United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) in Nairobi is one of the most prestigious private universities in East Africa. Their iteration of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program is explicitly targeted at high-achieving youth who face extreme economic barriers, particularly young women, refugees, and persons with disabilities.
Quick Overview
Full Requirements & Details
Academic Requirements
- Min. CGPA
- 3.0
- Offer Degrees
- Bachelors
- Subjects
- Agriculture, Arts, Biology, Business, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, History, Law, Mathematics, Medicine, Physics, Psychology
- Seats Available
- Hundreds annually
- Study Gap Allowed
- No Restrictions (Gap Allowed)
- Research Publication
- No
- Work Experience
- No
- Age Range
- No Min - 29
Language Requirements
- IELTS
- No
- TOEFL
- No
- GRE
- Not Required
- Local Language
- English
- Local Lang Test
- No
- Study Languages
- English
Financial Details
- Type
- Full
- Fund Details
- See Description
- Monthly Stipend
- KES 0/mo
- Tuition
- Full
- Living Costs
- Full
- Travel & Health
- Yes / Yes
- Application Fee
- Free (No Application Fee)
- Spouse Allowed
- No
What Matters Most
Required Documents
Why You Should Apply
This is a golden ticket to elite private education in Nairobi. The scholarship covers your complete tuition, safe off-campus or on-campus housing, medical insurance, a laptop, books, and provides a generous monthly living stipend. Furthermore, USIU's dual accreditation (in Kenya and the USA) means your degree is highly portable globally.
Application Process
You download the specific Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application form from the USIU website. You must physically or digitally submit this massive document, which requires profound detail regarding your family's financial destitution, backed by letters from local chiefs or religious leaders.
How to Win This Scholarship
The vetting committee is hyper-focused on 'transformative leadership.' They do not want students who simply want a corporate job; they want students who are already trying to solve local problems. Your essay must brutally detail the socioeconomic barriers you have faced and explicitly link how a USIU degree will allow you to return to your community and scale up a local solution.
Benefits After Completing Study
USIU alumni are deeply entrenched in Nairobi's massive NGO and tech-hub ecosystems, providing unparalleled networking opportunities.
Do not lie on the financial disclosure forms. USIU and the Foundation will conduct physical background checks in your home village or refugee camp to verify your poverty claims. Any discrepancy results in immediate disqualification.
Official Source
For complete details and to verify all requirements, please refer to the scholarship provider's official website.
Visit Official Source