As an African student in this century, you are in luck when it comes to international scholarship opportunities. Yes, there are lots of fully funded scholarships for African students out there. This is because, in the last few years, we’ve seen a growing recognition of how important it is to invest in the education of young people in Africa. Some top organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, have been really supporting African students in the areas of education. This support comes in different forms typically 100% funded scholarships that cover the tuition, books, living, etc., that help with some of the expenses of going to college.
No matter what, students from Africa have a lot to gain. Just read this article carefully to find the perfect scholarship that covers all your costs in 2024.
Fully Funded Scholarships for African Students 2024
Fully funded scholarships are available for African students from several organizations and institutes. Prominent among these are the African Union (AU), the Mastercard Foundation, and the Félix and Melinda Gates Foundation. Here are some of the fully funded scholarships for African students you can look into:
1. Rotary Peace Fellowships
Rotary Peace Fellowships are fully funded academic programs for master’s degree students, covering all living, travel, and fieldwork expenses. Students from any African country can apply, and if accepted, they have the chance to study at many renowned universities worldwide.
2. Wells Mountain Foundation Scholarships 2024
This is financial aid based on need, aimed at students from poorer countries, especially those in Africa. It supports college education either in the student’s home country or another developing country. Applicants should be pursuing studies that will benefit their community or advance their country, and they plan to work and live there after graduation.
3. African Union Scholarship 2024
The AU offers a range of scholarships, including fully funded options for African students. These scholarships aim to provide opportunities for students to study fields like science, engineering, and medicine, which are necessary for the continent’s development. Also, the African Union supports students pursuing studies in other areas such as business, law, or humanities. Applications are currently open.
4. Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship Program
The Aga Khan Foundation has opportunities for fully funded scholarships for African students. It is a needs-based scholarship program for African students pursuing master’s and PhD degrees. This program enables students to study anywhere in the world.
5. Google Women Techmakers Scholars Program
You can also apply for a scholarship through the Women Techmakers Scholars program. This program offers scholarships for African women, as well as those from Europe and the Middle East. It supports studies in computer science, computer engineering, or a related technical field at any level, at universities in these regions.
6. Mastercard Foundation Scholarship
Another very reliable opportunity you can use to get fully funded scholarships for African students is the Mastercard Foundation. You probably already know of Mastercard, which is the company for our debit and credit cards. This foundation focuses on educational opportunities for African students from low-income families.
This scholarship is carried out through Mastercard’s partner universities and non-governmental organizations, meaning the application process and decisions are handled separately by each partner. You need to apply directly through the university of your choice.
7. Africa London Nagasaki (ALN) fund
African scientists can apply for graduate scholarships through the ALN fund. These scholarships are for master’s degrees in fields related to disease control in Africa. Recipients can choose to study at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in London, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, or Nagasaki University in Japan.
8. Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships
These scholarships are for African students enrolled in Commonwealth institutions who want to pursue a part-time master’s degree online. Students can choose from a variety of prestigious universities in the UK and other countries.
9. William and Melinda Gates Foundation
The William and Melinda Gates Foundation also offers fully funded scholarships for African students. Their program aims to help students from low-income families in Africa get quality education and reach their full potential.
The fully funded scholarships for African students provide the necessary financial aid for academic goals, along with mentoring and support for success in their studies and future endeavors.
Moreover, there are many other organizations, governments, and institutions offering fully funded scholarships for African students. While some scholarships are specific to students from certain countries or regions, others are open to students across Africa. Be sure to explore Gates’ grant opportunities.
10. Beit Trust Scholarships
These are international scholarships for master’s and doctoral degrees, available to students from Malawi, Zambia, or Zimbabwe. They can use these scholarships to attend prestigious universities in the UK, Ireland, or South Africa. To be eligible for a Beit Trust scholarship, applicants must already have been accepted by a university.
11. Graduate Institute Geneva
The Graduate Institute in Geneva provides a range of unique master’s and doctoral scholarships specifically for academically outstanding African students. These financial aid packages may include living grants, tuition discounts, and/or paid employment opportunities, and are awarded based on both academic merit and financial need.
