Let me be honest with you, the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program is one of those scholarships that sounds too good to be true until you actually meet someone who got it. Full tuition, accommodation, meals, flights, even leadership training. All covered. And it’s for Africans who genuinely cannot afford the fees on their own.
The 2027 intake is open. The African Leadership College of Higher Education in Mauritius is the host institution, and they’re doing this in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
Deadline for international applicants is 14 November 2026. That’s for the February 2027 intake. Mauritian applicants get a different deadline, 23 January 2027, but if you’re reading this from Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, or anywhere else on the continent, November is your date.
What This ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program Actually Gives You
Some scholarships say “fully funded” and then you find out accommodation is your problem. Not this one.
The ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program covers full tuition for your entire undergraduate program, free on-campus accommodation, daily meals, travel expenses to and from campus, plus leadership and entrepreneurship training, mentorship, and access to a global network of changemakers.
It’s a full-ride package. The kind that makes you wonder why more people aren’t applying.
Who Should Apply
Here’s where the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program gets specific, and this is important because many applicants waste time because they didn’t read this part.
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You must be from an African country. Any African country, no country quotas.
You need to show financial need and substantial socio-economic disadvantage. This means official supporting documents that verify you cannot afford ALCHE tuition through any other means. The program exists for students who genuinely need it.
Female applicants are especially encouraged to apply. So are individuals with physical or learning disabilities. And those aged 26 and below get priority.
You need strong national exam scores, at least a B average.
And you must demonstrate leadership potential and active contribution in your community. This isn’t just about grades. They want to see that you’ve done something, not just that you plan to do something someday.
The Programs You Can Study
ALCHE offers four undergraduate programs for this scholarship. BSc Computer Science, BSc Software Engineering, BSc Entrepreneurial Leadership, and BA International Business and Trade.
If your dream is law or medicine, this particular scholarship won’t work for you. But if any of these four fields fit your plans, keep reading.
What You Need To Prepare
National examination transcripts, secondary school transcripts and certificates, valid passport or national ID, proof of English proficiency, personal statement or essay describing your leadership experience and community involvement and future goals, and recommendation letters.
Applicants who don’t have IELTS or TOEFL can sometimes use results from a national English examination as proof of proficiency. So don’t disqualify yourself just because you haven’t written an international English test.
The Application Process
This is where many people get confused. The ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program does not have a separate standalone application you can just fill and submit.
You must first apply for admission to ALCHE. Only applicants eligible for admission will be invited to apply for the scholarship.
So the first step is the ALCHE admissions application. Once you submit that, the scholarship application becomes available.
Then you fill the scholarship form with details on household income, personal details like humanitarian status and guardianship status, previous education financing, and narrative submissions where you’ll provide videos and essays on selected themes.
After that comes the ALCHE Fit Challenge, which takes about 25 minutes and consists of online exercises to see how you might fit into the ALU community and learning model.
Then the scholarship review committee reviews everything and makes decisions.
One thing to note, the scholarship application asks for referral letters from persons in good standing in your community. Start thinking about who can speak to your character and community involvement.
Is the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program fully funded?
Yes. It covers full tuition, on-campus accommodation, daily meals, travel expenses, leadership training, mentorship, and career development support for the entire duration of your undergraduate program.
Can I apply for the scholarship without admission to ALCHE?
No. You must first apply for admission to ALCHE. Only applicants eligible for admission will be allowed to apply for the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
What is the deadline for the 2027 ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program?
International applicants must submit their applications by 14 November 2026 for the February 2027 intake. Mauritian applicants have a separate deadline of 23 January 2027.
Do I need IELTS or TOEFL to apply?
Not necessarily. Applicants who don’t have internationally recognized English proficiency test results may be allowed to provide results from a national English examination as proof of English proficiency.
Who gets priority for the ALCHE Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program?
Female applicants, individuals with physical or learning disabilities, and those aged 26 and below are especially encouraged to apply. But all applicants must demonstrate financial need, academic excellence, and leadership potential.
Can I apply if I’m from any African country?
Yes. The scholarship is open to citizens of all African countries. There are no country quotas.