MASTERCARD FOUNDATION SCHOLARS PROGRAM  AT CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY AFRICA 

Application Deadline: 15 December, 2025

LOCATION: Rwanda

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at CMU-Africa supports highly talented, service-oriented young people who face the highest social and economic barriers to opportunity. The graduate students complete their Master of Science degrees in Information Technology, Electrical and Computer Engineering, or Engineering Artificial Intelligence. Upon completion of the program, Mastercard Foundation Scholars go on to lead changes in their communities and contribute to meaningful transformation across the continent.

ELIGIBILITY:

Mastercard Foundation Scholars face social and economic barriers and have demonstrated the following attributes: 

Academic talent: Mastercard Foundation Scholars value learning and have the drive to complete their education. 

Commitment to giving back: Mastercard Foundation Scholars have demonstrated a commitment to improving their communities. 

Potential to lead: Mastercard Foundation Scholars will become role models, mentors, and change-makers. 

In order to be considered for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, students must first be admitted to one of CMU-Africa’s degree programs. Learn more about tuition and financial aid and how to apply to CMU-Africa. 

For more information, please contact Olga Gikundiro Buki

BENEFIT:

In addition to full tuition coverage, CMU-Africa provides a range of tailored resources to ensure Mastercard Foundation Scholars thrive during their studies and transition successfully into meaningful careers or advanced academic opportunities.

Holistic support: The scholarship covers application preparation support, orientation, tuition and fees, health insurance, travel and basic living expenses, and project and entrepreneurship support. Mastercard Foundation Scholars also have access to a range of resources that support their well-being and academic success.

Career preparation: Mastercard Foundation Scholars benefit from tailored activities to prepare them for the workplace. Throughout their studies, they participate in professional development activities, including, but not limited to, internships and career fairs, networking opportunities with industry leaders, and one-on-one career coaching that prepares them to pursue their goals upon graduation.

Leadership development: Mastercard Foundation Scholars develop leadership skills through participation in student clubs, community service, and a variety of programs that equip students to become change-makers. During their time at CMU-Africa, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars take a series of leadership training sessions tailored to their needs to ensure they are equipped with cutting-edge leadership skills that will enable them to lead with distinction.

Giving back: Mastercard Foundation Scholars live out the give-back ethos of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program by leading and participating in community service activities and developing and implementing projects that make a difference in the lives of others. They collaborate with the members of the CMU-Africa community to push their give-back agenda.

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WASCAL’S INNOVATIVE IDEAS COMPETITION FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY (WISE) 

Application Deadline: 31st December 2025

LOCATION: Ghana

The West African Science Service Centre on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) is a large-scale research-focused and capacity-building Climate Service Centre designed to help tackle the climate change challenge by enhancing the resilience of human and environmental systems to climate change and increasing variability. This call aims to foster and support the implementation of innovative projects and development & research ideas regarding renewable energy (RE) and green hydrogen (GH2) in West Africa.

ELIGIBILITY:

This call is addressed to:

Young West Africans. Any individual or group of young people (Students, academics, practitioners, scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, associations…) from a West African country (Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo). Having a bank account is necessary.

Associations/organisations, being legally registered in a West African Country and having a local bank account in the name of the association/organisation.

Proposal requirements:

The project ideas/initiatives should be focused on the development of renewable energy and green hydrogen with possible links to the following non-exhaustive thematics: 

Renewable energy solutions 

Green Hydrogen technologies 

Green mobility 

Energy access and services through renewables 

Biomass/waste recovery and energy 

Energy-Water-Food Nexus Solutions 

Productive uses of renewable energy in rural areas 

Thematic Trainings/Conferences/Workshops/Raising awareness  

Energy efficiency solutions 

Women’s and girls’ empowerment in the renewable energies sector 

Renewable energy in Socio-economic development and increasing the added value in rural areas 

Innovative business plan models for energy technologies and services 

The focus in the proposals can be on developing a product or process, a service, a business model, or a scientific study, etc. 

BENEFIT:

Value: Maximum grant Amount is 20,000 Euro Per Project

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