University of Rwanda Mastercard Foundation Scholarship 2026: Fully Funded Undergraduate Opportunity
Overview
The University of Rwanda Mastercard Foundation Scholarship for the 2026/2027 academic year is a full undergraduate scholarship for talented young people seeking a bachelor's degree at the University of Rwanda. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program supports academically talented young people facing significant social and economic barriers to higher education, and aims to develop ethical and transformative leaders who can contribute to communities and African development. Priority goes to young women, refugees and displaced youth, and persons with disabilities.
What you get
The scholarship covers tuition and registration fees, accommodation, learning tools and materials and a laptop. The wider programme provides academic mentorship, psychosocial services, leadership development, entrepreneurship skills, internship opportunities, networking and transition-to-work preparation. Return travel to a scholar's country of origin may be covered where necessary.
Who can apply
Applicants must meet the University of Rwanda's admission requirements for an eligible undergraduate programme. The programme is open to Rwandan and African nationals, refugees and displaced young people in Africa who are committed to giving back to their communities. Selection weighs academic talent at 30 percent, economic disadvantage at 45 percent and leadership potential at 25 percent. Young women, especially those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, are a priority group. Applicants with foreign qualifications must obtain equivalence from Rwanda's Higher Education Council and the National Examination and School Inspection Authority, and international scholars must apply for a study visa within 15 days of arrival.
How to apply
Application runs in three stages through the university's online recruitment system. Applicants first verify eligibility and create an account with their University of Rwanda student number, can save progress and return, then complete identification, education, family, socioeconomic and leadership sections, and finally review and submit, after which they can track status and results on a dashboard.
Applicants prepare digital copies of a University of Rwanda student number and a passport photograph with a white background, a scanned national identity document showing date of birth, a passport or a refugee identification document, and, where applicable, disability and leadership certificates. Files may be PDF, JPG or PNG, up to 5 MB each.
Key dates
Applications for the 2026/2027 undergraduate Cohort 5 are open until 12 October 2026 at 23:59 Kigali time.