Scholarships for African Students 2026–2027: Full Guide

Updated October 2026

The strongest fully funded scholarships for African students in the 2026–2027 application cycle are Chevening (UK master’s; the 2026 round closes on 6 October 2026 and the next one usually opens in early August), the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (applied for through partner universities), DAAD EPOS (development-related master’s in Germany, deadlines mostly between August and October 2026) and Stipendium Hungaricum (usually closes in mid-January). Angolans are eligible for all four, but not for Commonwealth Scholarships, because Angola is not a Commonwealth member. Below is what each one pays for, who qualifies and how to build an application that survives the first cut.

Quick comparison of the main programs

Deadlines below are for study starting in 2027. Where a date is not yet published for this cycle, the table shows the usual window and you should confirm it on the official page before planning around it.

Program	Level and country	Deadline (2027 entry)	Work experience	Covers
Chevening	One-year master’s, UK	6 October 2026, 11:00 UTC	At least 2 years (2,800 hours) after your first degree	Tuition, living allowance, return flight, visa fee
Mastercard Foundation Scholars	Undergraduate and master’s, Africa, North America, Europe, Middle East	Set by each partner university	Not required at most partners	Tuition, living costs, travel, leadership and career support
DAAD EPOS	Master’s (some PhD), Germany	Per course; many between August and October 2026	At least 2 years, relevant to the course	Monthly stipend, health insurance, travel allowance
Stipendium Hungaricum	Bachelor’s, master’s, PhD, Hungary	Usually mid-January (15 January in the last cycle)	Not required	Tuition, monthly stipend, housing contribution
Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters	Master’s across two or more European countries	Per program; most between October and January	Varies by program	Participation costs plus a monthly allowance
Fulbright Foreign Student	Master’s and PhD, United States	Set by the U.S. Embassy in Luanda each year	Varies	Tuition, living stipend, flights, health cover

Chevening: the UK master’s that closes first

Chevening is the UK government’s flagship scholarship, funded through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and run through British embassies, including the one in Luanda. Angola is on the eligible country list. The award pays for a one-year taught master’s at any UK university, including tuition, a monthly living allowance, an economy return flight and the visa application.

Key requirements

Citizenship of a Chevening-eligible country and, for countries like Angola, residence there when you apply.
An undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK master’s, completed at least two years before the deadline.
At least two years of work experience after that degree, counted as 2,800 hours. Paid, voluntary and part-time work can all count.
Applications to three different eligible UK courses, with at least one unconditional offer by 17:00 UK time on 8 July 2027.
A commitment to return to your home country for at least two years after the course.

Timeline for 2027/28

Applications opened on 4 August 2026 and close on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC (12:00 noon in Luanda).
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed at embassies and high commissions between March and April 2027.
Results start going out from mid-June 2027.
Courses begin in September or October 2027.

The four essays (leadership, networking, studying in the UK, career plan) carry most of the weight. Panels look for specific evidence: a project you led, numbers you moved, people you persuaded. “I am passionate about development” tells them nothing; “I coordinated a 14-person survey team across three municipalities of Huíla” does.

Tip: Chevening runs on a fixed yearly calendar: applications usually open in early August and close in early October (the 2026 round closes on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC). Start your essays and line up your two references in June or July, so you are not writing them in the last week, and never submit essays you have not proofread.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program

This is the largest scholarship program built specifically for young Africans. You do not apply to the Foundation itself. You apply to one of its partner universities or organizations, and each partner runs its own admissions, deadlines and fees. The Foundation says it works with more than 60 partners, mostly in Africa, with others in North and Central America, Europe and the Middle East.

Partners listed on the program’s sites include the University of Cape Town, the University of Pretoria, Ashesi University, KNUST, Makerere University, Carnegie Mellon University Africa, African Leadership University, AIMS, Sciences Po, McGill University, the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, Arizona State University, the University of Edinburgh and the American University of Beirut. The partner list changes as agreements end and new ones begin, so check each university’s own Mastercard Foundation page to confirm it is still taking scholars for 2027.

Who qualifies

Undergraduate applicants aged 29 or younger; graduate applicants aged 35 or younger at the time of application.
Strong academic record and a demonstrated commitment to your community.
Priority for African nationals with financial need, including refugees, displaced people and people with disabilities.

Several partners charge an application fee, which the Foundation says is reimbursed if you are selected. You can apply to more than one partner in the same year. Being admitted to the university does not guarantee the scholarship; selection is a separate step.

For Portuguese-speaking applicants, the English requirement (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo, depending on the partner) is often the real bottleneck. Book your test early, because test centers in Luanda can fill up in the months before major deadlines.

