Applications are open for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po fully funded for study in France

Ednah Carrick 1 week ago

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Closing Date: 1 of December 2024

Applications are open for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po fully funded for study in France

Eligibility criteria for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

You must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po:

Hold citizenship in a country within Sub-Saharan Africa. Candidates who hold a second citizenship from the European Economic Area are not eligible.

Have completed or be currently enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree programme at one of Sciences Po’s institutions of reference (see the list of institutions).
Or have completed or are currently enrolled in a training foundation or mentoring programme offered by a bridging programme organisation partnering with the Mastercard Foundation (see the list of institutions).
Be in genuine need of funding for your higher education (please note: documents proving your financial situation will be required for your application).

Show a commitment to achieving change in Africa, particularly in the areas of public policy and major political, environmental and societal transitions.
Be under 35 when you begin your Master’s programme.
Not already hold or be completing a Master’s degree.

Be applying for a two-year Master’s programme at one of Sciences Po’s seven Graduate Schools. Applicants for one-year Master’s, dual degrees or joint Master’s programmes are not eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Applying for the Program

To be selected for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po, you must first be accepted onto a Master’s programme at one of Sciences Po’s seven Graduate Schools.

From September 2024, applications for Sciences Po Master’s programmes and for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program will be handled through a single procedure and platform. You will need to apply for your chosen Master’s programme and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program via the international graduate admissions procedure.

Further information and a guide to applying for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program will be published online ahead of the 2024 admissions season.

Application proces

Before you begin your application, please check you meet the eligibility criteria for Sciences Po’s graduate programmes and the specific language requirements for each programme. Sciences Po offers English, French and bilingual programmes.

The University strongly advise you to begin preparing and assembling the supporting documents you need for your application well in advance (before the application platform opens):

All supporting documents required for international graduate admissions to Sciences Po.
Valid photo ID.
Proof of income (or lack thereof) demonstrating your financial circumstances: tax documents and/or income statements; scholarship certificates; or any other legal document attesting to your financial situation. You must submit at least one document with your application. Bank statements will not be accepted. If you are currently receiving a scholarship (from the Mastercard Foundation or another funding body), or have received one in the past, please also attach the scholarship certificate.

Proof of current or past enrolment at one of Sciences Po’s institutions of reference

Program’s admission criteria

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is highly selective and the scholarship is awarded on the basis of the following criteria:

Demonstrable adequation between the degree held, the choice of Master’s programme at Sciences Po, the personal and academic background and the future professional plans.

Ability to demonstrate critical thinking and perceptiveness in understanding and analysis of major contemporary political, economic and societal challenges facing Africa and the rest of the world.
Ambition, originality and tenacity in pursuing entrepreneurial or social impact projects aimed at achieving socio-economic change in Africa.

Students are encouraged to express themselves authentically in their motivation letters and to draw on specific experiences to explain how joining the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program will enable them to achieve change. Misuse of Artificial Intelligence to answer the questions will prove a disadvantage to the application.