Deadline: 30 August 2024
The University of the Western Cape (UWC) is an implementing partner of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Initiated in 2012, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is a global initiative designed to develop the next generation of transformative leaders by enabling highly talented, service-oriented young people, primarily young Africans, to pursue their higher education and cultivate their leadership potential.
The Scholars Program is specifically targeted towards young people whose access to higher education is impeded by economic and social barriers. The Program places a particular emphasis on reaching young women, refugees and forcibly displaced youth, and young people living with disabilities, who are encouraged to apply.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC supports academically talented youth from South Africa and other parts of the African continent. For the 2024 Academic Year, the Scholars Program at UWC will provide fully-funded opportunities for young scholars to study for undergraduate qualifications or master’s degree qualifications.
Scholarship Benefits
In addition to providing support for tuition fees, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC provides a range of specialised resources to support Mastercard Foundation Scholars to facilitate their transition into dignified and fulfilling work. In particular, Mastercard Foundation Scholars will be provided with:
Pre-arrival support and an official on-boarding welcome programme;
Housing in a UWC residence on campus;
Personalised support throughout their studies, ensuring that every Mastercard Foundation Scholar has the best possible experience at UWC;
A monthly stipend and meal allowance;
Medical aid;
Laptop;
Study materials allowance; and
Holistic wrap around support programmes.
Fields of Study
Arts & Humanities (History, Linguistics, Sociology and Women’s and Gender Studies);
Economic & Management Sciences (Economics, Information Sciences and Public Administration);
Education (Mathematics and Science, Foundation Phase);
Natural Sciences (Biological, Computational, Mathematical and Physical Sciences).
Eligibility
At the time of application, an applicant must satisfy the following four criteria:
Be no older than 26 years for the undergraduate studies;
Meet the University's minimum admissions requirements (for program/discipline-specific information, visit www.uwc.ac.za) and must have applied for academic admission to the University for 2025;
Be prepared to register for full-time undergraduate study in January 2025;
Provide evidence that access to university studies is impeded by social and economic barriers.
Application Process
Step 1: Apply for admission to study at UWC
Applicants intending to apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC must first submit an academic application to study at UWC for the 2025 academic year. To apply, please use the following link: admission-and-financial-aid/apply. Take note of the application closing dates for the desired programme /discipline.
Only applicants who have successfully submitted their academic application and obtained a UWC application number are eligible to apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UWC, as a UWC application number is required to complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form.
Step 2: Apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
Once you have successfully submitted your application to study at UWC, apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by completing the online application available via study/partnerships/mastercard-foundation-scholars-program. Should you experience challenges in submitting your application you may e-mail: qmhlauli@uwc.ac.za.
There are six main sections that will need to be completed in the application form:
Personal Information
Academic Information
Family Information
Short Narratives
Community Engagement
Certification