Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarships at the University of Oxford

The Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship programme supports passionate, locally rooted and globally minded African young people to undertake graduate studies at the University of Oxford. The Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship programme is grounded in the Mastercard Foundation, and AfOx shared values of collegiality, empathy, commitment, inclusion and community. The Scholarship is part of the broader AfOx Graduate Scholars Program, which aims to support African students to access opportunities at Oxford and to thrive both during and after their time at the University.

The Scholarship funds a rigorous one-year taught Master’s course at Oxford aimed at equipping the Scholars with relevant technical, entrepreneurial and leadership skills and connecting them to world-leading resources in their respective sectors. Key elements of the scholarship programme include adequate support and preparation for students to take up their studies, intensive emphasis on life skills beyond academia and support for a lifelong network of alumni. Each Scholar will benefit from the highest calibre training in specific disciplines critical to solving pressing problems, including food systems, health sciences, sustainable water and energy systems, governance and public policy, and entrepreneurship, among others. Their programs will centre the four AfOx themes relevant to Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals: Healthy People, Integrated Societies, Green Futures, and Innovation for Prosperity.

An important and innovative aspect of the program is the “Ubuntu period of service” undertaken upon completion of the Master’s degree. During this second year of the Program, the Scholars will be supported and encouraged to design and deliver impactful projects based on African organisations, which could include launching start-ups and working in multinational development agencies, governments, NGOs or research institutions.

The scholarship specifically emphasises groups who have historically been under-represented, including but not limited to female scholars, people from refugee and displaced backgrounds and scholars with accessibility needs.  A cohort of 20 Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholars studying various academic disciplines, including global health, engineering, public policy, law, and refugees and forced migration Studies, began their studies in the 2025 academic year. This group of emerging African leaders come from 13 African counties and are members of 9 Oxford colleges.

Programme Details

The first year includes a rigorous academic Master’s course at Oxford and a Leadership and  Impact Programme, which support the scholars in developing collaborative leadership qualities needed to build cross-sector, interdisciplinary solutions to address complex social and environmental problems. 

After completing their Master’s Program, Scholars will be supported to take up 4-6 months placements in leading Africa-based organisations for their Ubuntu Period of Service. The scholars will work on initiatives in Africa, receiving mentoring from leading Africa-based academics and practitioners, enabling the Scholars to develop pathways to building impactful careers in Africa.

The Scholars benefit from a bespoke Leadership and Impact Program delivered in partnership with the Skoll Centre for Social Enterprise and tailored academic and social support throughout their studies. Beyond their studies, Scholars will join the AfOx Alumni Network, where they can continue to draw on and contribute to the community of African Scholars linked to the University of Oxford. In addition to the peer support from the Scholar Community, the Scholars have access to mentorship and career support from AfOx Research and Innovation Fellows and the more comprehensive AfOx network of research leaders and entrepreneurs.

How to apply:

The Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarship enables students from all African countries to pursue graduate studies at the University of Oxford. All students with an African nationality and residence who receive a conditional offer from the University will be eligible for the scholarship.

The scholarship emphasises explicitly groups who have historically been under-represented, including but not limited to female scholars, people from refugee and displaced backgrounds and disabled scholars. Necessary residence considerations will be made for students from refugee and displaced backgrounds.

• (a) To be considered for this scholarship, submit your application for graduate study to the University of Oxford via the graduate admissions portal by the deadline for your chosen course of study. Please read the Application Guide in detail ahead of making the application. We strongly recommend you submit your application form and all of your supporting documents at least a week before the December/January for your course.
• (b) Eligible candidates who receive a conditional offer from their course will be then invited to apply for the AfOx Graduate Scholarship Program. All invited candidates will be expected to fill in the AfOx Graduate Scholarship questionnaire during the application process.
• (c) Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed virtually before decisions are made, and the timelines will be communicated at the interview stage.

The University of Oxford has an extensive database of frequently asked questions and we recommend that you look there in the first instance. If you cannot find an answer please submit your question through email to afox@ndm.ox.ac.uk and we'll answer you as soon as possible.

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Oxford has a distinctive collegiate structure. Students and academics benefit from belonging both to the University, a large, internationally-renowned institution, and to a college or hall, a small, interdisciplinary academic community.

The colleges and halls

There are 38 Oxford colleges, which are financially independent and self-governing, but relate to the central University in a kind of federal system. There are also six permanent private halls, which are similar to colleges except that they tend to be smaller, and were founded by particular Christian denominations. The colleges and halls are close academic communities, which bring together students and researchers from different disciplines, cultures and countries. This helps to foster the outstanding research achievement that has made Oxford a leader in so many fields.

The colleges and the University work together to organise teaching and research, and many staff at Oxford will hold both a college and a University post.

If you are interested in undergraduate study at Oxford, please consult our information on colleges for prospective undergraduates.

Did you know?

• Oxford was ranked first in the world in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2021 and 2022.
• There are nearly 24,000 students at Oxford, including 11,747 undergraduates and 11,687 postgraduates.
• Oxford is very competitive: nearly 20,000 people applied for around 3,200 undergraduate places for entry in 2022. That means that Oxford receives, on average, more than 6 applications for each available place.
• The majority of Oxford’s UK undergraduates come from state schools. The latest figures show that, of places offered to UK applicants, over 58% of undergraduate places went to students from the state sector.
• Oxford offers more than 350 different graduate degree programmes.
• International students make up almost 43% of our total student body - over 10,000 students. Students come to Oxford from more than 150 countries and territories. 
• According to the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, the official UK-wide assessment of all university research, Oxford has the largest volume of world-leading research in the country.
• The University, including the colleges and Oxford University Press, is the largest employer in Oxfordshire, supporting around more than 30,000 jobs in the county and injecting more than £2.3bn annually into the regional economy.