12. WAAW Foundation
The WAAW Foundation offers need-based scholarships for female African students who are interested in pursuing STEM-related undergraduate degrees at reputable universities in Africa.
13. ACCESS Kenya 2024
ACCESS Kenya provides partially fully funded scholarships for African students for Kenyan citizens who are planning to pursue their undergraduate studies at recognized universities within Kenya.
14. Jim Ovia Scholarships
If you are a Nigerian, the Jim Ovia scholarship program offers financial support to Nigerian undergraduate students studying in Nigeria. It covers a maintenance allowance as well as tuition fees.
15. Mandela Rhodes Foundation
The Mandela Rhodes Foundation scholarships are aimed at African individuals showing exceptional leadership potential. These scholarships are available for pursuing honors or master’s degrees at accredited institutions in South Africa.
16. Commonwealth Scholarships at SOAS
Students from African Commonwealth countries can apply for Commonwealth scholarships to pursue a master’s degree in development at SOAS, London, in the UK.
17. Oppenheimer Fund at Oxford University
The Oppenheimer Fund at Oxford University offers scholarships for Africans who have studied at South African universities. These scholarships allow them to attend Oxford University in the UK for full-time master’s or doctoral programs.
18. Ruth First Scholarship at Durham University
Durham University provides scholarships for postgraduate studies to students from several African countries, including Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
19. African Scholarships at The University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh in Scotland, UK, awards graduate scholarships based on merit. These scholarships are for pursuing a master’s or Ph.D.
20. Center for African Studies Visiting Fellowship at The University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge offers two visiting fellowships for African students through its Center for African Studies. These fellowships are for students to focus on research and writing at Cambridge University. Applicants must be involved in research or teaching at an African university.
21. Ibrahim Scholarship Program
The Ibrahim Scholarship Program provides Master’s and PhD scholarships for aspiring African leaders. The scholarships allow them to study at the University of Birmingham, SOAS, or the London Business School in the UK.
22. African Graduate Scholarships at UCL
These are need-based scholarships for academically excellent African students to pursue master’s degrees at the UCL (University College London), specifically in the UK’s Institute for Global Health.
23. African Postgraduate Scholarships
Merit-based scholarships are available to assist African students with financial support for their studies at Edinburgh Napier University in the UK.
24. African Excellence Fee Waiver
The University of Glasgow offers full scholarships covering the cost of a master’s degree for African students. The selection is automatically based on the academic merit of the applicants.
25. Stanford GSB Need-Based Fellowship at Stanford University
This fellowship offers scholarships for students who wish to join the MBA program at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Management. The fellowship, which usually provides a total of $80,000, is awarded based on demonstrated financial need.
26. Zawadi Africa Education Fund for Young African Women
Scholarships from this fund are for female students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Africa. They support studies in African countries or the US.
27. Mandela Washington Fellowship
You can also sign up for the Mandela Washington Fellowship. Here, you will have access to scholarships for young African leaders from Sub-Saharan Africa. It offers you the opportunity to study in the US, focusing on developing leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
28. MSFS Full-Tuition Scholarship at Georgetown University
These scholarships are for Africans from Sub-Saharan Africa to study in the US in the Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) program at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
29. Fulbright Foreign Student Program
Fullbright is quite popular, and an opportunity that presents many fully funded scholarships for African students. This program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from around the world to study in the US for a year or longer.
30. 7UP Harvard Business School Scholarship
This 7UP Harvard Business School scholarship is for Nigerian students admitted to the two-year program at Harvard Business School. It covers housing, airfare to the US, and return airfare.
Conclusion
If you apply for any of these fully funded scholarships for African students, it can make a big difference in the future for you in terms of finances and what you stand to gain. Make sure that you apply for multiple scholarships and not just one or two. The goal is to spread the chance of getting called up on one. So, apply for as many scholarships as you qualify for.
Read also: Scholarships for African Students in Europe 2024-2025
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