MasterCard
Foundation is offering scholarships for Sub-Saharan African students at the
University of Cape Town (UCT). Up to 42 scholarships (13 undergraduate and 29
Masters) are available for students who intend to commence with their first
year of registration for full-time undergraduate and masters study.
The
vision of the Program is to transition promising young people from
beneficiaries to benefactors, preparing them with the necessary values,
knowledge, skills, and leadership to fuel economic and social progress across
Africa.
The
MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program is a 10-year global initiative to educate
and develop the next generation leaders who will contribute to social and
economic progress, particularly in Africa.
The
medium of instruction and examination at UCT is English. International
applicants for whom English is a second language have to pass specific language
tests.
Course
Level: Scholarships are available for
pursuing an undergraduate and postgraduate programme at the University of
Cape Town (UCT).
Study
Subject: Scholarships are awarded in the
fields of Commerce, Engineering and Built Environment, Health Sciences,
Humanities, Law or Sciences at the University of Cape Town.
Scholarship
Award: The scholarships are considered to
be full-cost and will include full cover for the following:
- Visa costs
- Transport costs to and from South Africa
- Full tuition and international student fees
- Full accommodation, subsistence and living expenses
- Research costs as approved or recommended by UCT and the Foundation
- Access to internship opportunities and cover of related costs
- Medical aid
Scholarship
can be taken in South Africa
Eligibility:
In order to be considered for the
MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Cape Town,
applicants must be:
- Academically talented, must value learning and be driven to complete their education.
- Economically disadvantaged and facing significant financial barriers to accessing education.
- Committed to giving back to their own communities once studies are completed, to return to their home countries and take a leadership role in promoting social and economic improvement.
- Future leaders committed to embracing ethical leadership to improve the lives of others.
- Commitment to community service through previous and/or past engagements with community outreach activities
- Citizens and residents of a Sub-Saharan African country.
- Wanting to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level (Masters by research and coursework or research Masters, only). Honours applicants will be considered from 2016.
- Applying to study in the fields of Commerce, Engineering and Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law or Sciences at the University of Cape Town.
- All prospective Scholars must first be admitted to the University of Cape Town to be considered for the Scholarship. Although each academic department has its own criteria, a minimum of 60% for the Honours, or equivalent degree is the overall academic criterion required for entry into the Masters’ degree.
- Preference will be given to ‘first-generation’ students, i.e. those who are the first ones in their families to go to university.
Nationality:
Citizens and residents of a
Sub-Saharan African country can apply.
College
Admission Requirement
Entrance
Requirement: Each academic department has its own criteria, a minimum of 60%
for the Honours, or equivalent degree is the overall academic criterion
required for entry into the Masters’ degree.
Test
Requirement: No
English
Language Requirement: The medium of instruction and examination at UCT is
English. International applicants for whom English is a second language are
required to submit one of the following:
- A recent score (obtained within 3 – 5 years before application for admission) of at least 570 (paper-based test) or 230 (computer-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- A recent overall band score of 7.0 (with no individual element of the test scoring below 6.0) on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
- Or, noting that this may only be written at certain designated venues within South Africa, a score of at least 65% on the university’s Placement Test in English for Educational Purposes (PTEEP).
South
Africa Scholarships
How
to apply: In order to apply for The MasterCard
Foundation Scholars Program, applicants must first apply to the UCT for
academic study and placement. At the point of selection, the applicant should
have a conditional/firm offer from the University of Cape Town. The following
required supporting documents must be attached/uploaded to the undergraduate
scholarship application form:
- Certified copy of Identity Document, Passport or Refugee Papers
- Applicant’s Curriculum Vitae
(CV) of no more than two (2) A4 pages using the following points as
context:
-Participation in Extra-Curricular Activities
-Skills and Interests
-Academic and/or Professional Experience - Certified copies of all Secondary education transcripts
- Applicants will be required to produce translated copies of all academic transcripts where English is not the primary language
- 2 Academic Referee Reports
- Academic referee reports must be presented in the English language
- Referees may attach additional pages or documentation in support of the recommendation on the official institutional letterhead with original signature, stamp and date in support of the applicant
- Applicants’ are required to
submit an essay of no more than 2000 words using the following points as
context:
-In which ways do you envisage contributing to the economic growth and social development of your country and Africa on completion of your studies, using your education as leverage?
-Explain any community service activities you have been involved in.
-List the qualities that, for you, define leadership and elaborate on leadership initiatives that you have undertaken.
Application
Deadline: The application deadline is 30
September 2016.