University of the Western Cape Scholars Program (UWC) is an implementing partner of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Initiated in 2012, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a global initiative designed to develop the next generation of transformative leaders by enabling highly talented, service-oriented young people, primarily young Africans, to pursue their higher education and cultivate their leadership potential. The Scholars Program is specifically targeted towards young people whose access to higher education is impeded by economic and social barriers.
The Program places a particular emphasis on reaching young women, refugees and forcibly displaced youth, and young people living with disabilities, who are encouraged to apply.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC supports academically talented youth from South Africa and other parts of the African continent. For the 2024 Academic Year, the Scholars Program at UWC will provide fully-funded opportunities for young scholars to study for i) undergraduate qualifications or ii) master’s degree qualifications.
The University of the Western Cape invites applications for a limited number of undergraduate and master’s degree scholarships from qualifying candidates from South Africa and the African continent who are prepared to register for full-time study in 2024. Applications are restricted to the following disciplines/fields of study:
Undergraduate Qualification:
• Humanities & Arts (History, Linguistics, Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies);
• Economic & Management Sciences (Economics, Information Sciences and Public Administration);
• Education (Mathematics and Science, Foundation Phase); • Natural Sciences (Biological, Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences).
Postgraduate Qualification: Master’s Degree:
• Humanities & Arts (Applied Linguistics, History, Gender Justice, Migration Studies, Sociology for Development);
• Community & Health Sciences (Public Health);
• Economic & Management Sciences (Development Studies, Information Sciences and Migration Studies);
• Law (Governance and Human Rights);
• Natural Sciences (Biological, Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences).
Eligibility
At the time of application, an applicant must satisfy the following four criteria:
For Undergraduate Studies:
- Be no older than 26 years for the undergraduate studies;
- Meet the University’s minimum admissions requirements (for program/discipline-specific information, visit www.uwc.ac.za) and must have applied for academic admission to the University for 2024;
- Be prepared to register for full-time undergraduate study in January 2024;
- Provide evidence that social and economic barriers impede access to university studies.
- For Master’s Degree Studies:
- – Be no older than 30 years for the master’s degree studies;
- – Meet the University’s minimum admissions requirements (for program/discipline-specific information, visit www.uwc.ac.za) and must have applied for academic admission to the University for 2024;
- – Be prepared to begin their first year of registration for full-time master’s degree study in January 2024;
- – Provide evidence that social and economic barriers impede access to university study.
Application process
- Apply for study to the University for 2024 (https://www.uwc.ac.za/admission-andfinancial-aid/apply, take note of application closing dates)
- – Apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by completing the online application (preferred method) available via https://www.uwc.ac.za/study/partnerships/mastercard-foundation-scholarsprogram. If you are unable to apply online you may download an application form via the link above and email the completed form and supporting documentation to mcfsp-applications@uwc.ac.za (the completed form and supporting documents must be submitted as one email).
Timeline:
- The preferred method of application is via the online form submission. Please note that no duplicate applications will be accepted and applications received via both routes (that is online and via downloadable form submission) will be automatically disqualified.
- The closing date for all applications is Friday, 13 October 2023.
- Due to the large volumes of applications received, we are unable to give personalized feedback to applicants.
- If you do not hear from the university by Friday, 24 November 2023, please consider your application unsuccessful.
- Applicants are strongly advised to submit only ONE complete application.
- Incomplete and duplicate applications will be rejected.