Sciences Po Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027 for African Students in France

The scholarship is designed to address both the cost of studying and the practical challenges of moving to another country for higher education.

2. Who is eligible to apply?

The scholarship has specific eligibility conditions. Applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

Nationality

Applicants must be citizens of an African country. Nigerian citizens are eligible under this nationality requirement.

Applicants with dual citizenship that includes a country outside Africa are not eligible.

Age

Applicants must be under 35 years old on 1 September of the year in which they submit their scholarship application.

Previous education

Applicants must hold, or be completing, a Bachelor's degree from an institution included on Sciences Po's approved list of reference institutions.

There are alternative eligibility routes for certain applicants:

• Candidates with a Bachelor's degree who have completed, or are completing, an approved bridge or mentoring programme may qualify.
• Applicants with a Bachelor's degree who currently hold, or previously held, recognised UNHCR refugee status may also qualify under the stated alternative route.

This institutional requirement is important. Having a Bachelor's degree from an African university does not automatically make someone eligible. Applicants should check the official reference-institution list or confirm whether they qualify through one of the alternative routes.

Previous Master's education

Applicants must not already hold a Master's degree or currently be pursuing one.

They must also be applying to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Sciences Po for the first time.

Previous study in France

Students currently enrolled at Sciences Po are not eligible. Applicants currently enrolled in, or who have graduated from, a French higher education institution are also excluded.

3. Which programmes can applicants study?

The scholarship supports eligible students admitted to a two-year Master's programme at Sciences Po.

Sciences Po offers graduate education across several areas of the social sciences. Depending on the programme selected, students may pursue studies related to:

• International relations and global affairs.
• Public policy and public administration.
• Political science and governance.
• Development and international cooperation.
• Economics and public affairs.
• Environmental and social transitions.
• Human rights and international development.

Important: Not every programme at Sciences Po qualifies. One-year Master's programmes and dual-degree programmes are excluded from this scholarship route. Applicants must select an eligible two-year Master's programme.

4. Academic requirements and selection criteria

Meeting the scholarship's nationality and age conditions is not enough. Applicants must also meet Sciences Po's academic admission requirements for their chosen Master's programme.

The university publishes minimum academic results according to the country of the applicant's undergraduate institution. Candidates should consult the relevant academic requirements before submitting an application.

Beyond academic performance, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program considers the applicant's potential to contribute to Africa's social and economic development.

The selection process places emphasis on:

• Academic ability and potential to succeed in a demanding Master's programme.
• Leadership potential and the ability to influence positive change.
• Commitment to addressing challenges affecting African communities.
• Experience overcoming educational, economic, social or geographical barriers.
• Evidence of initiative, perseverance and community involvement.
• A clear connection between the chosen Master's programme and the applicant's future plans.

The programme gives particular consideration to young women, refugees and displaced persons, persons with disabilities, and applicants from isolated or underserved communities.

5. Application deadlines for the 2027 intake

Sciences Po has two important application deadlines for the 2027 admission cycle:

First deadline: 23 November 2026

Applicants who submit by this date are expected to receive their Master's admission decision by 11 February 2027.

Second deadline: 14 December 2026

Applicants who submit by this date are expected to receive their Master's admission decision by 1 April 2027.

The final Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program selection results are expected in April 2027, regardless of which of the two application deadlines the candidate uses.

Applicants should not assume that completing the scholarship eligibility assessment alone is sufficient. They must also complete the separate Master's admission application.

6. Documents to prepare

Applicants should begin preparing their documents well before the deadline.

For the scholarship eligibility assessment, the university identifies the following documents:

1. Proof of identity, such as an international passport, national identity card, UNHCR card or travel document.
2. Bachelor's degree certificate or evidence of current undergraduate studies at an approved reference institution.
3. Where applicable, documentation confirming completion of an approved bridge or mentoring programme.
4. Where applicable, documentation confirming recognised refugee status.

The Master's admission application has its own supporting-document requirements. These may include:

• Academic transcripts.
• Degree certificates.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Motivation or personal statement.
• Academic recommendation letters.
• Proof of language proficiency, where required by the chosen programme.
• Other programme-specific supporting documents.

Applicants should consult the admissions instructions for their selected Master's programme because the required documents may differ.

7. How to apply

The application process involves two separate but connected applications.

Step 1: Check your eligibility

Visit the official Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program page at Sciences Po. Review the nationality, age, previous education and approved-institution requirements.

Step 2: Check the approved institution list

Confirm that your undergraduate university appears on the approved reference-institution list. If it does not, check whether you qualify through an approved bridge or mentoring programme or the refugee-status route.

Step 3: Submit the scholarship eligibility application

Use the dedicated Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application platform to request an eligibility assessment. Eligible applicants can also request an application fee waiver for their two-year Master's application.

Step 4: Create your Master's application

You must also create an application through the Sciences Po admissions platform for an eligible two-year Master's programme.

This is essential. Submitting the scholarship eligibility application without creating the Master's application will not complete the process.

Step 5: Complete and submit your supporting documents

Prepare your academic records, personal statement, recommendations and other required documents. Sciences Po strongly advises applicants to prepare their Master's application in advance because the time allowed to complete it after eligibility confirmation may be short.

Step 6: Participate in the selection process

Applicants who meet the eligibility and Master's admission requirements may proceed to the scholarship selection process. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to an online interview.

Step 7: Await the final decision

The university will communicate the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program selection results in April 2027.

8. How to prepare a competitive application

A strong application should explain why the applicant wants to study at Sciences Po and how the proposed Master's degree connects to a specific development challenge or professional goal.

Applicants should avoid writing a generic statement about wanting to study abroad or become a leader. Instead, they should identify a real issue they have encountered or worked on and explain how their education, experience and future plans relate to addressing it.

For example, someone interested in public policy could discuss a policy challenge affecting education, healthcare or employment in their country. An applicant interested in environmental policy could explain their experience with climate adaptation, sustainable development or natural-resource management.

The application should also demonstrate a clear connection between the applicant's previous academic training, the selected Master's programme and their intended contribution after graduation.

Sciences Po specifically advises candidates to write authentically and use their own experiences and reflections. The university cautions that relying on AI-generated standardised responses may weaken the personal nature of the written assignments. Applicants should therefore prepare original statements in their own words.

9. Important things to know before applying

• The scholarship is restricted to eligible African citizens.
• Applicants must be under 35 on 1 September of the application year.
• A Bachelor's degree from an approved institution or an accepted alternative eligibility route is required.
• Applicants who already hold or are pursuing a Master's degree are not eligible.
• Only eligible two-year Master's programmes qualify; one-year and dual-degree programmes are excluded.
• Both the scholarship eligibility application and the Sciences Po Master's application must be completed.
• Admission to Sciences Po does not automatically guarantee selection for the scholarship.
• Applicants admitted to Sciences Po but not selected for the scholarship will need to find alternative funding if they still wish to enrol.