University of Oxford Mastercard AfOx Scholarships is set to provide 400 young African scholars with a fully-funded opportunity to pursue taught Masters degrees in programmes related to pandemic preparedness and recovery at the University of Oxford.
The Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship programme supports passionate, locally rooted and globally minded African young people to undertake graduate studies at the University of Oxford. The Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship programme is grounded in the Mastercard Foundation, and AfOx shared values of collegiality, empathy, commitment, inclusion and community.
The Scholarship is part of the broader AfOx Graduate Scholars Program, which aims to support African students to access opportunities at Oxford and to thrive both during and after their time at the University.
Fact About University of Oxford
- Ancient Origins: Teaching at Oxford dates back to 1096, making it one of the oldest universities in the world. However, its exact foundation date remains a mystery, adding to its enigmatic allure.
- Royal Charter: The university received a royal charter in 1248 from King Henry III, solidifying its prestigious status and historical significance in England.
- Birth of Rivalry: Disputes in 1209 led to a group of Oxford scholars fleeing to Cambridge, where they established the University of Cambridge. This incident birthed one of the most famous academic rivalries in history.
- Geographical Nations: Early students at Oxford were grouped into ‘nations’ based on their geographical origins: the North (Boreales) and the South (Australes). This unique organization influenced student affiliations and college memberships for centuries.
- Religious Orders and Colleges: By the mid-13th century, various religious orders, including Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, and Augustinians, had established a presence in Oxford. These orders maintained houses or halls for students, contributing to the university’s rich religious and scholarly culture.
- Pioneering Colleges: Some of the earliest colleges at Oxford were founded by notable figures such as William of Durham (University College, 1249) and John Balliol (Balliol College). Walter de Merton, a Lord Chancellor and Bishop of Rochester, devised regulations for college life at Merton College, setting a model for future establishments.
- Blocked New University: In 1333–1334, dissatisfied Oxford scholars attempted to establish a new university in Stamford, Lincolnshire. The universities of Oxford and Cambridge successfully petitioned King Edward III to block this, maintaining their unique duopoly in England until the 1820s.
- Scholarly Legends: The historian Ranulf Higden claimed in the 14th century that Oxford was founded in the 10th century by Alfred the Great. Although apocryphal, this legend adds to the university’s rich tapestry of myth and history.
- Influential Scholars: Over the centuries, Oxford has been home to many influential scholars, including Gerald of Wales, who lectured in 1188, and Theobald of Étampes, who lectured in the early 1100s.
- Medieval Intellectual Hub: Oxford grew rapidly after English students returned from the University of Paris in 1167, turning it into a vibrant medieval intellectual hub. The first known foreign scholar, Emo of Friesland, arrived in 1190, marking the university’s early international appeal.
Details For 2025 University of Oxford Mastercard AfOx Scholarships For African Students
The University of Oxford Mastercard AfOx Scholarships funds a rigorous one-year taught Master’s course at Oxford aimed at equipping the Scholars with relevant technical, entrepreneurial and leadership skills and connecting them to world-leading resources in their respective sectors.
Key elements of the scholarship programme include adequate support and preparation for students to take up their studies, intensive emphasis on life skills beyond academia and support for a lifelong network of alumni.
Each Scholar will benefit from the highest calibre training in specific disciplines critical to solving pressing problems, including food systems, health sciences, sustainable water and energy systems, governance and public policy, and entrepreneurship, among others.
Their programs will centre the four AfOx themes relevant to Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals: Healthy People, Integrated Societies, Green Futures, and Innovation for Prosperity.
Requirements For 2025 University of Oxford Mastercard AfOx Scholarships For African Students
The Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship enables students from all African countries to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford. All students with an African nationality and residence who receive a conditional offer from the University will be eligible for the scholarship.
The scholarship emphasises explicitly groups who have historically been under-represented, including but not limited to female scholars, people from refugee and displaced backgrounds and disabled scholars. Necessary residence considerations will be made for students from refugee and displaced backgrounds.
- To be considered for this scholarship, submit your application for graduate study to the University of Oxford via the graduate admissions portal by the deadline for your chosen course of study. Please read the Application Guide in detail ahead of making the application. We strongly recommend you submit your application form and all of your supporting documents at least a week before the December/January for your course.
- Eligible candidates who receive a conditional offer from their course will be then invited to apply for the AfOx Graduate Scholarship Program. All invited candidates will be expected to fill in the AfOx Graduate Scholarship questionnaire during the application process.
- Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed virtually before decisions are made, and the timelines will be communicated at the interview stage.
Rewards For 2025 University of Oxford Mastercard AfOx Scholarships For African Students
This full-cost scholarship is available to Master’s students, covering tuition fees and living expenses for international students.
The scholarship also provides logistics support, including an economy return flight, visa and Immigration Health Surcharge fees, settling down allowance, and access to a Thrive Fund for emergencies.
The first year includes a rigorous academic Master’s course at Oxford and a Leadership and Impact Programme, which support the scholars in developing collaborative leadership qualities needed to build cross-sector, interdisciplinary solutions to address complex social and environmental problems.
How to Apply For 2025 University of Oxford Mastercard AfOx Scholarships For African Students
To be considered for this University of Oxford Mastercard AfOx Scholarships, submit your application for graduate study to the University of Oxford via the graduate admissions portal by the deadline for your chosen course of study.
- Please read the Application Guide in detail ahead of making the application. We strongly recommend you submit your application form and all of your supporting documents at least a week before the December/January for your course.
- Eligible candidates who receive a conditional offer from their course will be then invited to apply for the AfOx Graduate Scholarship Program. All invited candidates will be expected to fill in the AfOx Graduate Scholarship questionnaire during the application process.
- Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed virtually before decisions are made, and the timelines will be communicated at the interview stage.
- Deadline is January 5, 2025