Application Deadline: 14 April 2026
LOCATION: South Africa
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship is a life-changing leadership journey. The scholarship combines financial support with a leadership programme that will challenge you, grow you, and connect you to young African changemakers.
ELIGIBILITY:
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship is competitive. It is for young leaders who have a combination of intellect and character. You must be academically strong: your marks should be above 70% or an upper second. You must also have demonstrated leadership on your campus or in your community. See the selection criteria and the scholar testimonials.
If you are between the ages of 19 and 29 in the year of applying, you are eligible. As long as you are under the age of 30 at the time you take up the scholarship, you are eligible to apply.
Students who are citizens of an African country, no matter where they are currently living or studying, are eligible.
To benefit from our programme you must be curious about doing the personal, internal work of leadership. This means a commitment to developing self-awareness by engaging with difficult parts of yourself, an openness to learning from the diversity and differences in your cohort, and a willingness to explore and embrace complexity within yourself, others, and the systems around you.
For scholars from outside South Africa: Important: Applicants from outside South Africa may need to complete SAQA verification to start their studies at a South African university. Please see the relevant FAQs and the information under “Step 3: Get your documents ready.”
BENEFIT:
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship offers comprehensive funding for the core costs associated with your studies. It covers tuition for a one-year Honours degree or a two-year Masters degree in any field at a recognised South African institution of higher education. This includes tuition and registration fees, allowances for study materials, research, and medical aid, accommodation and meals, personal allowance, and economy class travel to and from your home country to your South African university at the beginning and end of your degree.
YouthExpat 