SOAS University of London Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship 2026/2027 in UK — Fully Funded
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship at SOAS University of London is fully funded, and the deadline to apply is 17 June 2026. Two scholarships are available for the 2026/2027 academic year, each worth £45,479, covering full tuition fees and a maintenance stipend for living costs in London.
The award is open to international students enrolling in an eligible one-year taught Master’s programme at SOAS, with preference given to applicants ordinarily resident in Africa who have a clear interest in governance and development on the continent. If you have — or are working toward — an unconditional offer from SOAS, this deadline is one you cannot afford to miss.
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Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship at SOAS Summary
| Scholarship Overview | Details |
|---|---|
| Scholarship Name | Mo Ibrahim Foundation |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Degree Level | Master’s |
| Benefits | Fully Funded — Full tuition fees + maintenance stipend for living expenses (total value £45,479) |
| Funded by | Mo Ibrahim Foundation in partnership with SOAS University of London |
| Eligible Countries | International students (overseas fee-paying classification); preference for applicants resident in Africa |
| Deadline | 17 June 2026 |
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About the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship at SOAS
Dr. Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British entrepreneur and philanthropist, founded the Mo Ibrahim Foundation to promote better governance and stronger leadership across Africa. The Foundation is best known for the Ibrahim Index of African Governance and the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership. Through its scholarship programme, it advances the same mission by identifying and funding talented students committed to Africa’s development and equipping them with the academic foundation to contribute to that goal.
At SOAS University of London, this takes the form of a fully funded Master’s scholarship. SOAS — the School of Oriental and African Studies — ranks among the world’s leading universities for the study of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Its strong research focus on governance, development, law, and international relations closely aligns with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s priorities.
For the 2026/2027 academic session, two scholarships are available. Each is worth £45,479 and covers tuition fees in full alongside a maintenance stipend to support living costs in London for the duration of the programme.
The scholarship targets students who are not just academically strong but who can articulate a clear purpose — a genuine interest in how governance shapes development outcomes in Africa, and what they intend to do with that understanding after they graduate.
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What the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship at SOAS Covers
Each Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship at SOAS includes:
- Full tuition fee coverage — your fees for the one-year Master’s programme are paid in full
- Maintenance stipend — financial support for living expenses during your study period in London
- Total award value of £45,479 — covering both tuition and living support within this figure
- Access to SOAS’s research environment — one of the UK’s most specialised institutions for African and development studies
- Connection to the Mo Ibrahim Foundation network — scholars join a community of future African leaders and development professionals supported by the Foundation
The scholarship does not cover pre-sessional programmes. If your offer is conditional on completing a pre-sessional English course at SOAS, you will need to fund that separately. Factor this into your planning before applying.
London living costs are among the highest in the UK. The maintenance component of this award is designed to cover your essential expenses — budget carefully from the start of the academic year and do not assume the stipend will cover optional costs beyond the basics.
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Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship, you must meet all of the following:
- You must be a new student starting in September 2026 — continuing or deferred students are not eligible
- You must be classified as an overseas fee-paying student at SOAS — this scholarship is for international students, not home-fee students
- You must hold at least a 2:1 bachelor’s degree or the international equivalent from a recognised institution
- You must hold an unconditional offer for an eligible full-time one-year taught Master’s programme at SOAS before the scholarship panel convenes — conditional offers are not sufficient at the time of assessment
- You must be applying for a full-time one-year taught Master’s programme at SOAS University of London — part-time, distance learning, and research programmes are not eligible
Preference will be given to:
- Applicants who are ordinarily resident in Africa
- Candidates with a demonstrated and specific interest in governance and development issues affecting Africa
If you are African-resident and your personal statement can speak directly to how your studies connect to governance and development on the continent, you are the profile this scholarship was designed for. A strong academic record alone will not be enough — the selection panel is looking for both.
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Required Documents
Prepare the following before submitting your scholarship application:
- Academic transcripts and certificates from all previous institutions
- Personal statement — see the critical note below
- Proof of admission offer from SOAS (unconditional offer required before the panel meets)
- Additional supporting documents as required by SOAS University of London
On the personal statement: SOAS has explicitly stated that applicants should not use generative AI tools to write their scholarship statements. This is not a general caution — it is a stated condition of the application process. Write your own statement in your own voice. The selection panel is assessing leadership potential and genuine commitment to African governance and development. A statement that reads as AI-generated will undermine both.
