Call for Applications: The 2025 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Carnegie Mellon University Africa

Ednah Carrick 21 seconds ago

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Closing Date: 15 December 2024

Call for Applications: The 2025 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Carnegie Mellon University Africa

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program: Developing leaders

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Carnegie Mellon University Africa (CMU-Africa) supports highly talented, service-oriented young people who face the highest social and economic barriers to opportunity. The graduate students complete their Master of Science degrees in Information Technology, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or Engineering Artificial Intelligence. Upon completion of the program, Mastercard Foundation Scholars go on to lead changes in their communities and contribute to meaningful transformation across the continent.

CMU-Africa is part of a global network of 33 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program partners, comprised of institutions committed to developing Africa’s young leaders.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Carnegie Mellon University Africa was established in 2016. With a vision that education is a catalyst for social and economic change, the Program focuses on developing leaders who are transformative, encouraging them to be active contributors in their communities.

Benefits

The Program focuses on:

Holistic support: The scholarship covers application preparation support, orientation, tuition and fees, health insurance, travel and basic living expenses, project, and entrepreneurship support. Mastercard Foundation Scholars also have access to a range of resources that support their well-being and academic success.

Career preparation: Mastercard Foundation Scholars benefit from tailored activities to prepare them for the workplace. Throughout their studies, they participate in professional development activities including, but not limited to, internship and career fairs, networking opportunities with industry leaders, one-on-one career coaching that prepare them to pursue their goals upon graduation.
Leadership development: Mastercard Foundation Scholars develop leadership skills through participation in student clubs, community service, and a variety of programs that equip students to become change-makers. During their time at CMU-Africa, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars take a series of leadership training sessions tailored to their needs to ensure they are equipped with cutting-edge leadership skills that will enable them to lead with distinction.
Giving back: Mastercard Foundation Scholars live out the give-back ethos of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by leading and participating in community service activities, developing, and implementing projects that make a difference in the lives of others. They collaborate with the members of the CMU-Africa community to push their give-back agenda.

Criteria

Mastercard Foundation Scholars face social and economic barriers and have demonstrated the following attributes:

Academic talent: Mastercard Foundation Scholars value learning and have the drive to complete their education.
Commitment to giving back: Mastercard Foundation Scholars have demonstrated a commitment to improving their communities.

Potential to lead: Mastercard Foundation Scholars will become role models, mentors, and change-makers.

Application Procedure

Two steps to apply to CMU-Africa

Submit an online application
Complete competency tests

Dates to remember

October 1: All program applications open. Begin your application to the Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) program, the Master of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering (MS ECE) program, or the Master of Science in Engineering Artificial Intelligence (MS EAI) program.

December 15: Early admission deadline. Submit your application by the early admission deadline of December 15 for CMU-Africa to cover your competency test fees.

January 15: Final application deadline. Any application received after the early admission deadline will only be considered if submitted with valid DET/IELTS/TOEFL.

January-April: Applications are reviewed. After the final application deadline, all components of applications are reviewed

April-May: Admissions decisions are shared with applicants. You will receive email communications from the admissions team on the status of your application at every stage. You can also view the status of your application through your application portal.

July-August: The Student Induction Program is held for admitted students. This program supports new students in a successful transition to CMU-Africa

September: The semester begins for admitted students. The academic calendar serves as Carnegie Mellon University’s information source and planning document for students, faculty, staff, and departments, as well as outside organizations. The calendar includes registration dates, class start dates, add/drop deadlines, exam dates, and more.