About the France Sciences Po MasterCard Scholarships 2025
Since 2017, Sciences Po has partnered with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, alongside the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Edinburgh.
This partnership has enabled 138 students from Sub-Saharan Africa to enroll in social sciences degree programs at Sciences Po, aiming to cultivate a new generation of change-makers in their home countries.
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The Mastercard Foundation focuses on providing inclusive, quality education to young people in Sub-Saharan Africa and helping them secure dignified, fulfilling employment.
The Sciences Po Mastercard Scholarships are designed for students who demonstrate academic excellence and strong leadership potential but face financial challenges in accessing higher education.
These scholarships specifically target students committed to making a lasting impact on critical issues facing the continent, particularly in public policy and significant political, environmental, and societal transitions.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has three main strategic objectives: providing specialized support for students, developing their soft skills beyond the classroom, and building a strong alumni network.
As part of its ambitious new strategy, Young Africa Works, the Foundation aims to help 30 million young people in Africa secure employment and entrepreneurship opportunities by 2030.
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, which includes Sciences Po as a partner, is central to this strategy by facilitating university partnerships that provide young people in Africa access to quality education.
The Sciences Po Mastercard Scholarships offer full funding, monthly stipends, and accommodation for international students pursuing a Master’s degree in France.
France Sciences Po Mastercard Scholarships 2025 Summary
Type: Master’s Scholarships
Country of Study: France
Sponsor: Sciences Po Mastercard Scholarships
Funding Type: Fully Funded
Eligible Countries: All Sub-Saharan African Countries
Benefits: Full scholarship, monthly stipends, accommodation, airfare tickets
Deadline: December 1, 2024
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Sciences Po Mastercard Scholarships, applicants must meet all of the following criteria:
— Be a resident or citizen of a Sub-Saharan African country.
— Be legally residing in the region or able to prove temporary study or work elsewhere.
— Demonstrate a commitment to driving change in Africa and making a genuine impact in public policy and major political, environmental, and societal transitions.
— Show a demonstrable need for funding for higher education (proof of financial circumstances will be required as part of the application).
— Provide a recommendation from your university.
— Must have obtained a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (or international equivalent) by the next academic year.
— Must be applying for a two-year Master’s program at one of Sciences Po’s seven Graduate Schools.
— Applicants for one-year Master’s programs, dual degree programs, or joint Master’s programs are not eligible for the scholarship.
— Must have achieved a minimum of C1 level in French or English, depending on the program applied for (refer to the language requirements for each program). Note that programs may be taught entirely in French, entirely in English, or in both languages.
— Must not have obtained or be working toward a prior Master’s degree.
— Must be under 35 at the start of the graduate academic year.
Benefits
The Sciences Po Mastercard Scholarships cover the full cost of tuition and living expenses in France for the duration of the study at Sciences Po.
Specialized Support
In addition to funding scholars’ studies, the Sciences Po Mastercard Scholarships offer various specialized resources to assist students and ease their transition into the workforce.
Specifically, students in the program have access to:
— Support before departure, specialized assistance upon arrival, and an official welcome program.
— Reserved housing in Paris for scholarship recipients.
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— Personalized support throughout their studies to ensure the best possible experience at Sciences Po.
— Career support, including guidance to help students identify their professional goals, a careers fair focused on employment and internship opportunities in Africa, access to the university’s business incubator and its network of employers and alumni in Africa, career workshops, and participation in conferences.
— A mentoring program co-managed with the Africa Division of Sciences Po Alumni.
— Access to a wide range of general resources provided by Sciences Po to assist students at every stage of their studies.
Sciences Po Mastercard Scholarships Required Documents
To apply, candidates must be prepared to submit the following documents:
- Personal details.
- A letter of recommendation from your academic advisor to support your application. You will need to ask them to complete and sign the provided form.
- Complete information and evidence regarding your financial circumstances.
- Details about your academic record and extracurricular achievements.
- A statement outlining your experiences and perspectives on issues affecting Africa, along with your plans to drive change on the continent. The quality of this statement will be a key factor for the selection panel in awarding scholarships.
How to Apply
You can apply for the 2024 Sciences Po MasterCard Scholarships by following this step-by-step guide:
Step 1: Check Eligibility for the Scholarship
First, verify your eligibility by providing the required information on the scholarship website.
After submitting your application, our staff will review it and inform you of your eligibility status. If you qualify for the MasterCard Foundation Scholarship, the processing fee for your application to Sciences Po will be waived.
You must complete this step by December 1, 2024, to ensure eligibility and fee waiver, as the application deadline for Sciences Po is December 3, 2023.
Step 2: Apply to Sciences Po (Main Admissions Procedure)
Follow the international graduate admissions procedure to apply to Sciences Po. If you meet all eligibility criteria, begin your application for Sciences Po concurrently with your request for MasterCard Foundation Scholarship eligibility.
However, you must wait for confirmation of your eligibility and the fee waiver before submitting your Sciences Po application. You can submit your application without paying the fee by the December 1, 2024 deadline.
Step 3: Admission to Sciences Po and Scholarship Allocation
You will receive the outcome of your Sciences Po application in mid-February 2025 and the scholarship results in mid-March 2024. Please note that admission to Sciences Po does not guarantee the scholarship.
If you defer your admission to the following year, you will forfeit your MasterCard Foundation Scholarship.
Deadline: December 1, 2024.
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