The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is one of the most generous fully funded scholarships available to African students in Canada. It covers everything — tuition, accommodation, living costs, flights, study materials and even a laptop — and applications for the Winter 2027 intake open on 31 August 2026.
If you are a Nigerian graduate under 35 who has not yet done a master’s degree, this is one of the strongest opportunities on the calendar right now. Here is exactly how it works, who qualifies, and how to apply.
Quick summary
- Institution: University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver, Canada
- Funder: Mastercard Foundation
- Level: Master’s degree (see eligible programmes below)
- Funding: Fully funded — tuition, accommodation, living stipend, travel, study costs and a laptop
- Applications open: 31 August 2026
- Expression of interest deadline: 6 September 2026
- Eligible: Citizens or refugees of African countries, including Nigeria
- Age limit: 35 or younger (born 1990 or after)
What the scholarship covers
This is a genuine full ride, not a partial tuition discount. Selected Scholars receive:
- Full tuition fees
- Accommodation
- A living stipend for day-to-day expenses
- Return travel costs to Canada
- Study expenses and course materials
- A working laptop
- Mentoring, transition support and access to the Scholars community at UBC
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC is funding 351 African students over its current phase, following more than 171 Scholars supported in phase one.
Eligibility requirements
To be considered for the master’s programme, you must:
- Have completed a bachelor’s degree
- Not already hold a master’s degree
- Be 35 years old or younger at the time of application (born in 1990 or after)
- Be a citizen or refugee of an African country — Nigeria qualifies
- Be applying to one of the eligible programmes listed below
- Meet the minimum academic requirements for your chosen programme
Good news on English tests for Nigerians
UBC only requires TOEFL or IELTS if your bachelor’s degree was not taught in English. Since Nigerian universities teach in English, most Nigerian applicants will not need to sit an English proficiency exam. Confirm your specific situation against UBC’s English proficiency requirements before assuming, but for the majority of Nigerian graduates this removes a major cost barrier.
Eligible programmes — these ONLY
This is the single most important thing to check before you invest time in an application. The scholarship covers these master’s programmes only:
Faculty of Land and Food Systems
- Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE)
- Master of Food Science (MFS)
Faculty of Forestry
- Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM)
- Master of International Forestry (MIF)
- Master of Urban Forestry Leadership (MUFL)
- Master of Geomatics for Environmental Management (MGEM)
- Master of Science / Master of Applied Science in Forestry (thesis-based)
Faculty of Science
- Master of Data Science
If your intended field is not on this list, you are not eligible for this particular scholarship — but there are other fully funded options further down this page.
Application timeline for Winter 2027
- 31 August 2026 — applications open
- 6 September 2026 — deadline to submit your expression of interest
- 15–30 September 2026 — eligible applicants invited to apply (Round 1)
- 1–20 November 2026 — successful applicants apply to their UBC faculty (Round 2). Late applications will not be considered.
- December 2026 – January 2027 — interviews (Round 3)
- February 2027 — selected Scholars receive offers
- August 2027 — Scholars arrive in Vancouver for the Winter term
How to apply, step by step
- Choose your programme from the eligible list above and check you meet its minimum academic requirements.
- Submit an expression of interest by 6 September 2026. There are two separate streams — a General Stream for all candidates, and a Refugees Only Stream. Use the one that applies to you.
- Wait for your Round 1 invitation. Eligible applicants are invited to complete the full Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application between 15 and 30 September 2026.
- Complete the full application, which includes the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form with concise personal statements, your CV or resume, two reference letters on official letterhead (attached to the application, not emailed separately), and your academic transcripts.
- Apply to your UBC faculty between 1 and 20 November 2026 if you are successful in Round 1. You will receive instructions by email.
Fee waivers
You may be eligible for an application fee waiver if your citizenship and correspondence address are in one of the United Nations’ 50 least developed countries. If your country is not on that list, request a fee waiver when submitting your Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application. Important: if you submit your faculty application without applying the fee waiver, UBC cannot refund you.
What the selection panel looks for
- Academic merit sufficient for admission to your chosen programme
- Track record as a transformative leader and service within your community
- Quality of your application and how well it fits the programme’s theme
- Potential impact on the development of your home country
Community service and leadership carry real weight here. This is not a scholarship awarded on grades alone — the Mastercard Foundation is explicitly looking for people who intend to return and contribute to Africa’s development.
A note on undergraduate applications
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC has historically supported both undergraduate and master’s students. However, the application process currently published by UBC covers the master’s degree intake only. If you are seeking undergraduate funding, contact the programme directly at scholars.admissions@ubc.ca to ask about the next undergraduate cycle rather than assuming the master’s timeline applies to you.
Tips to strengthen your application
- Start now, not on 31 August. Reference letters take time. Approach your two referees early and give them your CV and a summary of the programme.
- Request your transcripts immediately. Nigerian universities can take weeks to process transcript requests.
- Be specific about impact. Vague statements about wanting to help your community score poorly. Name the problem, your role in it, and what you would do differently with a UBC degree.
- Keep personal statements concise. UBC explicitly asks applicants to answer each question succinctly.
- Do not miss the November window. Round 2 faculty applications close on 20 November 2026, and UBC states plainly that late applications will not be considered.
Other fully funded scholarships worth applying to
Because eligible programmes here are limited, apply in parallel:
- Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at McGill University — also fully funded, also for Africans, different programme list
- Commonwealth PhD Scholarship — fully funded doctoral study in the UK
- Chevening Scholarship — fully funded UK master’s for Nigerians
- DAAD EPOS Scholarship — fully funded master’s in Germany
Official application link
Apply and read the full official instructions on UBC’s website: Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC — Graduate Admissions
Questions about the programme can be sent to scholars.admissions@ubc.ca.
Always confirm deadlines and requirements on the official UBC website before applying, as programme details can change.