Graduate Application Process for the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UC Berkeley

## Overview The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program (MFSP) at the University of California, Berkeley supports African students pursuing master’s‑level degrees that are two years or less. Applicants must first apply to UC Berkeley through the regular graduate admissions process and meet program‑specific criteria. ## Eligibility - **Degree level**: Only master’s programs are eligible; bachelor’s and doctoral programs are excluded. - **Program length**: Must be two years or less. Concurrent or dual‑degree programs that exceed two years are not eligible. - **Geographic focus**: Applicants must be from African countries. - **Program list**: The program lists eligible master’s degrees across many schools (e.g., Haas MBA, School of Engineering M.Eng, School of Information MIMS, School of Public Health MPH, etc.). The list may not be exhaustive; applicants are encouraged to contact the program for unlisted programs. - **Motivation alignment**: Applicants should ensure their career goals align with the MFSP’s mission, as indicated in the program’s eligibility requirements. ## Funding Opportunities - **Application fee waivers**: Up to a limited number of fee waivers are offered. African applicants who complete basic demographic information and provide at least two recommender names in the UC Berkeley graduate application by **Nov 15** receive an invitation to apply for a waiver. Decisions are communicated before **Dec 1**. - **Additional scholarships**: Certain programs (e.g., Haas MBA) require applicants to secure separate funding from the school’s own scholarship pool, which has its own deadlines (e.g., Round 1 for Haas). - **MFSP award**: The MFSP itself provides a scholarship covering tuition and living costs for the eligible master’s program, subject to the program’s selection process. ## Application Timeline (as described in the source) 1. **Sept – early Jan**: Apply to UC Berkeley (program‑specific deadlines vary; most are in Dec). Only first‑round applicants (before Jan) are considered for MFSP. 2. **Nov 15**: Deadline to qualify for fee‑waiver invitation. 3. **Before Dec 1**: Fee‑waiver decisions communicated. 4. **Feb**: MFSP invites nominated candidates to complete a supplemental application. 5. **Mar**: Online interview invitations are sent. 6. **Late Mar/Early Apr**: Final MFSP decisions communicated. ## Unknowns and Source Limitations - **Number of fee waivers**: The exact quantity of fee‑waiver slots is not disclosed. - **Selection criteria**: Detailed weighting of academic, leadership, and financial need factors is not provided. - **Current deadlines**: The source may be outdated; program‑specific deadlines can change annually. - **Program list completeness**: The list of eligible master’s programs may have been updated since the source was published. - **Funding amounts**: Specific monetary values of the MFSP award and any additional scholarships are not stated. - **Eligibility nuances**: The source references “motivation” and “career goals” but does not define measurable thresholds. ## Recommendations for Applicants - Verify the latest graduate admission deadlines on the UC Berkeley Graduate Division website. - Confirm eligibility of your specific master’s program directly with MFSP staff. - Complete the demographic and recommender information well before Nov 15 to maximize fee‑waiver chances. - Prepare a strong supplemental application and interview response that aligns with MFSP’s mission. - Seek additional funding sources (e.g., school‑specific scholarships) early, especially for programs like the Haas MBA that require separate funding. Source: https://mcfscholarsprogram.berkeley.edu/graduate-application-process Checked: 2026-09-28T08:58:50.262202+00:00 Confirm details with the official institution before applying.