The UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship provides comprehensive support to eligible African students pursuing selected master’s degrees at the University of California, Berkeley.
But there is an important detail to understand before you apply: you do not begin with a separate Mastercard Foundation scholarship application. You first apply to an eligible Berkeley master’s programme through the university’s regular graduate admissions process. Eligible applicants may then be nominated for scholarship consideration and invited to complete a supplemental application.
That sequence, along with your choice of programme and application round, can determine whether you remain eligible for consideration.
UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at a Glance
| Detail | Current information |
|---|---|
| University | University of California, Berkeley |
| Study level | Master’s |
| Eligible applicants | Eligible citizens of African countries |
| Eligible programmes | Selected Berkeley master’s programmes |
| Funding | Comprehensive scholarship support |
| Initial application | Berkeley graduate admission application |
| Scholarship application | Supplemental application after nomination |
| Selection route | Programme nomination → supplemental application → interview → final decision |
| Current recruitment | Berkeley plans to recruit Scholars through fall 2028 |
How the UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Actually Works
The easiest way to understand the opportunity is to follow the applicant journey:
Choose an eligible master’s programme → Apply to Berkeley → Programme nomination → Supplemental scholarship application → Interview → Final decision
You therefore need to satisfy two sets of requirements: the admission requirements for your chosen Berkeley master’s programme and the eligibility criteria for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
After Berkeley receives applications, participating graduate programmes identify candidates for scholarship consideration and nominate them. Being eligible does not guarantee nomination, and admission to Berkeley does not automatically guarantee the scholarship.
Nominated candidates are then invited to complete a supplemental Mastercard Foundation application. Selected candidates proceed to an online interview before final scholarship decisions are made.
This is the key point to remember:
You apply to Berkeley first. You do not begin by applying directly to the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
That means your application strategy should start with the right Berkeley programme and the right admission deadline, not with a search for a separate scholarship form.
Who Is Eligible?
The Berkeley Scholars Program is designed for applicants from Africa, but African citizenship alone does not make someone eligible.
The main criteria include:
- being a citizen of an African country, including Africans who have been forcibly displaced or have refugee status within Africa;
- demonstrating academic talent;
- demonstrating leadership potential;
- having experienced significant barriers to accessing higher education;
- showing a commitment to giving back to your community, country or continent; and
- expressing the desire and intention to return to your home country after completing your studies and post-graduation training.
Berkeley excludes applicants with dual citizenship, asylee, refugee or permanent-resident status in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom or the European Union.
Priority considerations
Berkeley says that, all other things being equal, it gives priority to candidates who:
- completed their undergraduate degree at an African university;
- do not already have a postgraduate degree; and
- have not previously benefited from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
These are priority considerations rather than automatically separate eligibility requirements. An applicant should therefore distinguish between what Berkeley requires and what may strengthen their position during selection.
Berkeley also emphasizes that there are more qualified candidates than available places, so meeting the basic criteria does not guarantee selection.
Which UC Berkeley Master’s Programs Are Eligible?
Not every Berkeley master’s programme participates in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
The current eligible list includes selected degrees across business, education, engineering, design, architecture, journalism, law, information, natural resources, public health, public policy, social welfare and other fields.
Examples include:
- MBA
- MA in Education
- MEng and selected engineering master’s programmes
- MDevEng
- MDes
- MArch
- MIMS
- Journalism (MJ)
- traditional LLM
- selected master’s programmes in the College of Letters and Science
- selected natural-resources programmes
- selected MPH and related public-health degrees
- MDP and MPP
- MSW
The exact degree matters, however. Berkeley also has programme-specific conditions. For example, the Journalism programme only considers applicants who meet its Round 1 deadline, while the MBA has an additional funding process through Haas. Berkeley also states that it only makes Mastercard Foundation awards for master’s programmes that take two years or less; concurrent and dual-degree programmes are therefore not eligible.
Do not assume that a master’s degree qualifies simply because Berkeley offers it.
Before applying, verify your exact programme against Berkeley’s current Mastercard Foundation eligible-programme list and its own admission requirements.
At this point, you should be able to answer three questions:
- Am I eligible for the Scholars Program?
- Is my intended master’s programme eligible?
- Which admission deadline and round must I meet?
If you cannot answer all three, you are not ready to submit the application.
What Does the Scholarship Cover?
The Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program provides a comprehensive scholarship equivalent to the costs associated with earning a master’s degree.
Berkeley says the support includes:
- tuition;
- Berkeley student fees;
- travel;
- visa and SEVIS fees;
- housing;
- food and living expenses; and
- cohort programmes focused on leadership and entrepreneurship.
Scholars in master’s programmes longer than two semesters are also expected to undertake an internship in Africa during their studies. Berkeley says the programme assists with identifying opportunities and covers round-trip airfare and provides a stipend to help with living costs during the internship.
Berkeley does not present one universal dollar amount for every Scholar. That makes it misleading to reduce the opportunity to a single “scholarship amount” without explaining what the figure represents.
What Is the Deadline for the 2027 Scholarship?
There is no single universal deadline for the Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship.
Your relevant deadline is determined by the Berkeley master’s programme you intend to study. Berkeley’s Fall 2027 graduate application opened on September 24, 2026, but individual programmes set their own deadlines and requirements.
