A fully funded master’s scholarship can make it possible for an African student to attend a university that would otherwise be unaffordable. The strongest awards may pay tuition fees, provide a monthly living allowance and cover flights, visa costs, health insurance or other study expenses.
However, “fully funded” is often used too loosely online. A university may call an award a full scholarship when it covers tuition but not rent, food or travel. Another programme may provide a complete package for the student but nothing for a spouse or children. Some programmes are open to applicants from every African country, while others accept only citizens or residents of particular countries.
This guide explains genuine master’s funding opportunities in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, what they normally cover and how African applicants can improve their chances.
Fully funded master’s scholarships in the UK
Chevening Scholarships
Chevening is the UK Government’s international scholarship programme. It supports eligible applicants from many African countries to complete a one-year taught master’s degree in the UK.
The standard award includes university tuition fees, economy travel to and from the scholar’s country of residence, a monthly living allowance, an arrival allowance, a departure allowance and the cost of the scholar’s UK entry-clearance application. It also provides a limited contribution towards a required tuberculosis test. Support is intended for the scholar; applicants planning to bring family members should not assume their dependants’ costs will be paid.
Chevening is aimed at people who can demonstrate leadership, professional achievement and a credible plan to create positive change. Under the rules published for the 2027–28 cycle, applicants must have at least 2,800 hours of work experience gained after completing their undergraduate degree. They must apply to three eligible UK courses and obtain an unconditional offer from at least one by the deadline stated in the application timeline.
Applicants must also promise to return to their country of award for at least two years after the scholarship. The current rules exclude someone who is resident in the UK when applying. Because deadlines are country-specific, use Chevening’s official country finder rather than copying a date from a social-media post.
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships support students from eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries who could not otherwise afford postgraduate study in Britain. Many African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Zambia, appear on the current eligible-country list.
The scholarship covers approved tuition fees, approved return airfare and a monthly living allowance. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission currently publishes a stipend of £1,712 per month, or £2,000 per month for scholars studying at universities in the London metropolitan area. A study-related travel grant and certain additional allowances may also apply.
Applicants normally need at least an upper-second-class undergraduate degree, or a lower-second-class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification. They must be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country and show that they could not afford UK study without the scholarship. Selection considers academic merit, the quality of the study plan and the likely development impact in the applicant’s home country.
Applications for the 2027–28 academic year close at 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026. The process involves the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s system and an approved nominating body. Candidates should also apply to suitable universities early because a scholarship application does not automatically count as a university admission application.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships fund selected one-year master’s courses at participating UK universities. They are intended for candidates from eligible Commonwealth countries who could not afford to study in Britain without support.
The published package for the previous round included full tuition, return airfare, a monthly stipend and certain study-related allowances. Only approved courses qualify. An applicant cannot select any UK master’s and then ask the scheme to fund it.
The 2026–27 application round has closed, and the eligible courses for 2027–28 are expected to be published separately. Applicants should wait for the official course list and follow both the university’s admission instructions and the scholarship process. Residence restrictions also apply, so Africans who have spent a significant period studying or working in a high-income country should check the detailed rules carefully.
Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarships at Oxford
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Oxford, delivered with the Africa Oxford Initiative, offers full-cost support to eligible African applicants for selected taught postgraduate courses.
Oxford describes the package as covering tuition fees and living expenses. It also includes practical support such as an economy return flight, visa and Immigration Health Surcharge costs, a settling-in allowance and access to emergency support. Scholars take part in leadership and impact activities, followed by a period of service with an Africa-based organisation.
The programme focuses on African candidates with strong academic potential, leadership experience and a commitment to Africa’s development. Applicants must apply for an eligible Oxford graduate course by its December or January funding deadline. The exact courses, residence requirements and application procedure should be checked for the relevant entry year.
Clarendon and Gates Cambridge
Oxford’s Clarendon Fund is open to applicants of every nationality. It covers full course fees and gives full-time scholars a living grant. There is no separate Clarendon application: an applicant who submits an eligible Oxford master’s or DPhil application by the course’s December or January funding deadline is considered automatically.
Gates Cambridge offers around 80 full-cost postgraduate scholarships each year to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK. It can fund eligible master’s and doctoral courses at the University of Cambridge. Applicants complete the funding section within Cambridge’s graduate application and must meet the deadline for their course and funding competition.
Both awards are extremely competitive. Strong grades are important, but applicants also need excellent references, a convincing reason for the proposed course and evidence that they can contribute beyond their own academic success.
Fully funded master’s scholarships in Canada
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at McGill University
McGill University’s Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program supports African students at master’s level in selected fields connected to nutrition, public health, public policy and sustainable agriculture.
The programme is open to citizens and residents of African countries, subject to the detailed eligibility requirements. McGill states that applicants must not already have registered for or completed a master’s degree. Candidates must meet the admission requirements of an eligible programme, demonstrate leadership and service, and show that they have faced significant barriers to education.
The support includes full international tuition and a wider package designed to help scholars complete their studies and prepare for impact-focused work in Africa. Applicants should not begin with McGill’s ordinary graduate application unless the programme instructions tell them to do so. McGill operates a special scholarship selection process, and only candidates receiving the relevant fee waiver proceed for scholarship consideration.
Other Mastercard Foundation partner institutions
The Mastercard Foundation works through partner universities rather than accepting one central scholarship application. Every partner chooses its programmes, deadlines and selection method. Canadian opportunities have included McGill and selected programmes associated with other institutions.
