Applications are open for the 2027/2028 University of British Columbia (UBC) Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, offering academically talented young people from Africa an opportunity to pursue selected master’s degree programs in Canada with comprehensive financial support.

The program aims to equip young African scholars with advanced knowledge, professional skills and experiences that can contribute to economic development and social transformation in their communities and across Africa. A total of 351 scholars are expected to benefit from the program.

Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree and must not already hold a master’s degree. They must be 35 years old or younger at the time of application, meaning applicants should have been born in 1990 or later. The opportunity is open to citizens and refugees of African countries who are applying for one of the eligible master’s programs at UBC.

Candidates must also satisfy the minimum academic requirements for their chosen program. Applicants are encouraged to check UBC’s country-specific academic requirements for international graduate applicants to confirm that their previous qualifications meet the required standard.

Where a candidate’s bachelor’s degree was not taught in English, they may need to provide proof of English proficiency through an accepted examination such as IELTS or TOEFL. Applicants should check UBC’s English-language requirements to determine whether they need to take a test.

The scholarship is available only for selected programs offered through the Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Faculty of Forestry and Faculty of Science. Eligible programs include the Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE), Master of Food Science (MFS), Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM), Master of International Forestry (MIF), Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL), Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management (MGEM), Master of Science or Master of Applied Science in Forestry (thesis-based), and the Master of Data Science.

Interested candidates must first submit an Expression of Interest by September 6, 2026. There are separate submission routes for the general stream and for refugees and displaced persons.

Candidates who meet the initial requirements may then be invited to submit a full Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application between September 15 and September 30, 2026. The selection process considers academic merit, evidence of transformative leadership and community service, the quality of the application in relation to the program theme, and the applicant’s potential to contribute to the development of their home country.

The full scholarship application requires applicants to complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form, provide concise responses to the personal statement questions, submit a CV or résumé, provide two reference letters on official letterhead, and upload their academic transcripts. Reference letters should be attached to the application and should not be sent by email.

Successful candidates who complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application will receive instructions on proceeding with the relevant UBC faculty application. Applicants selected for this stage must submit their UBC faculty application between November 1 and November 20, 2026. Late applications will not be considered.

Applicants may qualify for an application fee waiver if their citizenship and correspondence address are in one of the United Nations’ 50 least developed countries. Candidates whose country does not qualify may request a fee waiver during the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application process. Those invited to the faculty application stage will receive further instructions on using the waiver. Applicants should request the waiver before paying the application fee because UBC cannot refund fees paid without first applying for an eligible waiver.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is designed for students who demonstrate strong academic potential alongside leadership, community engagement and a clear commitment to creating positive change. Applicants should therefore highlight not only their academic achievements but also the ways their education and future career can contribute to development in Africa.

Deadline to submit Expression of Interest: September 6, 2026

Full scholarship application period for invited candidates: September 15–30, 2026

UBC Faculty application period: November 1–20, 2026

Study destination: Canada

University: University of British Columbia

Level: Master’s degree

Funding: Fully funded

Eligible applicants: Citizens and refugees of African countries

Eligible fields: Food and resource economics, food science, sustainable forest management, international forestry, urban forestry, geomatics for environmental management, forestry and data science.

Interested applicants should review the official UBC information carefully and submit their Expression of Interest before the September 6, 2026 deadline.

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