AUC Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program 2027: Eligibility and Deadlines
- Study in
- Egypt
- Levels
- Undergraduate, Masters
- Funding
- Fully funded
- Covers
- Tuition, stipend, housing, laptop, health cover, airfare
- Who can apply
- Citizens of African countries who live in Africa and show financial need
- Run by
- The American University in Cairo with the Mastercard Foundation
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at The American University in Cairo (AUC) gives full scholarships to talented young Africans with financial need. It has one route for school leavers and another for new graduate students. You study at AUC in Egypt, with tuition, a stipend and leadership training included.
Status: Open for Spring 2027 and Fall 2027 entry. You must be a citizen of an African country and live in an African country now. Nigerian, Ghanaian and Kenyan applicants can qualify if they live in Africa. Indian citizens cannot, and neither can Africans living outside the continent. The next undergraduate date is 10 November 2026 (checked November 2, 2026).
What it covers
Undergraduate scholars receive:
- Full tuition and fees
- A stipend in the fall and spring semesters
- A standard double room in AUC housing, unless you live in Cairo or Giza
- One laptop
- Medical services and health insurance
- An AUC bus subscription or travel allowance
- One return flight a year if you do not live in Egypt
- Intensive English training for selected students
Graduate fellows receive tuition for nine credits a semester, a stipend, a laptop, student fees, health cover, dorm housing if they live outside Cairo, transport support and return airfare if they live outside Egypt. Extra money for research, publication fees and conferences may be available. Funding lasts for the full degree, based on full-time study, and is reviewed each semester.
Who can apply
Undergraduate route
- Any major
- High school graduates from the 2025-2026 academic year, as the page is written now
- Strong grades, financial need and active involvement outside class
- You meet AUC admission rules
- Transfer students are not eligible
Graduate route
- New degree students admitted to any AUC graduate field
- Bachelor’s degree with a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent
- Age 35 or younger when you apply
- Financial need
- Transfer students are not eligible
Key details
| Undergraduate, Spring 2027 | Financial assessment due 10 November 2026. Later forms go on a waiting list. |
|---|---|
| Undergraduate, Fall 2027 | Priority dates: 1 February 2027 (early admission) or 1 June 2027 (regular admission) |
| Graduate, Spring 2027 | 8 November 2026 (extended) |
| Graduate, Fall 2027 | 17 January 2027 (cycle 1) or 6 May 2027 (cycle 2) |
| Undergraduate English | IELTS 5.5 with writing 5.5, TOEFL 62 with writing 17, or Duolingo 115 |
| Graduate English | The programme page sets no separate score. Provisional admission with remedial English can still qualify. |
These dates come from AUC’s general scholarship and fellowship calendars. The Mastercard page itself lists no date of its own and sends you to those calendars.
How to apply
Undergraduate
- Submit the AUC admission application and answer Yes to the scholarship interest question.
- Complete the AUC scholarship application and tick your interest in this programme.
- Complete the financial assessment and send the required documents. See AUC’s scholarship application steps.
Graduate
- Submit the AUC graduate admission application at least two weeks before the fellowship deadline.
- Wait for your student ID, then allow seven working days.
- Submit the fellowship application. You do not need an admission decision first. Read the graduate programme page and check the fellowship deadlines.
Tips before you apply
- If you have not started a graduate application, the two-week rule means Spring 2027 has effectively gone. Aim for 17 January 2027, and submit admission by 3 January.
- If you finish school in 2027, email ma***********@******pt.edu to confirm you can use the undergraduate route. The page names 2025-2026 graduates.
- Gather proof of financial need early. Undergraduate consideration depends on the financial assessment and its documents.
- Graduate fellows must keep a 3.2 GPA and do 12 hours a week of related academic work, so plan for that load.
Related guides
- Radboud University Master’s 2027: Deadlines, Scholarships and English Waiver
- University of Georgia Aquaculture Graduate Assistantship 2027 (MS or PhD)
- Five University Admission Tests in Europe for 2027 Entry
Details are taken from the official American University in Cairo website, checked on November 2, 2026. Confirm the current rules there before you apply.
