The best scholarships for African students fall into two groups: awards reserved for Africans, such as the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship, the Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa and DAAD’s In-Country/In-Region programme, and international awards that most African countries can enter, such as Chevening, Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships and the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships. Most of them pay tuition, a living allowance and flights.
Timing is the hard part. Chevening and the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships both closed in October 2026, and the Rhodes West Africa round closed in August. The earliest fixed deadline on the list is the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship on 14 April 2027. Below are the eligibility rules, what each award pays and the deadline for each, written for applicants from any African country.
Recently closed
Chevening 2027/28 closed on 6 October 2026 and Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2027 closed on 20 October 2026. If you missed them, the next rounds close on 6 October 2027 and 20 October 2027. Use the year to get your work experience, references and English test in order.
Scholarships for African students at a glance
| Scholarship | Where you study | Who can apply | Level | Deadline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program | Partner universities in Africa and abroad | Young Africans with financial need | Bachelor’s, master’s | Set by each partner university |
| Mandela Rhodes Scholarship | South Africa | Citizens of any African country aged 19 to 29 | Honours, master’s | 14 April 2027 |
| Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa | University of Oxford, UK | Citizens of 17 West African countries | Postgraduate | 27 August 2027 |
| DAAD In-Country/In-Region | Universities in Sub-Saharan Africa | Graduates from Sub-Saharan Africa | Master’s, PhD | 29 April 2027 |
| Australia Awards Africa | Australia | Citizens of eligible African countries | Master’s | Applications open 1 February 2027 |
| Chevening | UK | Citizens of Chevening-eligible countries with two years’ work experience | One-year master’s | 6 October 2027 |
| Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships | UK | Citizens of 19 eligible African Commonwealth countries, among others | One-year master’s | 20 October 2027 |
| Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships | Switzerland | Researchers under 35 from eligible countries | Research after a master’s | Set by each Swiss embassy |
(based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens) The Mandela Rhodes, Rhodes West Africa, DAAD, Chevening and Commonwealth dates are this year’s closing dates moved forward one year.
Scholarships only for African students
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
The Mastercard Foundation does not take applications itself. You apply to one of its partner universities or organisations, and each partner sets its own deadline, fees and requirements. The Foundation’s guidance says applicants should be African nationals aged 29 or under for a bachelor’s degree and 35 or under for a master’s, with strong grades, financial need and a record of helping others. Selected scholars get their application fees reimbursed where the university charged them, plus leadership and mentoring support. Coverage of tuition and living costs is set by each partner, so check the partner’s page. Our UC Berkeley Mastercard Foundation Scholarship guide walks through one partner in detail.
Mandela Rhodes Scholarship (South Africa)
- Who: citizens of any African country aged 19 to 29 in the year of application, with leadership potential.
- Study: an honours or master’s degree at a South African university.
- Covers: tuition and registration, accommodation and meals, study materials, medical aid and personal allowances, research grants on request, and economy flights for international scholars at the start and end of the degree.
- Dates: the 2027 round opened on 9 March 2026 and closed on 14 April 2026. The next round opens on 9 March 2027 and closes on 14 April 2027.
Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa (Oxford)
- Countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo, plus Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
- Age: 18 to 24 on 1 October of the application year, 18 to 25 for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, law and engineering graduates, or under 27 for some late graduates.
- Grades: a first-class degree or equivalent by the deadline.
- Covers: Oxford course fees, a stipend of £20,400 a year (£1,700 a month), two economy flights, the student visa fee and the UK health surcharge.
- Dates: the 2027 round closed at 23:59 GMT on 27 August 2026. The deadline is 27 August 2027.
Rhodes House lists other African constituencies on its site with their own rules, so check which one covers your country.
DAAD In-Country/In-Region Scholarships
DAAD, Germany’s academic exchange service, funds graduates from Sub-Saharan Africa to take a master’s or PhD at selected universities in their own country or another country in the region. Benefits include tuition, a monthly allowance and study and research allowances, with travel and health insurance for students studying in another country. You apply to the host university’s own call, not to DAAD. The 2026/27 master’s call closed on 29 April 2026, so the next one closes on 29 April 2027. For DAAD awards to study in Germany itself, see our Germany scholarships guide.
Australia Awards Africa
Australia Awards Africa funds master’s study in Australia for citizens of eligible African countries, in priority areas that include climate change, agriculture and food security, mining and energy, foreign policy and security, and gender equality and disability inclusion. Its site says the next round opens on 1 February 2027. The eligible country list and closing date are on its Apply page.
