Call for Application for Undergraduate Scholarships – 5th Cohort Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Rwanda Kigali, Rwanda Deadline: 12-10-2026

The University of Rwanda, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, is accepting applications for the 5th Cohort of its fully funded Undergraduate Scholars Program for the 2026-2027 academic year. This 10-year initiative is designed to expand access to quality higher education for talented young Africans with limited access to opportunities, with a specific focus on females in STEM, youth with disabilities, and refugees or displaced youth. A total of 170 scholarships are available across priority programs at six campuses.

Program Details

Feature	Details
Scholarship Program	Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (Cohort 5)
Host Institution	University of Rwanda (UR)
Available Scholarships	170 slots across priority STEM and Non-STEM programs
Coverage	100% Fully Funded
Application Deadline	12/10/2026

What the Scholarship Covers

This comprehensive scholarship provides holistic support to empower scholars toward academic success and community engagement. Successful applicants will receive:

Full tuition fees and fully paid on-campus accommodation.
A laptop, learning materials, and an annual return ticket allowance.
A full-year monthly stipend for living expenses.
Psycho-social support services and continued academic mentoring/tutoring.
Uniquely sourced industry internships and comprehensive career development services.
Opportunities to participate in leadership congresses and the global Scholars Alumni network.

Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, applicants must meet the following strict criteria:

Must be a citizen of Rwanda, a citizen of any other African country, or a refugee/displaced youth in Africa.
Must be academically qualified with limited access to opportunities.
Must be 28 years old or younger at the time of application, or up to 30 years old for individuals with certified proof of protracted life conditions (such as refugees, single mothers, or those from child-headed families).
Must meet the admission criteria for eligible programs at the University of Rwanda, have generated a UR Reference number, and have applied for admission.
Must demonstrate a commitment to leadership and provide proof of community engagement or transformation initiatives.
Refugees and individuals with disabilities must provide legal proof of their status from duly recognized organizations like the UNHCR or NCPD.
Current continuing students are not eligible, and anyone holding a double scholarship will be automatically discontinued.

Application Instructions

The application process is exclusively online and completely free of charge.

Step 1: Generate a UR Reference number and apply for admission to an eligible UR priority program.
Step 2: Complete the general online scholarship application form at https://mcfsprecruitment.ur.ac.rw/.
Step 3: Ensure all supporting documents are named with your name and UR reference number, and saved in PDF format (under 250 kb).
Warning: There are absolutely no charges, fees, or intermediaries required at any stage of this application process; falsifying information will lead to automatic disqualification.