Applications Now Open for the 2025 Mastercard TAGDev Scholarship
The Mastercard TAGDev Scholarship is now accepting applications for 2025. This fully funded scholarship program aims to support academically talented yet economically disadvantaged African students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
About the Mastercard TAGDev Scholarship
The Mastercard TAGDev Scholarship is a comprehensive funding program that covers:
Tuition fees
Research expenses
Workshop and conference costs
Living stipends and hostel accommodation
Laptop provision
Internship and entrepreneurship training
This initiative is a collaboration between the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), Mastercard Foundation, and select African universities. It is designed to empower young Africans and institutions in driving inclusive and climate-resilient agricultural transformation.
Scholarship Summary
Host Organization: Mastercard Foundation
Study Location: Africa
Categories: Undergraduate | Postgraduate | Master’s Scholarships
Eligible Countries: Uganda and Kenya
Benefits: Full scholarship, living stipend, accommodation, laptop, travel costs
Language Requirement: No IELTS required
Application Deadline: April 1, 2025
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the Mastercard TAGDev Scholarship 2025, applicants must:
1. Be a national of Uganda or an East African country implementing the East Africa Higher Education Protocol (Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan).
2. Be economically disadvantaged, from marginalized communities, or from conflict/post-conflict areas in Uganda.
3. Be under 30 years old for undergraduate studies and under 35 years old for master’s programs.
4. Have completed secondary school or a diploma for a bachelor’s degree no more than two years before applying (four years for refugees or internally displaced persons).
5. Meet the admission criteria of eligible programs at Gulu University.
6. Show interest in agriculture, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship.
7. Demonstrate leadership skills and a commitment to working in agriculture and community transformation.
8. Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.
Scholarship Benefits
The Mastercard TAGDev Scholarship provides:
Full tuition coverage
Research, workshop, and conference funding
Living expenses, including a stipend and hostel accommodation
Laptop provision
Internship placements and entrepreneurship training
Community engagement and fieldwork opportunities
Available Programs
Undergraduate Programs:
BSc. Agriculture
BSc. Food Bioscience and Agribusiness
BSc. Biosystems Engineering
Bachelor of Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Education
Master’s Programs:
MSc. Food Security and Community Nutrition
MSc. Agri-Enterprises Development
MSc. Agronomy
MSc. Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management
Application Process
Interested candidates should:
1. Visit the scholarship webpage by clicking the application link.
2. Register an account on the online RIMS Web Portal.
3. Activate the account via the email confirmation link.
4. Complete the application form online. (Save draft progress while filling it out.)
5. Download and print the completed form.
6. Submit the form with the university admission application (either as a hard copy or online, depending on the university’s requirements).
For further assistance, applicants can contact the scholarship administrator at mcf@ruforum.org.
Deadline
Application closes on April 1, 2025