Scholarships to study in another African country

For applicants and families · Last verified 2026-11-08

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Say you live in one African country and the course you want is taught in another. Your first question is not which country but who will pay, and the answer depends on a funder that accepts applicants from outside the country where you will study.

This article helps you decide where to look and what to check before you apply. It covers funding routes that are open to applicants from other African countries, then the questions that apply to all of them. For general background, read the types of scholarships first.

A continental body funds study at its own institutes

The African Union Commission offers full scholarships for master's and PhD programmes at the Pan African University, according to its call for 2026 to 2027. Applicants from African countries and the diaspora can apply, and you choose among four institutes and apply online.

The call has age limits that decide many applications before they start. For a master's, you must be no more than 25 if you are a man and 28 if you are a woman. For a PhD, the limits are 28 and 30. The same call closed on 15 December 2025, so you cannot apply to that round. Watch the same page for the next call, and prepare the documents it asked for this time: certified certificates and transcripts, a CV, and recommendation letters from lecturers or professors.

A foundation in one country can welcome the whole continent

The Mandela Rhodes Foundation says its scholarship is for young leaders from anywhere on the African continent. It covers a one year Honours degree or a two year Master's degree in any field at a recognised South African institution of higher education. The page lists tuition and registration fees, allowances for study materials, research and medical aid, and accommodation and meals.

Because the award is tied to South Africa, it suits you only if a South African institution offers the course you want. The page does not state a deadline, so open its apply section before you plan anything around a date.

Some funders ask you to apply to a partner institution

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program works differently. According to the Foundation, you apply to a partner institution you want to attend, and the partner manages the application and the decision. It says its partners are primarily in Africa, with others in the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

This changes your checklist. Each partner sets its own deadline and guidelines, and the Foundation says you can apply to as many universities as you like. Some partners charge an application fee, which the Foundation says is reimbursed if you are selected. The Foundation says it never asks individuals for payments.

A German scheme funds study within sub-Saharan Africa

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) runs an In-Country/In-Region programme for postgraduate study. Its page says scholarship holders study at universities in their home country or at highly qualified institutions in the region. It is aimed at academics with a Bachelor's or Master's degree who apply for a consecutive Master's or a PhD.

According to DAAD, the scholarship usually covers tuition fees, a monthly rate, a study and research allowance and a thesis printing allowance, and In-Region holders also receive a travel allowance. The page gives no deadlines and its start dates for 2027 are inconsistent, so read the call document for the specific institution before you plan.

A government scheme in Mauritius

The Mauritius Ministry of Tertiary Education lists a call for applications for 2027 at diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate levels, with a list of nominating agencies. That page does not state the eligibility rules, so check the call itself.

Questions to settle before you apply

Whichever route you pick, three checks come before the application. First, find out who receives it: the funder, like the Pan African University, or a partner institution, like the Mastercard Foundation. Second, compare your nationality, level and age with the official wording, because a single rule can rule you out. Third, ask what is covered. Do not assume that tuition, living costs and travel are all included.

If the funder is new to you, how to read a scholarship page shows what to look for, and avoiding scholarship scams and unfair fees helps you check who is asking for money.

Last, ask the institution and the education authority where you plan to work next whether your qualification will be recognised there. This is advice, not a rule from these pages. Ask in writing and keep the reply, because it is easier to settle before you start than after you graduate.