Damilola MariamThe Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda 2026/2027 is officially open, and undergraduate applications close on 12 October 2026 at 11:59 PM Kigali time. The University of Rwanda, working with the Mastercard Foundation, is recruiting its fifth cohort of scholars for 170 fully funded places. The package covers tuition, on-campus accommodation, a laptop, learning materials, a return ticket allowance, and a monthly stipend.
If you want a degree without student loans, this call deserves your attention today. This guide explains who qualifies, which programmes are included, how to apply through the official recruitment portal, and how the scholarship compares with other ways of paying for university.
Quick Facts About the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda
- Provider: Mastercard Foundation, managed by the University of Rwanda
- Level: Undergraduate (Cohort 5)
- Academic year: 2026/2027
- Places available: 170
- Deadline: 12 October 2026, 11:59 PM Kigali time
- Application: Online only, with no application fee
What Is This Scholarship About?
The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda supports academically talented, service-oriented young people who still face social and economic barriers to higher education. The goal is simple. Give scholars a quality education, a smooth move into dignified work, and the leadership skills to change their communities.
Cohort 5 of the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda is aimed at recent high school graduates. It also offers a second chance to applicants who missed earlier cycles and have not found another route into university. The call puts special focus on young women in STEM, young people with disabilities, refugees, and displaced youth.
You can read more about the funder on the Mastercard Foundation website and about the host institution on the University of Rwanda website.
Benefits of the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda
Most scholarships pay tuition and leave you to handle everything else. The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda is broader, which matters when you count the real cost of living while studying.
- Full tuition fees
- On-campus accommodation
- A laptop
- Learning materials
- An annual return ticket allowance
- A monthly stipend
- Psycho-social support services
- Internships with industry partners
- Academic mentorship, virtual learning, and tutoring
- Career, enterprise, and leadership development
- Access to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars alumni and global scholars community
Funding continues subject to satisfactory academic performance and annual renewal. Scholars are also expected to stay in close contact with the University of Rwanda for at least five years after graduating.
Who Can Apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda?
Read this section slowly. Missing one requirement can end an application before anyone reviews it.
Citizenship and background: Rwandan citizens can benefit from the national scholarship quota. Citizens of other African countries, refugees, and displaced young people in Africa also fall within the target group. You should be academically qualified, face limited access to opportunities, and show commitment to leadership and community engagement.
Age: You should be no older than 28 at the time of application. Applicants with certified proof of protracted life conditions, such as refugees, single mothers, and child-headed households, may qualify up to age 30.
University admission: You must meet the admission requirements for an eligible programme. You also need a UR Reference Number and an admission application already submitted. The scholarship form does not replace your admission application.
Proof of status: Refugees and applicants with disabilities should provide legal proof of status from UNHCR, NCPD, or another recognised organisation.
Eligible Programmes and Scholarship Numbers by Campus
The 170 places in the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda are spread across several campuses. Medicine and health sciences take the largest share.
| Campus | College | Scholarships |
|---|---|---|
| Nyarugenge | Science and Technology | 41 |
| Huye | Medicine and Health Sciences | 87 |
| Huye | Business and Economics | 8 |
| Huye | Arts and Social Studies | 8 |
| Busogo | Agriculture, Forestry and Food Sciences | 9 |
| Nyagatare | Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences | 9 |
| Rukara | Education | 8 |
Science and Technology includes Civil Engineering, Electrical Power Engineering, Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Transportation Engineering, Architecture, Mining Engineering, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, Information Systems, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics, Biochemistry, and Urban and Regional Planning.
Medicine and Health Sciences includes Medicine and Surgery, Pharmacy, Clinical Psychology, Dental Therapy, Anaesthesia, Midwifery, and Nursing.
Business and Economics includes Economics, Transport and Logistics Management, Business Information Technology, and Accounting and Finance.
Other colleges cover Law, Social Work, Creative and Performing Arts, Crop Production, Food Science and Technology, Horticulture, Aquaculture, Animal Production, Veterinary Medicine, and education degrees such as Special Needs Education and Early Childhood Education.
Most programmes have only two or three places, so competition is tighter in smaller courses. Check the full list in the signed call before you choose.
