Who this guide is for: This article is for applicants who were invited on 13 October 2026 to apply for the University of Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027/28. This year, invitations went only to eligible applicants who attended a compulsory online information session between 15 and 24 September 2026. If you weren’t invited, you can’t apply in this cycle. The final section explains how to prepare for next year and lists other scholarships still open.
If you received an invitation, congratulations. The next big step is the main application, which covers both your admission to the degree and your scholarship. It closes on 19 November 2026 at 5pm UK time. This guide covers the timeline, what you’ll need, what’s covered, the eligible programmes and how to prepare for interviews.
Key Dates for 2027/28
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Compulsory information sessions | 15–24 September 2026 (closed) |
| Invitations to apply sent | 13 October 2026 |
| Applicant Declaration Form | Closed 19 October 2026 (some listings say 26 October; check your invitation email) |
| Main application deadline | 19 November 2026, 5pm UK time |
| Committee review | Late November 2026 to January 2027 |
| Interview invitations (on-campus) | Early February 2027, with interviews mid-February to March |
| Interview invitations (online) | Mid-February 2027, with interviews late February to mid-March |
5pm UK time on 19 November is 5pm in Accra, 6pm in Lagos, 7pm in Johannesburg and 8pm in Nairobi. Don’t leave it until the last hour.
Benefits: What the Scholarship Covers
On-campus scholars (one-year master’s in Edinburgh):
- Full approved tuition fees
- Accommodation
- Travel
- A living-cost stipend
- Study materials
- The Climate Leadership Programme and Climate Enterprise School
- Disability support based on a needs assessment
- Support moving into further study or work after graduation
Online scholars (online master’s or postgraduate diploma, studied from Africa):
- Full approved tuition fees
- An academic stipend for a laptop and internet
- One in-person gathering
- Climate Leadership Programme activities and the Climate Enterprise School
- A dedicated Online Coordinator
- Disability and transition support
Eligibility Checklist
Before you submit, double-check you still meet every requirement:
- You’re a citizen of an African country, or hold refugee status in one.
- You live in an African country.
- You’re 35 or under in the year the programme starts (born on or after 1 January 1992).
- You’ve faced significant barriers to education or early career, such as financial, social, personal, practical or health-related ones.
- You’ve completed an undergraduate degree and can upload your certificate and official final transcript by 19 November 2026.
- Master’s applicants must not already hold a postgraduate degree. Online postgraduate diploma applicants may already have a master’s from an African university.
- You have a record of leadership and community service, and experience of, or ambition for, tackling the climate crisis.
- You won’t be enrolled at, or applying to enrol at, another university while on the scholarship.
Eligible Programmes
On-campus (one-year master’s):
- Food Security
- Sustainable Energy Systems
- Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Data, Inequality and Society
- Operational Research
- Environmental Sustainability
- Climate Change Finance and Investment
- Environment and Development
- International Development
- Public Health (MPH)
Online (master’s and/or postgraduate diploma, depending on the programme):
- International Development (master’s only)
- Global Food Security and Nutrition
- Climate Change Management (master’s only)
- One Health
- Social Justice and Community Action
- Biodiversity, Wildlife and Ecosystem Health
- Global Health and Infectious Diseases
- Data-Driven Breeding and Genetics
- Digital Education
- Data Science Technologies (master’s only)
- Family Medicine (master’s only)
- Conservation Medicine
Documents to Get Ready Now
- Degree certificate for your undergraduate degree (and master’s, if you’re applying for an online diploma)
- Official final transcript(s)
- Any other items listed in your invitation and the application form. Read every section of the form early so nothing surprises you near the deadline.
Getting an official transcript from some African universities can take weeks. If you haven’t requested yours yet, do it today.
Tips for a Strong Main Application
- Tell your story honestly. The programme looks for people who have overcome real barriers. Describe what you faced and how you kept going, with specific examples.
- Show leadership in action. Describe something you started or led, such as a youth group, a farming cooperative or a community clean-up, and its results.
- Connect your goals to climate. Every scholar joins a climate leadership programme, so explain how your chosen degree will help you tackle climate or development problems at home.
- Explain your “give back” plan. Mastercard Foundation scholars are expected to return to, or serve, their communities. Be concrete about what you’ll do after graduating.
- Pick the right programme. Make sure your chosen degree clearly links to your experience and goals.
- Submit at least a few days early. Internet outages and power cuts are real risks, so aim to finish by 15 November.
Preparing for the Interview
Shortlisted on-campus applicants are interviewed from mid-February to March 2027, and online applicants from late February to mid-March. Be ready to:
- Talk through your background and the barriers you’ve overcome
- Give examples of leadership and community service
- Explain why you chose your programme and what you’ll do after it
- Discuss a climate or development issue in your country and how you’d contribute to solving it
- Test your internet connection, camera and microphone in advance, and find a quiet place for the call
How to Apply
- Use the link in your 13 October invitation email to open the main application.
- Complete the combined admission and scholarship form.
- Upload your degree certificate and official transcript(s).
- Submit before 5pm UK time on 19 November 2026.
Official University of Edinburgh Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application page
Not Invited This Year? How to Prepare for 2028/29
If you missed this cycle, start preparing now:
- Watch for the information sessions. This year they ran in September and were compulsory. Expect a similar step next year, likely announced around August.
- Build your leadership and climate record through volunteering, community projects or relevant work.
- Get your documents in order, including your degree certificate and official transcript.
- Apply for other Mastercard Foundation scholarships that are open now (see below).
