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McGill University Mastercard Scholarship strives to select academically talented young leaders from all countries to access a world-class university education, with comprehensive support systems in place to help them succeed.
The 2026 McGill University Scholarship funded by the Mastercard Foundation covers the full fees of tuition, accommodation, flight, living expenses, feeding, books, laptop, and all other study-related expenses
- Be admissible to one of the eligible programs at McGill University.
- Have NEVER registered for, nor completed a master’s degree.
- Be a citizen of and live in a Sub-Saharan African Country (view eligible countries).
- Have a valid passport and be admissible to Canada as an International Student (requiring a Study Permit). Those with dual citizenship, asylee, refugee or permanent resident status in the US, Canada, UK or EU are not eligible.
- Have an exceptional record of service, leadership, and activity in your school and/or community.
- Demonstrate a desire to give back to your home community.
- Must be less than 35 years old at the time of application.
Applicants with First Class Honors or equivalent have a stronger chance of being admitted.
- Pre-arrival and immigration support
- Full international student tuition
- On-campus housing
- Personal monthly stipend (food, personal expenses, transportation, etc.)
- Academic tools and resources (book allowance, laptop, tutoring, etc.)
- A tailored leadership and professional development program
- Post-graduation transition expenses (ex. convocation regalia, return flight, etc.)
Deadline: August 31, 2025
Eligible Countries: All Countries
Type: Postgraduate
Host Country: Canada
How to Apply
- Determine your eligibility.
- Register and attend one of the five information sessions to receive the link to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form.
- Complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Application Form*.
- Once your application is pre-screened, provide additional documentation as requested by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program team.
- Successful pre-screened applicants will be invited to apply to McGill University. Successful applicants will receive a fee waiver and detailed instructions on how to apply for admission to McGill.
*You must apply to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program first. Only once you have been successfully pre-screened will you be invited to apply to your chosen program of study through the McGill admissions process.
The Program will not accept applications submitted outside the set application process.
Applicants who have previously applied to McGill University and deferred their offer of admission will have to reapply to the scholarship to be considered.
Next Steps
Application Timeline
Please note that the application timeline is subject to change depending on the volume of applications received.
| Date | Action |
| July 3 – July 28, 2025, | Prospective applicants should attend a virtual info session to learn more about the eligibility requirements and application process. |
| August 4, 2025 (9:00 a.m. EST) | Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program applications open. |
| August 31, 2025 (4:00 p.m. EST) | Applications close. All applicants must have completed the first stage of the application and eligibility assessment. Applications will not be accepted beyond this date. |
| September 1 – *December 10, 2025 | Only successful pre-screened applicants will be invited to move on to the McGill University application for admission stage. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified. *Public Health and Biostatistics applicants will be notified by November 15th |
| December 1, 2025 | Application deadline for programs in Public Health and Biostatistics. |
| January 15, 2025 | Application deadline for all other programs. |
| Early to mid-February 2025 | Successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified of their admission decision to McGill. |
| Mid-February – end of March 2025 | The McGill Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Committee will select scholarship recipients. |
Selection Process
The selection process for applications is based on the following criteria:
- Academic merit of the candidate that qualifies for admission to McGill University.
- Track record as a transformative leader and person of service within their community.
- Quality of application in line with the Mastercard Foundation ethos and values of the McGill Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at McGill.
- Potential impact on the development of the applicant’s home country.
- Applicants who have faced significant barriers to education (social, financial, personal, practical or health-related)