International scholarships African students can apply for
Chevening Scholarships (UK)
Chevening pays tuition for a one-year master’s in the UK, a monthly living allowance, an economy return flight and the visa fee. You need at least 2,800 hours of work experience after your first degree, and you must return home for two years after the course. The 2027/28 round opened on 4 August 2026 and closed at 11:00 UTC on 6 October 2026. The next round opens on 4 August 2027 and closes on 6 October 2027.
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships (UK)
These awards are for people who cannot afford UK study without help. The African countries on the 2027 list are Botswana, Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.
- Covers: full tuition, return airfare and a stipend of £1,712 a month, or £2,000 in London, plus a study travel grant.
- Grades: at least an upper second-class degree, or a lower second with a relevant postgraduate qualification.
- Route: apply online to the Commission and to your national nominating agency, which sets its own deadline.
- Dates: the 2027 round closed at 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026. The deadline is 20 October 2027.
Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships
Switzerland offers research scholarships to postgraduate researchers under 35 who have a master’s and a supervisor at a Swiss university. The monthly payment is CHF 2,450. Applications go through the Swiss embassy in your country, which sets its own deadline; the 2027/28 round opened on 20 August 2026 and some embassy deadlines may still be open.
Other open awards we cover in detail
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s scholarships in Europe, open to applicants from any country.
- Japan scholarships, including MEXT.
- Chinese Government (CSC) scholarships, using Wuhan University as an example.
- ARES scholarships in Belgium for nationals of listed developing countries.
- Lester B. Pearson Scholarship for undergraduate study at the University of Toronto.
Older scholarship lists for African students to treat with care
| What some lists say | Current position |
|---|---|
| Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships pay $50,000 a year | Vanier held its last competition in fall 2024. It was replaced by the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship (doctoral) at $40,000 a year, so it is not rolled forward here |
| The Trudeau Foundation pays $60,000 a year | The 2027 award is up to $50,000 a year for three years plus up to $20,000 a year for research and travel. Its 2027 complete applications are due on 6 November 2026 |
| Mastercard Foundation is a single application | You apply to a partner university, and each partner sets its own deadline and coverage |
Some lists also put awards limited to one nationality, or small partial discounts, under a heading of fully funded scholarships for all Africans. Read the eligibility section on the official page before you spend time on an application.
How to plan your application year
- Match the award to your stage: Mastercard partners for school leavers and young graduates, Rhodes for top recent graduates, Chevening for people with two years’ work experience, Swiss scholarships for researchers with a master’s.
- Check your country and age: Rhodes and Mandela Rhodes have strict age windows, and the Commonwealth list leaves out several African countries.
- Book English tests early: UK and Australian universities usually want an English test result, though some waive it for English-medium graduates. Ask before you pay.
- Line up referees: nearly every award needs two references. Our recommendation letter samples can help your referees.
- Work backwards from the deadline: Commonwealth nominating agencies and Swiss embassies set their own closing dates, which can come before the main deadline.
- Ignore anyone asking for money: the Mastercard Foundation and the Swiss government both warn about scam offers that ask applicants to pay.
FAQ on scholarships for African students
Which scholarships are only for African students?
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship, the Rhodes Scholarship for West Africa and other Rhodes African constituencies, DAAD’s In-Country/In-Region programme and Australia Awards Africa are reserved for Africans.
What is the easiest fully funded scholarship for African students to get?
None is easy. Commonwealth Master’s has no age limit, while Rhodes West Africa takes recent first-class graduates from one region within a narrow age range.
When is the deadline for scholarships for African students?
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship closes on 14 April 2027 and the DAAD In-Country/In-Region master’s call on 29 April 2027. Chevening closes on 6 October 2027 and Commonwealth Master’s on 20 October 2027.
Can African students study abroad for free without IELTS?
Some universities waive IELTS for graduates of English-medium universities, and the Mastercard Foundation partners each set their own English rules. The UK and Australian government awards usually ask for an English test, so check each programme.
Sources and updates
Mastercard Foundation eligibility comes from its Becoming a Scholar page. Mandela Rhodes benefits and the 2026 dates come from the Opportunities for Africans listing of the Foundation’s call, with the 2027 opening date reported by After School Africa. Rhodes West Africa eligibility and costs come from Rhodes House, and the 27 August 2026 deadline from the Opportunities for Africans listing. DAAD details come from DAAD’s In-Country/In-Region programme page and its 2026/27 call document. Australia Awards details come from Australia Awards Africa’s types of awards page. Chevening dates come from the Chevening application timeline and Business Today’s report of the 2027/28 launch. Commonwealth details come from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Swiss figures come from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation. The Vanier change comes from CASRAI and the Trudeau figures from Simon Fraser University’s graduate awards page. Information checked on 24 October 2026. I will replace the moved-forward dates with official ones as each call opens.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