Scholarship vs Student Loan vs Self-Funding
Money decisions shape the next decade, so here is how the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda compares with the main alternatives.
| Factor | Mastercard Foundation Scholarship | Student loan | Self-funded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | Fully covered | Borrowed and repaid with interest | Paid from savings or family income |
| Housing and living costs | On-campus housing and monthly stipend | Often borrowed on top of tuition | Paid out of pocket |
| Debt after graduation | None from this program | Repayment begins after studies | Depends on how funds were raised |
| Career support | Internships, mentorship, alumni network | Rarely included | Rarely included |
| Entry difficulty | Highly selective | Credit checks or guarantors often required | No selection process |
| Financial pressure | Front-loaded in the application | Spread over years of repayment | Constant throughout the degree |
The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda clearly wins on cost. The tradeoff is competition, because 170 places across many programmes means strong applications matter. Graduates without loan repayments can take a lower-paying internship that leads somewhere, start a business, or go on to postgraduate study without carrying debt.
Quick tip: do not wait for your loan or family funding to fall through. Submit this application as well. It costs nothing, and the call states that no fees are charged at any stage. For more options while you wait, browse our latest scholarships for African students.
How to Apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda
The application is entirely online. Follow this sequence.
- Generate your UR Reference Number and apply for admission to an eligible programme.
- Read the full signed Call for Applications before you begin.
- Open the official recruitment platform.
- Prepare your supporting documents first. You can start the form while you gather them.
- Complete the form carefully, using an active phone number and email address, because the team will use them to contact you.
- Save each document as a PDF within the stated file size limit, and name each file with your own name and reference number.
- Review every field and attachment.
- Submit before 11:59 PM Kigali time on 12 October 2026.
If your connection is weak, complete the final upload on a stable network. Deadline-day traffic can slow any portal.
What Happens After You Apply
Shortlisted applicants for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda may be invited to an oral interview before an independent panel. The program also indicates that selected applicants may receive on-site visits to their homes as part of the assessment.
The call states plainly that no charges, fees, facilitation, agents, or intermediaries are needed at any stage. Anyone asking you to pay for a place is not acting for the program. Providing false information or trying to influence the process can lead to disqualification.
Helpful next step: make a checklist today with your UR Reference Number, admission status, documents, portal login, and a personal deadline two days before the real one.
Tips for a Stronger Application
Competition for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda is real, so small details matter.
Be specific about your barrier. Explain what stands between you and a degree, whether financial, social, or both. Honest detail beats general hardship language.
Show leadership in small actions. Tutoring younger students, running a club, helping in a family business, or organising a community clean-up all count. Real examples matter more than big claims.
Link your course to a goal. A student who wants to study civil engineering to improve road infrastructure, or pharmacy to improve access to medicine, gives reviewers a clearer picture than someone who only names a preferred course.
Check every document. Names, dates, and reference numbers should match across your forms and PDFs.
Planning Your Finances Beyond the Scholarship
Even with the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda covering the major costs, good money habits still help. Open a student bank account with low fees and a mobile app so your stipend is easy to track. If you are moving from another country, ask about international transfers and currency exchange before you need them. Learn basic budgeting early, because a monthly stipend rewards planning.
Understand what health insurance coverage you have alongside the program’s support services. Build a marketable skill during your degree, such as data analysis, coding, design, or technical writing. Remote work and freelance income are growing across Africa, and graduates who start early often leave university with both a qualification and a record of paid work. For ideas, see our guides on studying and working in Africa.
Who to Contact
For questions about the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda, including admission and registration, contact the University of Rwanda admissions office at admissions@ur.ac.rw or +250 788 736 530. The Registrar’s office is at registrar@ur.ac.rw. Always rely on official University of Rwanda channels and the signed call for final details, since requirements can be updated.
Conclusion
The Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at University of Rwanda offers 170 fully funded undergraduate places, with tuition, housing, a laptop, a monthly stipend, internships, and a global alumni network included. The deadline is 12 October 2026 at 11:59 PM Kigali time. You need a UR Reference Number, an admission application in an eligible programme, and your documents saved as correctly named PDFs.
With only days left, the smartest move is to start now. Confirm your admission status, read the signed call in full, gather your documents, and open the application at mcfsprecruitment.ur.ac.rw today. Then share this guide with a friend or sibling who could use it. A fully funded degree is rare, and a few focused hours this week could change the next four years.
Damilola Mariam
Francis
