Fully Funded 2025 Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarships for African Students at South African Universities

The Mandela Rhodes Scholarships Programme combines financial support for postgraduate studies and a high-quality leadership development programme, to build exceptional leadership capacity in Africa.

A Mandela Rhodes Scholarship enables a Scholar to study at a South African tertiary institution registered with the South African Council on Higher Education for an accredited postgraduate degree programme. The Scholarship is awarded for one or a maximum of two years, currently for an Honours or Masters degree.

The leadership development programme comprises the following three components.

● Three residential workshops

● Three regional group pods

● Mentoring

Benefits

The Scholarship covers the cost of a Scholar as follows:

● Tuition and registration fees as set by the institution;

● A study materials allowance as set by the MRF;

● Accommodation and meal allowances as set by the MRF;

●A medical aid allowance as set by the MRF;

● Economy-class travel allowance for international Scholars only from the Scholar’s home to their institution at the beginning and back home at the end of their degree programme;

● Personal allowance.

Requirements

● The Mandela Rhodes Scholarships are open to citizens of all African countries

● The Scholarship is for postgraduate study at South African universities or tertiary institutions

● Full funding is for Honours (maximum one year) or Masters (up to a maximum of two years) or their equivalents (MBA’s excluded)

● Any individual who will be between the ages of 19 and 30 years at the time of taking up the Scholarship may apply

● Applicants must possess a first degree or its equivalent or must be in the process of completing one by 31 January 2026

● Applicants should have a history of well-above average-academic results

● Individuals that reflect in their character a commitment to the four principles of Education, Reconciliation, Leadership and Entrepreneurship

The MRF leadership development activities sometimes include weekends. It is a condition of the Scholarship that attendance is compulsory

Application Documents

● Recommendation Letters

● Documentation: Degree certificates, academic transcripts, ID, and passport scans

● Essays: Personal journey and a specific question related to the scholarship’s principles

● Application for university admission

● South African Qualification Agency Certificate (for non-South African applicants)

Method of Application

Click Here to Apply

For More Information,

Visit the Official Webpage

Application Deadline: April 21, 2025.