DAAD EPOS: development-focused master’s in Germany

The DAAD’s Development-Related Postgraduate Courses (EPOS) fund professionals from developing countries to take specific master’s (and some PhD) programs at German universities, in fields such as public health, engineering, environmental management, economics, agriculture and urban planning. Many courses are taught in English.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree with above-average results (roughly the top third of your class).
At least two years of professional experience after your degree, related to the course. Some programs state that academic teaching or research jobs do not count.
Your last degree should normally be no more than six years old.
No more than 15 months’ residence in Germany at the deadline.

You apply directly to the course, not to the DAAD, and you can apply to up to three EPOS courses, ranked in a single motivation letter. The university shortlists, then the DAAD makes the final decision. Deadlines differ by course; many for 2027 entry fall between August and October 2026, and the University of Freiburg’s MSc Environmental Governance, for example, lists 15 October 2026. The DAAD publishes a deadline list for the current year on its site.

The scholarship pays a monthly stipend, health insurance and a travel allowance, with possible rent and family allowances. The monthly rate is set by the DAAD and is reviewed from time to time, so check the current figure in the DAAD scholarship database.

Other fully funded options open to Angolans

Stipendium Hungaricum

Hungary’s government program funds bachelor’s, master’s and PhD study, and Angola is a sending partner country. You apply online through the Tempus Public Foundation, and your home country also has to nominate you. In the 2026/27 cycle the deadline was 15 January 2026; expect a similar window (opening around November 2026, closing in mid-January 2027) for 2027/28 entry and check with the Angolan nominating authority early.

Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters

These EU-funded master’s degrees run across universities in at least two European countries. You apply to the consortium running each program, and most deadlines fall between October and January. Not every program in the catalogue has scholarships each year, so check before you invest time.

Fulbright Foreign Student Program

The U.S. Embassy in Luanda runs the Fulbright call for Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe. It funds graduate study in the United States and usually requires strong English. Dates are announced on the embassy site each year; check there rather than relying on deadlines published for other countries.

A note on Commonwealth Scholarships

Commonwealth Master’s and PhD Scholarships are only for citizens of Commonwealth countries. Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa qualify; Angola does not.

How to build an application that gets shortlisted

Pick two or three programs, not ten. Each one wants tailored essays, references and course choices. A focused application beats a copied one.
Start with the course. Chevening and DAAD both judge whether the course fits your career plan. Name the modules you need and why.
Get your documents ready early. Certified degree certificates and transcripts, with sworn translations into English where needed, can take weeks in Luanda.
Brief your referees. Give them your essays and two or three examples you want them to mention.
Write a CV in the international format. Use our free CV builder (in Portuguese) and follow the ATS-friendly resume guide for structure.
Prepare for interviews. Chevening interviews follow the essay themes. Practice with the common interview questions and adapt your answers to your study plan.

Be wary of agents who charge to “guarantee” a scholarship. None of the programs above uses paid intermediaries, and none asks for a fee to award a scholarship.

Frequently asked questions

Can Angolans apply for Chevening?

Yes. Angola is a Chevening-eligible country. You must be resident in Angola when you apply and meet the degree, work experience and return requirements.

Do I need IELTS to apply?

It depends on the program. Chevening no longer asks for a separate English test at the application stage, but your UK university will. Mastercard Foundation partners and Fulbright usually require a recognized test score.

Can I apply for several scholarships at once?

Yes. You can apply to Chevening, DAAD and Mastercard Foundation partners in the same year. You can only accept one full award for the same period of study.

Are there scholarships for undergraduate study?

Yes. The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program and Stipendium Hungaricum both fund bachelor’s degrees. Chevening and DAAD EPOS are for graduates with work experience.

What if I miss the 2026 deadlines?

Most of these programs run every year. Use the time to gain work experience, take your English test and line up referees, then apply in the next cycle.

Sources: Chevening application timeline, Chevening eligibility, Mastercard Foundation: Becoming a Scholar, Mastercard Foundation Scholars partner universities (UC Berkeley), DAAD EPOS scholarship database, University of Freiburg MEG DAAD/EPOS, Stipendium Hungaricum partners, Stipendium Hungaricum application, Erasmus Mundus catalogue (EACEA), U.S. Embassy Angola: Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

-------------

INFORMAÇÃO IMPORTANTE!

**Não recrutamos ninguém, as vagas aqui anunciadas pertencem aos anunciantes**.

No Procure Aqui, você encontra muito mais do que dicas para o seu crescimento profissional. Descubra vagas de emprego e comece a sua nova jornada agora mesmo!