Applicants are currently being received for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarships at Sciences Po. The program aims to support Young from Sub-Saharan African countries to pursue their university education in France. This scholarships program fulfill the Mastercard Foundation belief that access to education should be a fundamental right for all, regardless of socio-economic circumstances.
The program is opened for candidates from developing countries willing to study at Master’s degree level in Paris, the heart of France. This scholarship program is a transformative journey that not only equips students with academic knowledge but also empowers them to become change-makers and leaders in their respective fields, promoting a more inclusive and equitable world.
Founded in 1872, The Paris Institute of Political Studies (Sciences Po) is a public research university located in Paris, France. The institution ranked 4th university worldwide and 1st in France for Politics and International Studies (2017 QS rankings). 47% of the student body comes from outside France, representing over 150 nationalities. 50% of courses are taught by professionals from the public and private sectors. Nearly 90% of graduates find a job in less than six months and 35% start their careers abroad.
Programme Details
- Host Institution: Sciences Po in France.
- Area: Available master’s degree programs at the university. Check full list below.
- Number of awards: Not specified.
- Duration: Normal duration of master’s degree program (two years).
- Target group: Open to citizens of sub-Saharan African countries.
Also Check : Japanese Government MEXT Scholarships (Master, PhD)
Mastercard Master Scholarship at Sciences Po Benefits
The Mastercard Foundation Scholarships are awarded to students from sub-Saharan African countries with an outstanding academic record and strong leadership potential, who face financial and other barriers to higher education.
The scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees at Sciences Po and living costs in France during the study period. In addition to funding scholars’ studies, Sciences Po provides a range of specialized resources to support them during the process, and to facilitate their transition into the working world. In particular, scholarship students have access to:
- Support in the run-up to their departure, specialist support on arrival and an official welcome programme.
- Housing in Paris reserved for scholarship holders.
- Personalized support throughout their studies, ensuring that every student has the best possible experience at Sciences Po.
- Careers support:
- guidance to help students identify their professional aspirations;
- a careers fair focusing on employment and internship opportunities in Africa; access to the university’s business incubator (FR) and its network of employers and alumni working in Africa;
- careers support workshops;
- participation in conferences, etc.
- A mentoring programme co-run with the Africa Division of Sciences Po Alumni.
- Access to the wide range of general resources that Sciences Po provides to guide students through every step of their studies.
Eligible Programs
Please find below, the list of eligible master’s degree program that you can use this scholarship for:
- School of Public Affairs
- Paris School of International Affairs
- Master in International Security
- Master in International Governance and Diplomacy
- Master in International Economic Policy
- Master in International Development
- Master in Human Rights and Humanitarian Action
- Master in Environmental Policy
- Master in International Energy Transitions
- Joint Master in Journalism and International Affairs
- Law School
- School of Journalism
- School of Management and Impact
- Master in International Business and Sustainability
- Master in Finance and Strategy
- Master in HR & Sustainable Governance
- Master in Communications, Media and Creative Industries
- Master Communication, médias et industries créatives (French track)
- Master in Marketing: New Luxury & Art de Vivre
- Master in Marketing and Society
- Joint Master of Law and Finance
- Urban School
- School of Research
Mastercard Master Scholarship at Sciences Po Eligibility
To apply for this Mastercard Foundation Scholarship to study in Europe, applicants must satisfy all of the following criteria:
- Be a citizen of a country in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Be under 35 at the start of the graduate academic year.
- Not have obtained or be working towards a prior Master’s degree.
- Have obtained a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (or international equivalent) by the following academic year.
- Be applying for a two-year Master’s programme at one of Sciences Po’s seven Graduate Schools. Applicants to one-year Master’s programmes, dual degree programmes or joint Master’s programmes are not eligible for the scholarship.
- Have attained a minimum of C1 level in French or English, depending on the programme you are applying for (see the language requirements for each programme). Please note that programmes are either taught entirely in French, entirely in English, or in both languages.
- Show a willingness to commit to bringing about change in Africa and making a genuine impact on the region in the areas of public policy and major political, environmental and societal transitions.
- Have a demonstrable need for higher education funding (please note that proof of your financial circumstances will be required as part of your application).
- Provide a recommendation from your university.
Similar opportunities
- Emile-Boutmy Scholarship at Sciences Po for international students;
- ENS International Selection Scholarship for All;
- Heinrich Böll Foundation scholarships in Germany.
How to Apply for the Mastercard Master Scholarship at Sciences Po
Interested applicants who would like to be considered for this foundation scholarship must follow the given instructions below to submit their applications.
Step 1: Requesting Eligibility for the Scholarship
You must first check that you are eligible for the scholarship by providing the required information on the scholarship website. Once your application has been submitted and examined, you will be informed of whether or not you are eligible for the scholarship.
If you are declared eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship, you will not have to pay the processing fee for your application to Sciences Po.
On the scholarship site, you will need to provide:
- Personal details
- A letter of recommendation from the academic advisor at your university to support your application. For this, you will need to ask the person to complete and sign this form (Word).
- Full information and evidence regarding your financial circumstances.
- Information regarding your academic record and extra-curricular attainments.
- A statement detailing your varied experiences of and view on issues specifically affecting Africa, and explaining how you plan to achieve change on the continent. The quality of this statement will be a deciding factor for the panel in charge of allocating the scholarships.
You must have completed this step by 26 November 2023 in order to receive your approval of eligibility for the scholarship, and to waive the processing fee for your application to Sciences Po.
Step 2: Applying to Sciences Po (Main Admissions Procedure)
To apply to Sciences Po, you will need to follow the international graduate admissions procedure.
Step 3: Admission and Allocation of the Scholarship
You will be informed of the outcome of your application to Sciences Po between 10 and 22 February 2024, and of the outcome of your scholarship application from 8 March 2024.
NB: Admission to Sciences Po does not guarantee allocation of the scholarship. If you decide to defer your admissionuntil the following year, you will forfeit your Mastercard Foundation Scholarship.
Timeline
- Deadline for requesting eligibility for the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship: 23:59 (Paris time) on 26 November 2023
- Deadline for applying to Sciences Po: 3 December 2023
- Admissions outcome released: between the 10 and 22 February 2024
- Scholarship allocation outcome released: from 8 March 2024
The deadline to submit applications is . For more detail on the Mastercard Master Scholarship at Sciences Po, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.
Please, how can I get access to this year’s Eligibility Request of the MCFSP-at-SciencesPo as the foundational step? Thank you.