The University of Edinburgh Online Mastercard Scholarship will provide 3 year part-time online Master’s scholarships & 2-year part-time postgraduate Diploma scholarships to students living or working in Africa with great academic and leadership potential but few educational opportunities.
The program will be recruiting exceptional young people with great academic and leadership experience who have overcome barriers to their education and are diligently committed to pursuing their studies to apply for an Online Scholarship at the University of Edinburgh.
SCHOLARSHIP AT A GLANCE:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Scholarship Name | University of Edinburgh Online Mastercard Scholarship |
| Eligible Region | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| Level of Study | Online Master’s and Postgraduate Diploma |
| Duration | 3 years (Master’s), 2 years (Postgraduate Diploma) |
| Eligibility | Academic achievement, leadership potential, overcome barriers to education |
| Requirements | UK Second Class (Upper) Bachelor’s degree or higher, graduated by Sept 2024 |
| Age Limit | 35 or under as of 1 Sept 2025 |
| Benefits | Full tuition fees, academic stipend, laptop, internet, climate leadership program |
| Application Opens | 1 Oct 2024, 10:00 am GMT |
| Application Closes | 8 Nov 2024, 5:00 pm GMT |
| Application Procedure | Online application, email: mcfsp@ed.ac.uk |
| Scholarship Website | University of Edinburgh website (link not provided) |
| Additional Support | For scholars with disabilities |
Fact About Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Athens of the North: Edinburgh has been nicknamed the “Athens of the North” due to its rich cultural and intellectual heritage, earning it a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation.
- Volcanic Origins: Edinburgh’s iconic Arthur’s Seat is an ancient volcano, dormant for over 350 million years. It’s now a popular hiking spot.
- The World’s Largest Arts Festival: The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival globally, attracting over 2.5 million attendees annually.
- Harry Potter’s Birthplace: J.K. Rowling wrote much of the early Harry Potter books in Edinburgh’s cafes, and the city’s architecture inspired Hogwarts.
- Underground Tunnels: Beneath Edinburgh’s streets lies a hidden network of 18th-century tunnels and vaults, once home to the city’s poorest residents.
- The Royal Mile’s Hidden History: Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile has a secret: many buildings have hidden closes and staircases, concealing centuries of history.
- Scotland’s Oldest Pub: The White Horse pub, established in 1516, is Edinburgh’s oldest pub and allegedly haunted.
- Edinburgh’s “Ghost Town”: The abandoned village of Preston Village, hidden beneath the city, was once a thriving community.
- The National Monument’s Secret: Edinburgh’s National Monument, honoring Scottish soldiers, was left unfinished due to funding issues and remains a striking, if incomplete, landmark.
- The World’s Longest-Running Fireworks Display: Edinburgh’s annual Hogmanay fireworks display has been dazzling crowds since 1988.
Details For 2025 Edinburgh Online Mastercard Scholarship for Africans
Online studies are an excellent way to earn a qualification for those who would like to continue working and prefer to study in their local context (for example, to be closer to their families).
Masters programmes normally aim at those who have completed an undergraduate degree and want to develop more specialized knowledge in the same subject or similar career area.
The Edinburgh Online Mastercard Scholarship is designed to cover three years of part-time online study for specific programs
Requirements For 2025 Edinburgh Online Mastercard Scholarship for Africans
To be considered for the University of Edinburgh Global Mastercard Online Scholarship, you must:
- Applicants must qualify academically for admission to the University of Edinburgh for a relevant degree programme listed.
- You will generally need to have achieved the equivalent of a UK Second Class (Upper) Bachelor’s (Hons) degree or higher. Find out more about the postgraduate entry requirements for your country: Postgraduate entry requirements
- Applicants will have faced significant barriers to education (social, financial, personal, practical or health related).
- Applicants must have graduated from an undergraduate study by September 2024 and must have a degree certificate and official final transcript to upload alongside their application by 8 December.
- Applicants must be residents and citizens or hold refugee status in a Sub-Saharan African country.
- Applicants must have faced barriers to education and early career
- Applicants must demonstrate a track record of leadership and service within their community.
- Applicants must demonstrate experience, or at least ambition, in making a meaningful impact in addressing the climate crisis
- Applicants must be 35 or under as of 1 September 2025.
- Applicants should not have previously completed a postgraduate degree and should not be enrolled (or apply to enrol) at a separate university whilst on the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship.
- If applying for the online Masters programme: Applicants should not have previously completed a postgraduate degree and should not be enrolled (or apply to enrol) at a separate university whilst on the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship.
- If applying for the online Postgraduate Diploma: Applicants can either have an undergraduate or Master’s degree from a Sub-Saharan African university (provided they will graduate from either degree by 7th December 2024).
- If you have a Master’s degree, our admissions team will review your first degree (undergraduate) to meet the postgraduate diploma entry requirement. The Scholars Program will review your Master’s degree transcripts to confirm your university’s graduation date and location.
- We particularly welcome applications from female scholars, scholars from refugee and displaced backgrounds, and scholars with disabilities.
Rewards For 2025 Edinburgh Online Mastercard Scholarship for Africans
The Edinburgh Global Mastercard Online Scholarship is designed to cover three-years of part-time online study.
The scholarship will cover the
- Covers full approved tuition fees: scholars will not pay for any part of the tuition fees.
- Academic stipend to allow for access to high-quality internet, and laptop.
- The opportunity to attend an in-person gathering.
- Participation in activities as part of the wider Scholars Program climate leadership programme at the University of Edinburgh, including regular online workshops, online coaching and support.
- A dedicated Online Coordinator
- Additional support is offered to scholars with disabilities based on an assessment of needs.
How To Apply For 2025 Edinburgh Online Mastercard Scholarship for Africans
If you are interested in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh, please apply for the Mastercard Foundation scholarship first.
Applicants can apply for either:
- Online Masters (part-time over 3 years) OR
- Online Post-graduate Diploma (part-time over 2 years)
If you receive a scholarship offer from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program then you can apply for the academic programme.
If you have already secured a place on an eligible degree programme, please indicate in your Mastercard Foundation Scholarship application form that you have already secured a place on the degree programme.
If you have any queries regarding the Mastercard Foundation Scholarships, please contact us at: mcfsp@ed.ac.uk
Applications for 2025/26 will open on 1 October 2024 at 10.00 am GMT and close on 8 November 2024 at 5.00 pm GMT.
Click on the button below to visit the scholarship webpage and submit your application.