American University in Cairo (AUC) Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

Applications are now open for the 2027 American University of Cairo (AUC) Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at American University of Cairo (AUC) provides full scholarships and comprehensive support to talented young people from across Africa, enabling them to pursue higher education while developing their leadership potential and capacity to create positive impact. 

As part of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Mastercard Foundation Scholars participate in leadership development activities, workshops, and fieldwork experiences that equip them to become agents of meaningful change in their communities, countries, and across the continent.

To be eligible for the AUC Mastercard Scholars Program, you must meet the following criteria;

• Nationality and Residency: Must be a citizen of one or more African countries (including North Africa) and currently reside in an African country.

• Major: Any

• High school graduates in the academic year 2025-2026. Transfer students are not eligible.  

• Meet AUC’s admission requirements.

• Demonstrate high academic achievement.

• Demonstrate financial need.

• Demonstrate active involvement in extracurricular activities.

• Must pass either the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum band score of 5.5 and a writing score of 5.5, or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum total score of 62 (4-new scale) and writing score of 17 (4.5-new scale), or the Duolingo test with a minimum score of 115.

Master's Scholarship Requirements

• Be currently residing in an African country and in possession of citizenship of at least one African country.

• Be aged 35 or younger at the time of application.

• Be a new graduate degree-seeking student, satisfying AUC graduate admissions requirements. Transfers are not eligible for this fellowship.

• Have a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent.

• Showcase financial need.

Responsibilities of Fellows (Master's Scholars)

• Must maintain full-time status

• Must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2

• Fellows are assigned 12 hours per week of related academic work

• A teaching assistantship mandatory training must be completed per University requirements if the fellow is involved in teaching assistantship duties. For details and more information about teaching assistantships, click here.

• Fellows must respond to any reporting requests received from AUC or the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by the deadlines communicated.

• Fellows must attend all supplemental workshops designed by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, including but not limited to, customized workshops related to leadership, civic engagement and entrepreneurship

The scholarship covers;

• Tuition fees for nine credits per semester

• Stipend during the fall and spring semesters

• One laptop is provided 

• Student services and activities fees

• Medical services and health insurance fees

• Accommodation in University dorms/residence for those residing outside of Cairo

• AUC bus subscription (or travel allowance)

• May cover remedial English modules or intensive English courses 

• Roundtrip airfare provided for fellows not residing in Egypt

• Some candidates may be eligible for additional funding to cover research, publication fees, and conference attendance 

• Special software subscriptions or IT purchases for those with disabilities

To apply for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the American University of Cairo (AUC), interested and qualified candidates should;

• 1

  Apply for an undergraduate/postgraduate (master's) program at the American University of Cairo (AUC).

• 2

  For Masters applicats, submit the official Mastercard Foundation Scholars online application by the deadline.

• 3

  For undergraduates, check "Yes" that you would like to be considered for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

• 4

  You may be required to submit additional paperwork to be considered.

• 5

  For inquiries, send an email to mastercardfdn@aucegypt.edu.

Click Here To Apply (Undergraduates) | Click Here To Apply (Postgraduates)