A wealth of fully funded and highly competitive scholarship opportunities awaits African students and researchers planning to pursue advanced studies globally in 2025 and 2026.
These programs are designed to foster academic excellence, promote research critical to development, and build leadership capacity across the continent.
1. University of Twente Scholarship (UTS) – Netherlands
The UTS provides partial financial support for high-achieving international students.
- Benefit: Up to €22,000 for one year of study.
- Eligibility: Must be a non-EU/EEA citizen. Applicants need admission to a UT Master’s program. They must rank within the top 5–10% of their graduating class. English proficiency must be confirmed (IELTS 6.5/TOEFL 90).
- Deadline: February 1, 2026 (Round 1).
- Process: First, apply for the UT Master’s program. After receiving admission and a student number, submit a separate application for the UTS.
2. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program – Fully Funded Health Leadership
This program targets young Africans dedicated to transforming health education. It offers a fully funded Master of Science in Health Professions Education (MSc-HPE).
- Benefit: Fully funded (tuition, living allowance, travel, etc.) for an 18-month, blended online and in-person program.
- Eligibility: Applicants must be 35 or under (exceptions for disability apply). They must be citizens or residents of an African country, or recognized refugees. A Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field is required. Teaching or leadership experience in health education is preferred.
- Deadline: November 30, 2025.
- Process: Submit one completed online application. This application covers both the program admission and the scholarship component.
3. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program – American University of Beirut (AUB)
This foundation also provides comprehensive support for graduate studies at AUB, focusing on community commitment.
- Benefit: Fully funded support for select graduate studies (and in certain cases, PhDs). Benefits include tuition, living support, mentoring, and leadership training.
- Eligibility: Applicants must be African citizens or refugees. They require good academic standing and demonstrated leadership skills. They must be 35 or younger and show a commitment to community service.
- Deadline: November 6, 2025.
- Process: Submit the AUB online graduate application. Select the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program under the financial opportunities section. Meet all specified admission and scholarship requirements.
4. DAAD-NRF Joint Scholarship Programme – South Africa
This program supports local advanced research in South Africa through a collaboration between Germany and the National Research Foundation (NRF).
- Benefit: Provides an annual stipend: ZAR 80,000 for Master’s level; ZAR 110,000 for PhD level. Funding covers up to two years for Master’s and three years for PhD.
- Eligibility: Open exclusively to South African citizens or permanent residents. It funds full-time Master’s or PhD studies at a South African university. Strong academic and research potential is required. Female applicants are highly encouraged.
- Deadline: November 27, 2025.
- Process: Submit the application solely through the National Research Foundation (NRF) online portal. Applicants must follow the joint NRF/DAAD guidelines.
5. ABCD Future Environmental Leaders Scholarships – Germany
This opportunity supports doctoral research focused on environmental challenges with a stay in Germany.
- Benefit: Nine-month fully-funded research stay in Germany. This includes a monthly allowance of €1,200, an insurance allowance, and a travel grant up to €1,000.
- Eligibility: Doctoral students from developing countries who began their PhD studies within the last three years. The research proposal must align with the ABCD-Centre’s thematic clusters.
- Deadline: November 15, 2025.
- Process: Compile all required documents (including CV, motivation letter, transcripts, and two recommendation letters) into a single PDF file. Submit the file via email to the designated ABCD-Centre address by the deadline.
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