid International Passport or national identity card.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV) & Personal Statement: An up-to-date professional resume detailing academic history, work experience, research, and community involvement, accompanied by a program-specific statement of purpose.
3. AUB Financial Aid Application (Mandatory Second Step for Master’s Applicants)
A common point of failure for applicants is assuming that submitting the main graduate application completes the process.
- Master’s Degree Applicants (Mandatory): After submitting the main online graduate admission form, applicants receive access credentials (typically within 1–3 business days) to complete the secondary AUB Financial Aid Application. Your file is considered administratively incomplete and will not be reviewed for scholarship consideration without this completed form.
- Financial Background Documents: Requires detailed disclosures regarding household income, family employment status, dependent siblings, utility expenditures, and official supporting documents (e.g., bank statements, income certificates, tax receipts).
- PhD Applicants (Exemption): Doctoral/PhD applicants are exempt from submitting the separate Financial Aid Application, as funding evaluations are built into departmental doctoral admission reviews.
4. English Readiness Proof (RUSE Standard)
Applicants must demonstrate Readiness for University Studies in English (RUSE) by submitting valid results from one of AUB’s recognized standardized test pathways:
- AUB-EN: The internal American University of Beirut English Entrance Examination.
- TOEFL iBT: Official score report meeting AUB’s minimum institutional band thresholds.
- IELTS Academic: Official Academic module test report.
- GRE / GMAT Verbal: Minimum required scores on the Verbal reasoning sections of the GRE or GMAT standardized examinations.
- Duolingo English Test (DET): Accepted online proficiency score meeting AUB departmental criteria.
Application Deadline
For the 2026/2027 cycle, the PhD track closed November 6, 2025 — notably earlier than either Master’s deadline. On-campus Master’s applications closed March 12, 2026, and online Master’s applications closed May 18, 2026, with RUSE scores due by the end of June.
All three windows have now passed. Based on this consistent three-track structure, applicants targeting the next cycle should expect a similarly early PhD deadline in the preceding autumn, followed by on-campus Master’s applications in the spring and online Master’s applications later in the same spring. However, confirm the exact dates on AUB’s official Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program pages once the next cycle opens.
How to Apply for the Next Cycle
All three 2026/27 tracks are closed, but AUB has run this scholarship with a consistent enough three-track structure to prepare against:
- Determine which track fits your goals — on-campus Master’s, online Master’s, or PhD — since each runs its own separate deadline and, for PhD applicants specifically, a distinct eligibility pool that excludes Lebanese citizens.
- Complete the AUB online graduate application and upload all required supporting documents ahead of your specific track’s deadline.
- Within the Financial Opportunities section of the application, select the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program specifically.
- If applying for a Master’s track, complete the AUB Financial Aid Application within one to three working days of submitting your graduate application, once you receive the financial aid office’s email confirming your form is ready.
- Submit your English readiness test results through one of AUB’s accepted options — AUB-EN, TOEFL iBT, IELTS Academic, GRE Verbal, GMAT Verbal, or Duolingo English Test — by the specified deadline for your track.
- Confirm both required components of your application, the graduate application and, for Master’s applicants, the financial aid application, are fully submitted, since an application with only one completed is not considered complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the AUB Mastercard Scholarship still accepting applications for 2026/2027?
No. All three tracks — PhD, on-campus Master’s, and online Master’s — have closed for this cycle, with deadlines of November 6, 2025, March 12, 2026, and May 18, 2026, respectively.
Can Lebanese citizens apply for the PhD track?
No. Lebanese citizens are eligible for the Master’s track, but PhD eligibility is limited to citizens of African countries and refugees living on the African continent.
Is there an online option for this scholarship, or only on-campus study?
Yes, there’s a genuine online option. AUB offers a fully online Master’s pathway covering five specific graduate programmes, running on its own separate deadline from the on-campus track.
Do I need to submit a separate financial aid application, or is the graduate application enough?
For Master’s applicants, both are required. Your application is only considered complete once you’ve submitted both the AUB online graduate application and the AUB Financial Aid Application. PhD applicants do not need to submit the financial aid application separately.
Is there an age limit for this scholarship?
Yes. Applicants must be 35 years old or younger at the time of application.
Does the scholarship require proof of financial need, or is it purely merit-based?
Both. The scholarship is specifically designed for students whose talent exceeds their financial resources, meaning demonstrated financial need is central to eligibility alongside strong academic standing and leadership potential.
Disclaimer: All programme details, deadlines, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on AUB’s official Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program pages before applying. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the American University of Beirut or the Mastercard Foundation.
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