Application Deadline: August 30, 2024
Applications are now open for the 2025 University of the Western Cape (UWC) Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is an implementing partner of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Initiated in 2012, the 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 Mastercard Foundation 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 2025 Academic Year, the Program at UWC will provide fully-funded opportunities for young Mastercard Foundation 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 2025.
Applications are restricted to the following disciplines/fields of study:
Postgraduate Qualification: Master’s Degree
Fields of Study
- Arts & Humanities (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:
- 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 2025;
- Be prepared to begin their first year of registration for full-time master’s degree study in January 2025;
- Provide evidence that access to university studies is impeded by social and economic barriers.
| Candidates who intend to register for a second master’s degree are ineligible to apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. |
Undergraduate Studies
Fields of Study
- Arts & Humanities (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).
Eligibility
At the time of application, an applicant must satisfy the following four criteria:
- 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 2025;
- Be prepared to register for full-time undergraduate study in January 2025;
- Provide evidence that access to university studies is impeded by social and economic barriers.
| Candidates who intend to register for a second undergraduate degree are ineligible to apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. |
Benefits
- In addition to providing support for tuition fees, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC provides a range of specialised resources to support Mastercard Foundation Scholars to facilitate their transition into dignified and fulfilling work. In particular, Mastercard Foundation Scholars will be provided with:
- Pre-arrival support and an official on-boarding welcome programme;
- Housing in a UWC residence on campus;
- Personalised support throughout their studies, ensuring that every Mastercard Foundation Scholar has the best possible experience at UWC;
- A monthly stipend and meal allowance;
- Medical aid;
- Laptop;
- Study materials allowance; and
- Holistic wrap around support programmes.
- Mastercard Foundation Scholars are required to sign a scholarship agreement once they are accepted and enrolled onto the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
- The Program will only fund Mastercard Foundation Scholars taking up full time studies at UWC – for 2 years – masters degrees,– undergraduate degrees, for the minimum duration of study.
Application Process
Step 1: Apply for admission to study at UWC
- Applicants intending to apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC must first submit an academic application to study at UWC for the 2025 academic year. To apply, please use the following link: admission-and-financial-aid/apply. Take note of the application closing dates for the desired programme /discipline.
- Only applicants who have successfully submitted their academic application and obtained a UWC application number are eligible to apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC, as a UWC application number is required to complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form.
Step 2: Apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Once you have successfully submitted your application to study at UWC, apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by completing the online application available via study/partnerships/mastercard-foundation-scholars-program.
Should you experience challenges in submitting your application you may e-mail: ssganda@uwc.ac.za
There are six main sections that will need to be completed in the application form:
- Personal Information
- Academic Information
- Family Information
- Short Narratives
- Community Engagement
- Certification
Please note that no duplicate applications will be accepted and applications received in duplicate will be automatically disqualified.
The closing date for all applications is Friday, 30 August 2024. 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, 15 November 2024, please consider your application unsuccessful.
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