The African Exponent presents a curated selection of credible scholarship opportunities available to African students and professionals across the globe. These verified funding streams and grants provide financial support for leadership development and academic advancement.
Benefits:
Covers tuition, books, incidental fees, and full residence support for four years of undergraduate study.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Must be an international student nominated by your high school, in your final year of secondary school or a recent graduate, and intending to begin university studies at the University of Toronto.
Official Webpage:
Lester B. Pearson International Student Scholarships
Benefits:
Fully funds tuition and living costs for the duration of the MBA program at the University of Oxford.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Open to entrepreneurial leaders with a proven track record of social impact, who have applied and been accepted into the Oxford MBA program.
Official Webpage:
Skoll Scholarship
Benefits:
Fully funded support covering University tuition fees, a monthly living allowance, return economy airfares, and additional grants to cover essential expenses.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Citizens of Chevening-eligible countries, holding an undergraduate degree, with at least two years of work experience and strong leadership potential.
Official Webpage:
Chevening Scholarship
Benefits:
Covers full tuition fees, a living stipend for accommodation and maintenance, and return air travel to and from Oxford.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Nationals of African countries applying for eligible graduate master's or doctoral programs at the University of Oxford.
Official Webpage:
Mastercard Foundation AfOx Graduate Scholarships
Benefits:
Full tuition fees, housing allowance, subsistence allowance, books, instructional materials, medical insurance, and travel expenses.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Nationals of ADB borrowing member countries admitted to an approved graduate course, possessing a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and at least two years of full-time professional work experience.
Official Webpage:
ADB-JSP Scholarship
Benefits:
Generous financial stipends and living allowances to support targeted postgraduate research or coursework studies.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Open to domestic and international students meeting academic entry criteria for specified postgraduate programs at ACU.
Official Webpage:
ACU Stipend Scholarship
Benefits:
Fully-funded scholarship covering monthly payments, health insurance, travel allowances, and periodic study grants.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Professionals from developing countries with a university degree (usually a bachelor's) and at least two years of relevant professional experience.
Official Webpage:
DAAD/EPOS Scholarships
Benefits:
Covers living allowances, indirect mission expenses, travel costs, and tuition fees for training programs in Belgium.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Nationals of developing partner countries holding a relevant higher education degree and professional experience in fields related to development.
Official Webpage:
ARES International Training Scholarships
Benefits:
Comprehensive funding covering full tuition, travel costs, living stipends, and research support throughout the doctoral program.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Talented scholars and academics originating from African countries seeking to pursue doctoral studies at the University of Toronto.
Official Webpage:
Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholarships
Benefits:
Covers tuition, accommodation, health insurance, research allowances, and monthly stipends.
Eligibility and Requirements:
Nationals belonging to East African Community partner states applying for eligible postgraduate regional master's programs.
Official Webpage: IUCEA Scholarship
1. Skoll Scholarship 2026-2027 for MBA Studies at Oxford
This award supports social entrepreneurs who intend to use an Oxford MBA to scale solutions to environmental and social challenges.
Benefits
Full coverage of Oxford MBA tuition fees, partial living stipend, and membership in the global Skoll Scholar community.
Eligibility and Requirements
Minimum of three years of executive experience leading a social venture, evidence of systemic social impact, and admission to the Oxford Saïd MBA program.
Official Webpage
Oxford Saïd Skoll Scholarship Portal
2. Chevening Scholarship to Study in the UK 2027-2028 (Fully Funded)
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, this fellowship enables mid-career professionals to complete a one-year master's degree at any accredited British institution.
Benefits
Full tuition coverage, monthly living allowance, economy return flights, and coverage of essential academic expenses.
Eligibility and Requirements
Undergraduate degree, minimum of two years of professional work experience, and a commitment to return to the home country for two years after graduation.
Official Webpage
Chevening Official Application Portal
3. Girls On Campus She Leads Scholarship 2026
This program reduces financial barriers for female and gender nonconforming students demonstrating strong community leadership and academic commitment.
Benefits
Educational grant up to $1,500, structured as $1,000 sent directly to the host university and $500 sent to the recipient for academic expenses.
Eligibility and Requirements
Enrollment in an accredited undergraduate program, demonstrated financial need, solid academic standing, and submission of a community impact essay.
Official Webpage
Girls On Campus Opportunity Page
4. Break Into Tech AI Developer Scholarship 2026 (Fully Funded)
Delivered by PowerToFly and Skillcrush, this initiative provides practical technical instruction for individuals seeking careers in software engineering and artificial intelligence.
Benefits
Fully funded access to online AI development modules, resume reviews, portfolio building, and access to employer hiring networks.
Eligibility and Requirements
Open globally to complete beginners and career changers without prior programming experience.
Official Webpage
Break Through Tech AI Program Portal
5. Tom Queba and Pegasys Scholarships for Social Change 2027
Managed by the Canon Collins Trust, this grant supports postgraduate researchers focusing on environmental and social development in South Africa.
Benefits
Annual scholarship package of R85,000 for up to two years, alongside access to regional academic conferences.
Eligibility and Requirements
Black or Coloured South African nationals under 34 years of age pursuing Honours or Master's degrees in justice, education, or applied sciences.
Official Webpage
Canon Collins Tom Queba Scholarship Page
6. Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship for Postgraduate Study 2027
The Ros Moger and Terry Furlong initiative funds Southern African postgraduate students whose research addresses core social justice challenges.
Benefits
Funding between R20,000 and R100,000 per year, renewable for up to two years for Master's degrees and three years for PhD studies.
Eligibility and Requirements
Nationals or official refugees of Southern African countries enrolled in Master's or PhD programs at South African universities.
Official Webpage
Canon Collins RMTF Scholarship Portal
7. Gulbenkian Institute for Advanced Study Scholarships 2027/2028
This residential research fellowship in Lisbon provides established academics and independent scholars with time to pursue original theoretical inquiry.
Benefits
Monthly stipend, partial housing allowance, travel insurance, return transportation, and research space.
Eligibility and Requirements
Active academics, emeritus professors, or independent researchers with non-laboratory project proposals.
Official Webpage
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Fellowship Portal
8. Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarship 2026 (up to GBP18,000)
This grant grants African writers the financial freedom needed to complete a full-length book draft in English.
Benefits
Financial grant of £18,000 paid over 12 months for fiction writers, extended up to 18 months for non-fiction projects requiring field research.
Eligibility and Requirements
Writers born in Africa or with both parents born in Africa who submit an excerpt of previously published writing between 2,000 and 5,000 words.
Official Webpage
Miles Morland Foundation Writing Scholarships
9. ORIX USA Scholars Program 2026
Administered by Scholarship America, this fund assists undergraduate students from underrepresented backgrounds pursuing commercial disciplines.
Benefits
Direct financial grants up to $5,000 applied toward university tuition, books, and essential educational fees.
Eligibility and Requirements
Undergraduate students enrolled in finance, business, economics, technology, or communications programs who maintain strong academic performance.
Official Webpage
Scholarship America ORIX USA Program Portal
10. DAAD/EPOS Scholarships for Young Professionals from Developing Countries 2027/2028
Funded by the German Academic Exchange Service, this program supports postgraduate study in development-related fields at state-recognized German universities.
Benefits
Full monthly living allowance, health insurance, travel grant, study research allowance, and family accommodation subsidies.
Eligibility and Requirements
Bachelor's degree completed within the past six years, minimum of two years of relevant professional work experience, and residence in an eligible DAC country.
Official Webpage
DAAD EPOS Official Program Page
