Applications are now open for the Fully funded 2026 Mandela Rhodes Scholarship Programme

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Closing Date: 21 April 2025

Applications are now open for the Fully funded 2026 Mandela Rhodes Scholarship Programme

Overview

The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship offers comprehensive funding for the core costs associated with your studies. It covers tuition for a one-year Honours degree or a two-year Masters degree in any field at a recognised South African institution of higher education. This includes tuition and registration fees, allowances for study materials, research, and medical aid, accommodation and meals, personal allowance and economy class travel to and from your home country to your South African university at the beginning and end of your degree.

Eligibility

a citizen of an African country
between the ages of 19 and 29 in the year of applying
have an undergraduate degree with excellent academic results (above 70% or upper-second class Honours) by 1 Jan 2026

How are Mandela Rhodes Scholars selected?

Leadership

Do you aspire to be a visionary leader who has moral authority? Do you see leadership as more than just personal ambition – as a way to pursue the advancement of equality and freedom, human rights and human dignity? And do you want to guide and inspire others to reach their full potential?

Reconciliation

Do you believe that reconciliation – combined with reparation – is the key to harnessing an imperfect past to develop a more just world? And are you prepared to start the process by looking at your own internal landscape?

Education

Do you have excellent academic results but believe that your education should not only benefit you but make a difference for others? And do you agree that intellectual excellence must be accompanied by character and a rounded personality?

Entrepreneurship

Do you want to see Africa take its rightful place as an equal and competitive presence in the global world? Have you demonstrated individual effort, innovation and creativity to this end?

Are you ready to grow?

To benefit from the programme you must be curious about doing the personal, internal work of leadership. This means a commitment to developing self-awareness by engaging with difficult parts of yourself, an openness to learning from the diversity and differences in your cohort, and a willingness to explore and embrace complexity within yourself, others, and the systems around you.

General Terms & Conditions of the Scholarships Programme

A Mandela Rhodes Scholarship enables a Scholar to study at a South African-located tertiary institution registered with the South African Council of Higher Education (and approved by the MRF) for an accredited postgraduate degree programme. The Scholarship is currently awarded for either a one year Honours or an up to two years Master’s degree, or their academic equivalents.

Mandela Rhodes Scholars shall:

Adhere to the principles and goals of the Scholarships Programme.
Attend Leadership Development Workshops and Pods as offered by the Programme, on dates to be advised. Attendance is a condition of accepting the Scholarship, unless there are exceptional circumstances agreed to by the Foundation. Additionally, Scholars completing a 2 year Master’s Programme are required to fully participate in the Second Year Programme activities during their second year in Residence.
Be offered access to a Mentoring Programme (optional for the Scholar).
According to the current policy of the MRF, be younger than 30 years of age at the time of taking up the Scholarship; be in possession of a first degree; and be a citizen of an African country.

Conditions of tenure

The continued holding of the Scholarship is dependent on the Scholar upholding the values, principles and standards of the MRF, as well as the maintenance of evidence-based, high standards of work and conduct determined by the Trustees and/or the Foundation.
Where Scholars are in breach of such standards, values and principles for any reason, the Foundation
may cease payments to and participation in the Programme by the Scholar.
Other Scholarships may not be held in conjunction with a Mandela Rhodes Scholarship. If offered any additional funding please communicate directly with Ernst ([email protected])
This Scholarship is for full time study only and may not be held simultaneously with paying work that
exceeds a maximum of 12 hours per week. In such cases the Foundation must be kept fully informed on the nature and terms of the additional work, and give its consent.