Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Toronto 2026-2027 in Canada for Africans | Fully Funded
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Toronto closed applications on November 3, 2025, for the 2026-2027 academic year. It funded up to 20 Sub-Saharan African scholars for a fully covered Master’s degree, which includes tuition, travel, accommodation, food, books, and a laptop, but with one restriction that disqualifies most applicants before eligibility even becomes a question: you had to be a graduate of one of eight specific partner universities. This wasn’t open to any African graduate. It was restricted to graduates of universities inside the Africa Health Collaborative, a specific partnership network: Addis Ababa University, the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS), African Leadership University, Amref International University, Ashesi University, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Moi University, and the University of Cape Town.
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If your undergraduate degree came from outside this list, no amount of academic strength or leadership experience makes you eligible — this is the single most important filter to check before anything else on this page. This post covers exactly who qualified, what the scholarship paid for, and what to check if a new cycle opens.
Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at U of T Summary
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Toronto |
| Host Country ⇒ | Study in Canada |
| Study Level ⇒ | Postgraduate Scholarships | Masters Scholarships |
| Benefits ⇒ | Fully Funded — tuition, travel, accommodation, food, books, a laptop, mentorship, and orientation |
| Funded By ⇒ | Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with the University of Toronto |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Sub-Saharan African countries — restricted to graduates of specific Africa Health Collaborative partner universities |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | Closed November 3, 2025, 12 noon Toronto time |
Eligible Graduate Programs
Even within the partner-university restriction, funding was limited to six specific programs at U of T:
- Master of Engineering (Biomedical)
- Master of Financial Insurance
- MHSc Master of Health Administration
- MHSc Master of Health Informatics
- MPH: Health Promotion
- MPH: Occupational and Environmental Health
Who Qualifies for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Toronto
Beyond attending one of the eight partner universities, you needed to:
- Be a citizen and resident of a Sub-Saharan African country
- Be under 35 years old
- Show strong academic performance and leadership qualities during your undergraduate studies
- Be academically admissible to one of the six eligible U of T graduate programs
- Demonstrate a clear, genuine commitment to return home after graduation to contribute to Africa’s economic growth and social development
What the Scholarship Paid For
- Full tuition for the entire program
- Travel expenses to and from Canada
- Housing and a food allowance
- Books, study materials, and other academic expenses
- Comprehensive mentorship and transition support
- A two-week summer orientation in Toronto, built to help scholars adjust academically, socially, and culturally before their program began
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Documents Needed for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at the University of Toronto
- A completed Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form
- Academic transcripts and certificates
- Proof of citizenship and residency in Sub-Saharan Africa
- A CV or résumé
- A statement of purpose covering your academic goals, career aspirations, and commitment to giving back to Africa
- Two or more letters of recommendation, academic or professional
How the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Toronto Application Process Works
- Review your target program’s admission requirements at U of T and confirm you met the academic standard before applying for the scholarship itself.
- Register for an online information session and submit the scholarship application form, attaching every required document, by the November 3, 2025 deadline.
- Wait for shortlisting, with notifications going out in early December 2025.
- If approved, submit your graduate program application separately through the University of Toronto’s School of Graduate Studies portal — individual programs could request additional documents beyond the scholarship application.
- Attend a virtual information session to understand the full scholarship process and what would be expected of scholars.
Application Deadline
Applications closed November 3, 2025, at 12 noon Toronto time. No confirmed date has been published for a future cycle, but given this was framed as the “2026-2027” intake, a similarly structured cycle for the following academic year is a reasonable expectation. Confirm directly with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program before assuming exact timing repeats.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still apply for this scholarship?
No. Applications closed November 3, 2025, and the process described doesn’t include a late submission option.
I graduated from a Nigerian university not on the partner list — can I still apply?
No. Eligibility was strictly limited to graduates of the eight named Africa Health Collaborative partner universities. Attending a strong university elsewhere in Africa, including Nigeria, didn’t meet this specific requirement unless that institution was one of the eight listed.
Can I apply for any Master’s program at the University of Toronto with this scholarship?
No. Funding was limited to six specific programs, primarily in health and biomedical fields, plus one finance-related program. A strong application to a program outside this list wasn’t eligible for this particular scholarship.
What does “commitment to return home” actually require?
Applicants needed to demonstrate genuine intent to return to their home country after graduation to contribute to healthcare and economic development in Africa. This was assessed through the statement of purpose and wasn’t a formality — it reflects the Mastercard Foundation’s broader mission of building capacity within Africa rather than facilitating permanent emigration.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, award values, 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 the official Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program website before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with the University of Toronto or the Mastercard Foundation.
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