The University of Gondar Mastercard Foundation Graduate Scholars Program (MCFSP) 2025/2026 for young East Africans (Fully Funded)

Application Deadline: June 30, 2025

Applications are now open for the 2025/2026 University of Gondar Mastercard Foundation Graduate Scholars Program. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Gondar will award a total of 160 graduate scholarships for eight years, which started in the 2018/19 Academic year. The scholarship will directly benefit academically talented but disadvantaged youth from five East African countries – Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea , Djibouti and South Sudan. The Graduate Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is designed to help Scholars acquire transformational and leadership skills and demonstrate high professional and scholarly competencies to effectively influence global, regional, national and local socioeconomic development trends. The Program will avail excellent academic and nonacademic support to Mastercard Foundation Scholars during their stay at the University of Gondar.

THE ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS ARE:

• Accounting
• Development and Environmental Management Studies
• Economics
• Gender and Development Studies
• Law
• Logistics
• Management
• Marketing
• Nursing
• Optometry
• Physiotherapy
• Psychology
• Public health
• Sociology
• Special Needs and Inclusive Education
• Tourism

Eligibility Requirements

Ethiopian Applicants

Graduate scholarships are open for Ethiopian applicants who intend to be a full-time student at the University of Gondar. Applicants with first degree from a recognized University and academically talented, disadvantaged based on the criteria of disability, socioeconomic status, and are not engaged at work at all or have been engaged at work but couldn’t able to cover their study expenses will be eligible for the scholarship. Specifically, to be eligible to apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program’s graduate scholarship, applicants must meet the below listed criteria:

• Earned a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline relevant to their proposed graduate program from recognized University in the past 5 years;
• Earned a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent);
• Be citizen and permanent resident of Ethiopia (and residents of Ethiopia for at least five years at the time of their application);
• Youth applicants with disabilities;
• Female applicants with economic difficulty to finance university education;
• Earned a pass mark on the Graduate Admission Test (GAT) administered by the Ethiopian Ministry of
  Education.

Note:

• Applicants currently enrolled in any graduate program at the time of application cannot apply for Mastercard Foundation scholarship award.

International Students

Graduate scholarships are open for Somalia, Eritrea, South Sudan and Djibouti applicants who intend to be a full-time student at the University of Gondar. Applicants with first degree from a recognized University and academically talented, disadvantaged based on the criteria of disability, socioeconomic status, and are not engaged at work at all or have been engaged at work but couldn’t able to cover their study expenses will be eligible for the scholarship. Specifically, to be eligible to apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program’s graduate scholarship, applicants must meet the below listed criteria:

• Earned a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline relevant to their proposed graduate program from recognized University using English as a medium of instruction in the past 5 years with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 (on a 4.0 scale) at graduation;
• Be citizen and permanent resident of Somalia, Eritrea, South Sudan or Djibouti (and residents of the respective countries for at least five years at the time of their application);
• Youth applicants with disabilities;
• Female applicants with financial difficulty to finance graduate university education.
• Earned a pass mark on the Graduate Admission Test (GAT) administered by the Ethiopian Ministry of
  Education.

Benefits

• The scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, accommodation/boarding, a stipend and additional expenses such as books. The scholarship also includes academic, financial and social support to help awardees develop into capable leaders in their communities, and experiential activities such as summer camps.

Application Procedure:

The application form must be accompanied by the following documents:

• A medical paper signed by the Health/Hospital Board attesting to your disability type and degree, if you have been assessed by a health professional

• Completed and signed Scholarship Application Form;
• Detailed resume of academic, non‐academic and volunteer work;
• All elementary, high school and university transcripts/student copy;
• Two letters of recommendations from previous universities;
• National and/or resident identification card, or passport;
• Testimonials regarding their economic disadvantage (for Kebele/Woreda Administrator);
• Letter from District Police Office regarding their criminal record; and,
• Testimonial about voluntary community giveback and leadership.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the University of Gondar Mastercard Foundation Graduate Scholars Program