Use the Foundation’s official “Where to apply” directory to see which partners are accepting master’s applicants. Apply directly through the institution named there. Avoid websites that ask applicants to pay a “Mastercard scholarship registration fee” or promise placement at any university. The Foundation says selection is managed by its partner institutions.
University funding packages in Canada
Fully funded taught master’s scholarships are less common in Canada than funded research degrees. A research-based master’s may provide funding through a combination of a university award, supervisor grant and teaching or research assistantship. That can cover tuition and living expenses, but it should not be described as fully funded until the written offer shows the guaranteed amount, duration and conditions.
When contacting a department, ask whether funding is guaranteed or competitive, whether the quoted amount is before or after tuition, and whether work as a teaching or research assistant is required. Also ask how funding changes in the second year. A professor’s willingness to supervise you does not automatically mean that the university will pay all your costs.
Canada’s official EduCanada scholarship search is useful, but many Government of Canada awards shown to international students are short-term exchange or research opportunities rather than complete master’s degrees. Read the duration and eligible institution rules before treating an award as degree funding.
Fully funded master’s scholarships in the USA
Fulbright Foreign Student Program
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from other countries to study or conduct research in the United States. Around 4,000 grants are awarded globally each year, but administration, eligible fields, benefits and application procedures vary by country.
African applicants must use the Fulbright Commission, US embassy or organisation responsible for their country. Do not assume that information published for another country applies to you. In some country programmes, Fulbright and the host university combine their support; the official Fulbright site notes that students may be funded through grant support, university assistance and, in some cases, personal funds.
This means applicants should read their country’s award terms before calling it automatically fully funded. Confirm tuition, maintenance, insurance, airfare and any amount the student must provide. Applications commonly assess academic strength, leadership, study objectives and the applicant’s potential to contribute after returning home.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University
Knight-Hennessy Scholars is open to citizens of all countries applying to eligible full-time Stanford graduate degrees. Scholars receive up to three years of tuition funding, depending on the length of the degree, a stipend for living and academic expenses and a travel stipend for one annual economy trip to and from Stanford.
The application for the 2027 cohort closes on 6 October 2026 at 1:00 pm Pacific Time. Candidates must apply separately to an eligible Stanford graduate programme unless the programme’s published instructions provide a particular exception. Applicants should therefore track two processes and two deadlines.
The scholarship looks for independence of thought, purposeful leadership and civic-mindedness. It is not restricted to Africans or to applicants with financial need, so the worldwide competition is intense. A clear personal story and evidence of real initiative matter more than filling an essay with general leadership phrases.
Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program, usually called JJ/WBGSP, funds eligible developing-country professionals admitted to a participating development-related master’s programme. The 2027 scheme lists 44 participating programmes in several countries, including options in the United States and the UK.
The award covers tuition, basic university medical insurance, a monthly living allowance, economy travel between the scholar’s home country and university, and travel allowances. It is not available for every master’s degree at a participating university; admission must be to one of the programme’s specifically approved courses.
Broad eligibility rules include citizenship of an eligible developing country, no dual citizenship with a developed country, a bachelor’s degree earned at least three years before the deadline and substantial paid development-related employment. The current general guidance requires at least three years of qualifying paid experience gained within the six years before the application deadline and employment in a paid full-time development role when applying, subject to the precise call rules.
Rotary Peace Fellowship
The Rotary Peace Fellowship funds selected master’s degrees in peace, conflict resolution and development at designated Rotary Peace Centers. It covers tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation and internship and field-study expenses.
The 2027–28 round has closed. Rotary says applications for 2028–29 are expected to become available in February 2027. This is a specialist opportunity for candidates with relevant professional, academic or community experience; it is not a general scholarship for every subject.
How to prepare a strong application
Start by checking four things: nationality, country of residence, eligible course and deadline. An award may welcome Africans but require them to live in Africa when applying. Another may accept applicants worldwide but impose a graduation-date or work-experience rule.
Create a spreadsheet containing each programme, university admission deadline, scholarship deadline, required references, English test, application fee and supporting documents. Begin university research several months before applications open.
Your personal statement should answer why this subject, why this university, why now and what measurable change you plan to make. Use evidence. Instead of saying you are a leader, describe a project, the problem, your actions and the result. Development-focused scholarships want to see how the degree connects to a genuine need in your country or region.
Choose referees who know your academic or professional work well. Give them the scholarship criteria, your CV, course information and enough time. Make sure employment dates and achievements remain consistent across your CV, application and references.
Finally, investigate the complete financial package. Confirm tuition, living allowance, flights, visa fees, health insurance, accommodation deposits and family support. Never pay someone to guarantee a scholarship. Genuine providers publish applications on official government, foundation or university websites and do not sell awards.
Official links
- Chevening Scholarships
- Chevening eligibility requirements
- Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships
- Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
- Mastercard Foundation AfOx Scholarships at Oxford
- Oxford Clarendon Fund
- Gates Cambridge Scholarships
- McGill Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program
- McGill scholarship eligibility
- Mastercard Foundation partner institutions
- EduCanada scholarships for international applicants
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program
- Fulbright country application finder
- Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford
- Knight-Hennessy funding details
- Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program
- JJ/WBGSP participating master’s programmes
- Rotary Peace Fellowships
