Meet the New 2026 Mastercard Foundation Scholars

By 2030, it’s estimated that 375 million young people will enter the job market in Africa looking for dignified and fulfilling work.

To tackle this challenge, Sciences Po is in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program to equip ambitious African students with a world-class education that pairs rigorous academic standards with proven expertise in preparing students for the globalised job market. Sciences Po is the only institution from the European Union and the only francophone university outside the African continent to partner with the Mastercard Foundation.

The 44 bright minds that are joining us this academic year come from 20 different countries, the three most represented being Ghana, Nigeria, and Kenya. They are enrolled in 17 different Master's programmes in 5 of our graduate schools :

• The Paris School of International Affairs,
• The School of Public Affairs,
• The School of Management,
• The School of Research,
• The Urban School.

This new cohort will be joining the 36 Mastercard Foundation Scholars that are beginning their second, and last, year at Sciences Po. As Mastercard Foundation Scholars at Sciences Po, the students benefit from a comprehensive grant and also a tailored support.

Let's take look back at their official welcome week, during which they visited the Paris campus sites, learned about Sciences Po, and got to know each other, including through a spectacular boat trip on the Seine River.

Learn more about the Master Foundation Scholars community through this video report:

Interested in being part of the next cohort? Get more information.