Your personal statement should explain what draws you to your chosen programme, how it connects to governance or development in Africa, and what you plan to do with the qualification. Be specific. Name the issues, the countries, the policy questions, or the communities your work is aimed at. Generic statements of intent will not compete against candidates who make their purpose clear.
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Selection Criteria
Applications are assessed on:
- Academic excellence — minimum 2:1 or equivalent, but stronger records will be favoured
- Quality of the personal statement — clarity of purpose, writing quality, and relevance to the Foundation’s mission
- Leadership potential — evidence of initiative, impact, or demonstrated capacity to lead within your field or community
- Interest in governance and development in Africa — this must be specific and substantiated, not stated in general terms
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How to Apply — Step by Step
- Apply for admission to an eligible Master’s programme at SOAS.
- You must have a university application submitted — and ideally an unconditional offer in hand — before the scholarship deadline. Apply for your programme through the SOAS taught Master’s admissions process. Apply for admission as early as possible — SOAS has advised that processing times are a factor, and late admission applications may not be processed in time for the scholarship panel.
- Once your admission application is submitted, apply for the scholarship
- Through the SOAS admissions portal. Log in and locate the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship application within your applicant account.
- Write your personal statement without AI assistance.
- SOAS has stated this explicitly. Draft it early, revise it carefully, and have someone you trust read it before submission — not to rewrite it, but to confirm it reads clearly and honestly in your own voice.
- Submit your scholarship application before 17 June 2026.
- Late and incomplete applications are not considered under any circumstances. Do not wait for a conditional offer to convert before applying — if your unconditional offer arrives after the scholarship deadline, you will be ineligible for this cycle.
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Application Deadline
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship deadline at SOAS is 17 June 2026.
No specific time has been stated on the official source. Treat the deadline as end-of-business UK time (BST, UTC+1). For applicants in Nigeria on WAT (UTC+1), BST and WAT are the same — aim to submit by close of business on June 17 at the latest, and well before if possible.
The single biggest risk for applicants from Africa is applying for the scholarship before securing the unconditional admission offer. Your offer must be unconditional by the time the panel meets. This means your admission application needs to go in weeks before June 17 — not days. Start your programme application immediately if you have not already done so.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship at SOAS fully funded?
Yes. The scholarship covers full tuition fees and includes a maintenance stipend for living expenses, with a total value of £45,479. Both components are included within that figure.
Can Nigerian students apply for the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship at SOAS?
Yes. Nigerian students are eligible and are among the primary target group for this award. The scholarship preference is for applicants ordinarily resident in Africa, and candidates with a clear interest in African governance and development. Nigerian students who meet the academic requirements and can make a strong case for that interest are well-positioned to apply.
Do I need to be admitted to SOAS before applying for this scholarship?
Yes. You must have submitted an admission application to an eligible Master’s programme, and you must hold an unconditional offer before the scholarship panel meets. Apply for your programme as early as possible — do not wait until close to the June 17 deadline to start your admission application.
How many Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarships are available at SOAS for 2026/2027?
Two scholarships are available for the 2026/2027 academic year. This is a small number of awards for what will be a competitive pool of applicants. Your personal statement and evidence of commitment to African governance and development are the factors that will distinguish your application.
Can I use AI to write my Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship application?
No. SOAS has explicitly stated that applicants should not use generative AI tools to write their scholarship statements. This applies to the personal statement component of the application. Write your statement yourself — the panel is assessing genuine leadership potential and a real commitment to African development, both of which require your own words.
What Master’s programmes are eligible for the Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship at SOAS?
The scholarship covers eligible one-year full-time taught Master’s programmes at SOAS University of London. The official SOAS scholarship page has the confirmed list of eligible programmes — check there directly, as eligibility is specific to full-time taught programmes and excludes research degrees, part-time study, and pre-sessional courses.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, award values, and eligibility criteria were verified from the official SOAS University of London Mo Ibrahim Foundation website as of June 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official source before submitting your application.
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