The more important issue is the admission round.
If your programme has multiple admission rounds with staggered deadlines, Berkeley says that only applicants who submit in the first round before January can be considered for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
So a programme remaining open for a later round does not necessarily mean that you can still qualify for scholarship consideration.
The November 15 fee-waiver checkpoint
Applicants who may need an application fee waiver should pay particular attention to November 15.
Berkeley’s Mastercard Foundation application guidance says applicants from African countries who complete the basic demographic information and provide the names of at least two recommenders in the Berkeley graduate application by November 15 will receive an invitation by email to apply for a limited number of application fee waivers. Berkeley says applicants will be informed of fee-waiver decisions before December 1.
This is an invitation to apply, not a guarantee that every applicant receives a waiver.
The practical lesson is simple: do not wait for your programme’s final deadline before beginning the application if you need this fee-waiver opportunity.
How to Apply: The Complete Process
1. Confirm your eligibility
Check your citizenship, academic background, leadership profile, educational barriers and other Mastercard Foundation criteria.
2. Choose an eligible master’s programme
Confirm that your exact Berkeley degree participates in the Scholars Program.
3. Check the programme’s deadline
Use Berkeley’s Graduate Division and the programme’s own admissions page. If there are multiple rounds, work with the first round for Mastercard Foundation consideration.
4. Prepare your Berkeley application
Follow the requirements for your specific master’s programme. Your primary application at this stage is a graduate admission application, not the Mastercard Foundation scholarship application.
5. Complete the fee-waiver process if applicable
If you need a fee waiver, make sure you meet the November 15 requirements for the invitation described above.
6. Submit your Berkeley application
Submit the complete application by the appropriate programme deadline.
7. Wait for programme nomination
Participating Berkeley graduate programmes identify and nominate candidates for Scholars Program consideration.
8. Complete the supplemental scholarship application if invited
Berkeley says nominated candidates are invited in February to complete the supplemental application.
9. Attend the interview if selected
Selected candidates are invited to an online interview in March.
10. Await the final decision
Berkeley says final Scholars Program decisions are communicated in late March or early April.
The important distinction is that Berkeley admission and Mastercard Foundation selection are separate decisions. Your goal is therefore to submit a strong, eligible Berkeley application while following the scholarship’s additional requirements and deadlines.
8 Mistakes Applicants Should Avoid
1. Applying directly to the Mastercard Foundation first
Your application starts with an eligible Berkeley master’s programme.
2. Assuming every Berkeley master’s qualifies
Only selected programmes participate. Verify your exact degree.
3. Applying in a later admission round
If your programme has multiple rounds, a later application may leave you outside Mastercard Foundation consideration.
4. Searching for one universal scholarship deadline
Your programme determines the relevant Berkeley deadline.
5. Assuming Berkeley admission guarantees the scholarship
Admission and scholarship selection are separate decisions.
6. Treating priority factors as absolute requirements
Priority considerations are not automatically the same as mandatory eligibility requirements.
7. Assuming “fully funded” means one fixed cash award
The programme describes comprehensive support across specific cost categories rather than one universal cash amount.
8. Waiting until the final deadline to begin
The November 15 fee-waiver checkpoint and first-round requirements make early preparation important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply directly for the UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship?
No. You first apply to an eligible Berkeley master’s programme. Candidates nominated for scholarship consideration are subsequently invited to complete the supplemental application.
Does Berkeley admission guarantee the scholarship?
No. Berkeley admission and Mastercard Foundation selection are separate stages.
Is there one deadline for the scholarship?
No. The relevant deadline depends on your Berkeley master’s programme and, where applicable, its admission-round structure.
Can I choose any Berkeley master’s programme?
No. Only selected master’s programmes participate in the Scholars Program.
Is the scholarship fully funded?
Berkeley describes it as a comprehensive scholarship covering major costs associated with earning a master’s degree, including tuition, fees, travel, visa and SEVIS fees, housing, food and living expenses.
What happens after Berkeley nominates me?
Nominated candidates are invited to complete the supplemental scholarship application. Selected candidates then proceed to an online interview before final decisions are made.
Final Application Checklist
Before submitting your application, confirm that:
- ☐ You meet the Mastercard Foundation eligibility requirements.
- ☐ Your exact Berkeley master’s programme is eligible.
- ☐ You have checked the programme’s Fall 2027 deadline.
- ☐ You understand its admission-round structure.
- ☐ You are applying in the first round if required for Scholars Program consideration.
- ☐ You have reviewed the November 15 fee-waiver requirements if applicable.
- ☐ Your recommenders and application materials are ready.
- ☐ You understand that your first application is to Berkeley, not directly to the Mastercard Foundation.
- ☐ You understand that Berkeley admission does not guarantee the scholarship.
Key Takeaways
The UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship is not a conventional scholarship with one application form and one deadline. It is a scholarship pathway connected to Berkeley’s graduate admissions process.
For an eligible African applicant, the most important decisions happen before the scholarship application itself: choose an eligible master’s programme, understand its admission requirements and deadline, and apply in the correct round.
If you are considering Berkeley for 2027, start with the programme—not the scholarship form.
For more details, visit the official scholarship resouces:
UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program — eligibility and scholarship process.
UC Berkeley Graduate Division — graduate application and programme requirements.
