African Leadership College of Higher Education (ALCHE) Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Applications are now open for the 2027 Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the African Leadership College of Higher Education (ALCHE).

The scholarship is in line with one of ALCHE's objectives: to make education accessible to potential future leaders across the continent from disadvantaged backgrounds by reducing the barriers between prospective students and post-secondary education.

The Scholars’ Program at ALCHE is based primarily on demonstrated financial need and high academic achievement but is also subject to meeting all other eligibility requirements and availability.

Read this post till the end to learn more about the requirements and apply!

Applicants must be otherwise unable to afford ALCHE tuition with any other form of aid. Individuals must demonstrate financial need and substantial socio-economic disadvantage, which acceptable official supporting documents can clearly verify.

Individuals meeting the following descriptions are especially encouraged to apply;

• Female applicants

• Individuals with physical or learning disabilities (see the various definitions of disabilities here and here)

• Aged 26 and below

• Be academically strong with clear potential to thrive at ALCHE

• Meet ALCHE admission criteria

• Strong National Exam Scores of at least a B average

• Applicants must demonstrate the following qualities;

  • Evidence of strong leadership potential 

• Evidence of active contribution in their communities and commitment to leverage this opportunity to give back to their communities

The Mastercard Foundation Scholarships offered at ALCHE are full-ride scholarships covering full tuition and additional financial support throughout the scholars’ journey at ALCHE. 

Step 1: Apply for Admission to ALCHE

Applicants must first begin an admissions application to ALCHE. Only applicants eligible for admission to ALCHE will be allowed to apply for the Scholarship. 

You may start your Admissions application here.

Step 2: Eligibility Check

The first part of the scholarship application process is to submit some information that will be used to determine a candidate’s eligibility for the scholarship. Only candidates who are eligible will proceed to the next step of the application process.

Step 3: Complete the Scholarship Application Form

Applicants are  required to fill in the scholarship application form and will be required  to provide details on;

• 1

  Household Income

• 2

  Personal Details such as humanitarian status and guardianship status

• 3

  Previous Education financing, such as high school tuition

• 4

  Narrative submission, where an applicant would be required to provide videos and essays on selected themes to display their capabilities better

• 5

  All applicants will be required to provide referral letters from persons in good standing in their community to support their application

• 6

  All applicants will be required to provide supporting documents to verify any information declared in the application.

Step 4: ALCHE Fitness Test

Once an applicant fills in the scholarship application form, they will then be required to complete the ALCHE Fit Challenge, which takes an average of 25 minutes and consists of a series of online exercises that will help us understand more about you as an individual and how you might fit in the ALU community and learning model. 

Step 5: Scholarship Application Review and Selection

Once the application has been submitted, the Scholarship Review Committee will review all submitted applications to determine whether an applicant may be considered for the scholarship.

For more details and guidelines, please refer to the Scholarship Application Guide.