2026 AUB Mastercard Foundation Scholarship – Fully Funded Graduate Opportunity for Africans

Apply for the 2026 AUB Mastercard Foundation Scholarship for African students. Covers tuition, housing, travel, laptop, stipends & leadership training. Deadline Nov 6, 2025.

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AUB Mastercard Foundation Scholarship 2026 (Fully Funded)

The American University of Beirut (AUB), in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation, has opened applications for its 2025/26 Mastercard Scholars Program commonly referred to as the AUB Mastercard Scholarship 2026. This fully funded opportunity is designed to empower young leaders from Africa to pursue postgraduate education while gaining mentorship, leadership training, and community impact skills.

Below, you’ll find details on eligibility, benefits, application steps, and useful tips to strengthen your submission.

What Is the AUB Mastercard Foundation Scholarship?

The AUB Mastercard Scholarship is more than just financial aid it’s a holistic scholars program. In addition to covering full costs of study, it offers structured training, leadership development, internships, and networking opportunities. Scholars are groomed to return to their home countries as “agents of change.”

The program is open to students from African countries or refugees residing in Africa who wish to enroll in a graduate (especially PhD) program at AUB.

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Benefits & Coverage

As a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, you will receive:

• Full tuition for your graduate degree
• Accommodation (on-campus or approved housing)
• A monthly stipend for living expenses
• Travel costs (visa, airfare)
• Laptop and books
• Medical insurance
• Access to leadership workshops, fieldwork, internships, mentoring, tutoring, and career support

In short: all major cost barriers are covered so you can focus on your studies and development.

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Eligibility Criteria & Requirements

To be eligible, applicants must meet all of the following:

1. Be a citizen of, or refugee living in, an African country
2. Be 35 years old or younger
3. Hold a strong academic record in your previous degree
4. Demonstrate leadership potential, community commitment, and a vision to give back
5. Be committed to the full program (workshops, extra modules, etc.)
6. Prove English readiness via one of these tests:
   • TOEFL iBT
   • IELTS (Academic)
   • GRE (Verbal)
   • GMAT (Verbal)
   • Duolingo English Test (DET)
7. Submit all components: graduate application, scholarship survey, and English readiness scores

Duration & Program Structure

• The scholarship covers the full duration of the graduate program (e.g. 2–4 years for Master’s, longer for PhD).
• Besides the academic requirements, scholars will partake in extra learning modules, leadership seminars, fieldwork, internships, and regular check-ins.

How to Apply (Step-by-Step)

Here’s a clear roadmap to submitting your application:

1. Submit your AUB Graduate Application
   • Go to AUB’s online graduate admissions portal
   • Fill in all required fields and upload documents
2. Select the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
   • In your application under “Financial Opportunities,” choose this option
3. Wait for Scholarship Survey Activation
   • Within 1–3 business days after submitting your grad application, you’ll receive access to the financial aid/scholarship survey
4. Submit the AUB Financial Aid Application
   • Complete the financial aid form when it is activated
5. Provide RUSE / English readiness test scores
   • Ensure your English test results (TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) are submitted before the deadline
6. Ensure all parts are complete
   • Finalize your graduate admissions, scholarship survey, and English scores before the deadline
7. Keep track of deadline
   • The deadline for 2025/26 is November 6, 2025

Once your application is fully submitted, the AUB financial aid office will review and notify you.

Tips to Strengthen Your Application (SEO-inspired Keywords to Consider)

When writing your essays, personal statements, or leadership narratives, think about themes that align with “impact,” “community development,” “leadership,” “sustainable change,” “Africa future,” etc. These are likely keywords prospective applicants and scholarship seekers search for.

Other tips:

• Highlight past leadership experiences, volunteer work, and measurable outcomes
• Show vision for your home country or community and how your degree will help contribute
• Be specific about goals, timelines, and challenges faced
• Ensure your English test scores are competitive
• Proofread carefully; clarity and correct language matter

If you come from Africa and have a passion for leadership, social impact, and academic excellence, the AUB Mastercard Foundation Scholarship 2026 may be your opportunity. It removes financial burdens and gives you the tools to lead change.

Don’t wait, mark November 6, 2025 on your calendar. Start your graduate application early, gather all test scores, and submit a compelling, intentional application.

How to apply

Interested applicants should:

​Step ​1: Complete the AUB online graduate application and upload supporting documents by May 16​, 2025​.

Step ​2:  Submit RUSE ​scores by June 20, 2025.

IMPORTANT NOTE: For an application to be conside​red complete, applicants must have completed (1) the AUB online graduate application and (2) submit RUSE scores.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the American University of Beirut (AUB) Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program