Mastercard Foundation
A visionary donation from the Mastercard Foundation has made it possible for scores of talented students from Africa to pursue a U of T education.
Africa has a higher percentage of youth than any other continent—a vast number of people with the potential to create positive change in their communities. The Mastercard Foundation recognized this potential and established a program to help a select number of these young people to access education at some of the world’s top institutions, including the University of Toronto.
Created in 2012 through the vision of the Foundation’s President and CEO, Reeta Roy, the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program offers fully funded scholarships to talented young leaders from Africa. With its generous donation of US$22.5 million, the Foundation made the Scholars Program available at U of T, one of 27 educational institutions around the world to partner with the Foundation on this initiative.
The Scholars Program covers a student’s tuition in the Faculty of Arts & Science or the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering, as well as the cost of books, living expenses and airfare. The program also provides comprehensive support in the form of orientation to Canada, mentoring, volunteer opportunities, internships, career counselling and networking, and training in transformative leadership.
The students selected to take part in the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program are all academically talented and united by the common goal of making a difference in their communities. At U of T, they have offered unique perspectives and insights that are now woven into the fabric of the University community.
Upon graduation, Mastercard Foundation Scholars will apply their passion for change and their education in fields such as economics, science, social sciences, the humanities, business, and engineering to make a powerful difference in their communities and countries. They will also forge powerful and lasting connections between Canada and one of the fastest growing regions of the world.