Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program — University of British Columbia (UBC)

 

🇨🇦 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program — University of British Columbia (UBC)

The University of British Columbia (UBC) in Canada has a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program specifically supporting African students pursuing selected master's degrees. UBC's current phase is expected to support 351 graduate students from Africa between 2024 and 2034. (Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program)

🎓 2027 intake — important update

For the Winter 2027 intake, applications are scheduled to open 31 August 2026. The first step is an Expression of Interest (EOI), due by 6 September 2026. Eligible applicants will then be invited to submit the full Mastercard Foundation application between 15–30 September 2026. (Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program)

Eligible master's programmes

For the current 2027 intake, UBC lists these eligible programmes:

Faculty of Forestry

• Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM)

• Master of International Forestry (MIF)

• Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL)

• Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management (MGEM)

• MSc/MASc in Forestry — thesis-based

Faculty of Land and Food Systems

• Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE)

• Master of Food Science (MFS)

Faculty of Science

• Master of Data Science

These are the programmes currently specified by UBC for the Mastercard Foundation graduate scholarship. (Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program)

💰 What does UBC Mastercard cover?

The scholarship provides comprehensive support, including:

• Full tuition and books

• Flights and immigration support

• Accommodation/room and board

• Living-expense stipend

• Health insurance

• Career services and support

• Access to the Mastercard Foundation alumni network

• Social Entrepreneurship Fund opportunities for scholars interested in ventures in Africa (Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program)

✅ Main eligibility requirements

For the master's programme, an applicant must:

• Have completed a Bachelor's degree

• Not already have a Master's degree

• Be 35 years old or younger at the time of application

• Be a citizen or refugee of an African country

• Apply for one of UBC's eligible master's programmes

• Meet the academic requirements for the chosen programme (Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program)

UBC also assesses applicants on academic merit, transformative leadership, community service, alignment with the programme theme, and potential impact on their home country. (Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program)

🇹🇿 Can Tanzanians apply?

Yes. Tanzania is an African country and UBC's Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program has previously included Tanzanian scholars. (Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program)

📅 UBC 2027 timeline

Stage	Date
EOI opens	31 August 2026
EOI deadline	6 September 2026
Invitation to full scholarship application	15–30 September 2026
Faculty application	1–20 November 2026
Interviews	December 2026–January 2027
Scholarship offers	February 2027
Arrival in Vancouver	August 2027

(Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program)

Best UBC options by field:

• 🌲 Forestry/environment → MSFM / MIF / MGEM

• 🌾 Agriculture/food → MFRE / MFS

• 💻 Technology/data → Master of Data Science

Official UBC Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application information