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To be eligible for consideration for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Masters’ Degree Program at UBC, the applicant must:

• have completed a Bachelor’s degree;
• not already have a Master’s degree;
• be 35 years old or younger at the time of application (i.e. born in 1989 or after);
• be a citizen or a refugee of a Sub-Saharan African country (listed here);
• be applying for a Master’s degree in one of the eligible programs listed below.

Selection Process

1. DECIDE your Program(s) of Interest from the list.

This scholarship is for the following programs ONLY

• Faculty of Land and Food Systems
  • Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE)
  • Master of Food Science (MFS)
  • Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)
• Faculty of Forestry
  • Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM)
  • Master of International Forestry (MIF)
  • 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

*Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program only covers the expenses of the admitted scholars.

*Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents are not eligible to apply for this award.

*Funds from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UBC cannot be applied to pursue programs at other academic institutions.

Please read through all the application steps outlined below before proceeding to the application. This will help you understand our entire application process, answer any questions that may arise, and help you avoid any errors.

1.DECIDE your Program(s) of Interest from the list. This scholarship is for the following programs ONLY

• Faculty of Land and Food Systems
  • Master of Food and Resource Economics (MFRE)
  • Master of Food Science (MFS)
  • Master of Land and Water Systems (MLWS)
• Faculty of Forestry
  • Master of Sustainable Forest Management (MSFM)
  • Master of International Forestry (MIF)
  • 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

1. Consult the link below identifying the Minimum Academic Requirements/International Credentials for Graduate Students, listed by country to determine your academic eligibility for the degree program and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.
2. If your Bachelor’s degree was not taught in English, make arrangements to take an English Proficiency Exam (TOEFL or IELTS) and have the results sent to UBC. Please visit this website to confirm whether you meet UBC’s English requirement.

You must complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Application before you apply to UBC. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Applications are due on October 31st, 2024. Late or incomplete packages cannot be accepted and UBC is not responsible for any packages not received by the deadline.

The selection process for applications is based on the following criteria:

• Academic merit of the candidate that qualifies for admissions to the program of choice
• Track record as a transformative leader and service within their community.
• Quality of application in line with the Program theme.
• Potential impact on the development of the applicant’s home country.
• Applicants who have faced significant barriers to education (social, financial, personal, practical or health related).

Your fully completed application should include (all in one application form online):

1. Complete the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Application Form. 
   Note: for the personal statements, succinctly answer each question with a paragraph of 200-300 words
2. Submit a CV/resume. 
3. Provide two reference letters on official letterhead. Attach these to the application. DO NOT email them 
4. Transcripts. 

3. Apply to your UBC Faculty

1. Once your Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application is complete, eligible applicants will receive an email with instructions to submit an online application to UBC. Review the instructions for faculty applications
2. You may be eligible for a fee waiver if your citizenship and correspondence address is located in one of the world’s 50 least developed countries, according to the United Nations. Please visit this website to check which countries are on the list: If your country is not listed above, please request a fee waiver when you are submitting your Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application package. If you are invited to move to the Faculty Application step, we will provide instruction on how to use a fee waiver during the program application process. If you submit your application without applying your fee waiver, we are unable to provide a refund. See application timelines

Now that you have read the entire application process and determined you are eligible to apply, Why WAIT? APPLY NOW