Deadline: January 4, 2026.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is open to students who are admitted onto a master’s programme at Sciences Po and who meet the eligibility criteria for the scholarship. Students receive the scholarships and financial aid throughout the two years of their master’s programme. 

Only admitted students to a master’s programme at Sciences Po can join the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po. 

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

You must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program:

• Hold citizenship in a country within Africa. Candidates who hold a second citizenship from a country outside the African continent are not eligible.
• Have completed or be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree programme at one of Sciences Po’s institutions of reference (see the list of institutions).
  Or Have completed or are currently enrolled in a training foundation or mentoring programme offered by a bridging programme organisation partnering with the Mastercard Foundation (see the list of institutions).
• Be in genuine need of funding for your higher education (please note: documents proving your financial situation will be required for your application).
• Show a commitment to achieving change in Africa, particularly in the areas of public policy and major political, environmental and societal transitions.
• Be under  35 when you begin your Master’s programme.
• Not already hold a Master’s degree. 

BENEFITS

In addition to funding tuition, Sciences Po provides Scholars with a range of tailored resources to support their studies and facilitate their transition into employment. Specifically, Scholars have access to:

• Support in the run-up to leaving for France, tailored support when they arrive, and an official welcome programme to help them integrate in their first few weeks.
• Housing in Paris reserved for Mastercard Foundation Scholars.
• Personalised support throughout their studies, ensuring every student has the best possible experience at Sciences Po.
• Careers support: guidance to help students identify their professional aspirations; a careers fair focusing on employment and internship opportunities in Africa; access to the entrepreneurship track, the university’s business incubator (FR) and its network of employers and alumni working in Africa; opportunities to attend careers support workshops, conferences, etc.
• A mentoring programme co-run with the Africa Division of Sciences Po Alumni.
• Access to the wide range of general resources Sciences Po provides to guide students through every step of their studies.

APPLICATION

Before you begin your application, please check you meet the selection criteria for Sciences Po’s graduate programmes and the specific language requirements for each programme. Sciences Po offers English, French and bilingual programmes.

They strongly advise you to begin preparing and assembling the supporting documents you need for your application well in advance (before the application platform opens):

• All supporting documents required for international graduate admissions to Sciences Po.
• Valid photo ID.
• Proof of income (or lack thereof) demonstrating your financial circumstances: tax documents and/or income statements; scholarship certificates; or any other legal document attesting to your financial situation. You must submit at least one document with your application. Bank statements will not be accepted. If you are currently receiving a scholarship (from the Mastercard Foundation or another funding body), or have received one in the past, please also attach the scholarship certificate.
• Proof of current or past enrolment at one of Sciences Po’s institutions of reference.

TIMELINE

If you want to apply to both Sciences Po and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, we strongly advise you to begin preparing and assembling the supporting documents you need for your application well in advance, as it will certainly take a long time to obtain some of them (see below).

• Application platform opens: early October 2025
• Application deadline for Master’s programmes and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: 4th January 2026
• Sciences Po admissions decisions released: mid-December 2025, mid-February 2026, early April 2026, depending on the application date.
• Scholarship allocation decisions released: early May 2026
• Master’s programmes begin: end of August 2026

Find more information on the OFFICIAL WEBSITE