Sciences Po Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027: Who Can Apply and How

If you’re an African student under 35 with a bachelor’s degree and the grades for a Sciences Po master’s, the Sciences Po Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027 is worth a serious look. It covers the full financial needs of selected Scholars for a two-year master’s in France, and it comes with support through both years. The first deadline is 23 November 2026, less than a month away, and the second is 14 December 2026. The page itself says the application platform is “available soon”, so prepare now.

Quick facts

Who is eligible

You need to meet every criterion, and the list is longer than the headline suggests.

Citizenship. You must hold citizenship of an African country. If you also hold a citizenship from outside Africa, you’re not eligible.

University route. You must be completing or already hold a bachelor’s degree from a university on Sciences Po’s partner list. If your university isn’t on it, you can still qualify by holding a bachelor’s plus having completed a recognised bridge or mentoring programme from an approved organisation, or by holding (or having held) UNHCR refugee status. Check both PDF lists before you assume you’re out.

Age. Under 35 on 1 September of the application year.

No master’s yet. You can’t hold or be pursuing a master’s degree.

First time. This must be your first application to the programme.

Not already in France or at Sciences Po. Current Sciences Po students, and students currently enrolled in or graduated from any French higher education institution, aren’t eligible.

Sciences Po’s own academic bar. The scholarship is conditional on admission, so you must meet the minimum academic results for your home country, listed in a table on the page. Sciences Po says plainly that if you don’t meet them, you shouldn’t apply. The page doesn’t state GPA numbers in the text, so use the table.

What it covers

The page says the programme covers the “full financial needs” of Scholars and provides comprehensive support over two years. It doesn’t list amounts, tuition handling, stipend, travel, housing or insurance in the text I could read, so I won’t guess. Ask in the FAQ or by email before you promise readers a figure.

How to apply, step by step

1. Check your academic eligibility (this week). Open the minimum academic results table for your home country and compare your transcript. If you’re below it, stop.
2. Check the partner lists. Confirm that your university is on the reference list, or that your bridge programme or refugee status qualifies.
3. Pick a two-year master’s. Dual degrees and one-year programmes are out. Align your choice with your background and career goals, since the scholarship application tests that fit.
4. Gather eligibility documents (1-2 weeks). Proof of identity (passport, national ID, UNHCR card or travel document), plus a bachelor’s certificate or proof of current studies. Add the bridge programme certificate or refugee status proof if you’re using those routes.
5. Build your full master’s file early (3-6 weeks). Transcripts, language test results and the required documents. Sciences Po warns that anything missing or non-compliant makes your application ineligible, for example recommendation letters sent from a personal email address. Ask referees now.
6. Do the two things at once. Submit your eligibility request on the Mastercard Foundation Scholars platform and create a master’s application on the Sciences Po admissions platform. If you skip the second, you lose the fee waiver, even if you’re found eligible later.
7. Watch for the email. If eligible, Admissions emails you the steps to finish your application without paying the fee. The time allowed is very short, so have your file ready first.
8. Prepare your scholarship essays and interview. Be authentic and concrete. Sciences Po also warns that using AI tends to produce standardised answers and may lower your evaluation.
9. Interview if shortlisted. About 25 minutes on Zoom, by email invitation.
10. Results in April 2027. If selected, you get an official offer outlining Scholars’ rights and responsibilities to review before accepting.

Competitive reality check, and who should skip it

The page gives no number of places or acceptance rate, so I won’t invent one. What it does show is that the process has several filters: eligibility, master’s admission, shortlisting, an interview and a committee decision. Being eligible doesn’t guarantee admission, and admission doesn’t guarantee an interview.

The criteria point to what wins: barriers you’ve faced in accessing education, a commitment to Africa’s development and a clear wish to be a changemaker (especially in public policy and political, environmental and societal transitions), and leadership potential with measurable impact. Sciences Po says it gives particular consideration to young women, refugees and displaced persons, and persons with disabilities.

Skip it if you’re 35 or older, already hold or are pursuing a master’s, are studying or have studied in France, hold a non-African dual citizenship, or want a one-year master’s. Also skip it if you plan to defer: the offer is valid only for the academic year it’s issued, and deferring by a year ends your eligibility. And if you’re admitted but not selected, you must find other funding yourself, so don’t treat Sciences Po admission as a safe fallback.

FAQ

Is the application fee waived?
Yes for eligible applicants who submit the eligibility request and create a master’s application on the admissions platform at the same time.

Can I apply for other scholarships too?
Yes, but if you want several, submit by the earliest applicable deadline.

When do I get the scholarship decision?
In April 2027, whichever deadline you used. Several months can pass between a Sciences Po admission offer and the scholarship decision.

What if I’m admitted but not selected?
You’re responsible for securing alternative funding.

Does applying earlier help?
The 23 November deadline gets your master’s decision by 11 February 2027 versus 1 April for 14 December. The scholarship results arrive in April either way, but an earlier admission gives you time to plan.

Official link and what to check next

Read the full call on the official Sciences Po page. Questions go to info.mcfsp@sciencespo.fr.

On MastersGrant, look next at other fully funded master’s scholarships in France and at Mastercard Foundation Scholars programmes at other universities. Both have separate deadlines, so you can apply to several.