The Mandela Institute MINDS Scholarship is a fully funded scholarship for African students pursuing postgraduate studies. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, living expenses, and daily meals, ensuring young leaders with a development mindset are eligible for the African continent.
Application Deadline:
📌 Ongoing
📚 What is the MINDS Scholarship?
The Mandela Institute for Development Studies (MINDS) Scholarship Programme for Leadership Development in Africa is a fully funded scholarship that enables talented African students to pursue postgraduate studies in another African country (not their own).
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It was launched in 2017 to nurture a new generation of Pan-African leaders who are academically strong and committed to the continent’s development.
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🎓 Who is Eligible?
To apply for the MINDS Scholarship, you must:
- Be a citizen of an African country, residing in any African country
- Have been formally accepted into a MINDS-preferred university (outside your country of citizenship/residence)
- Be pursuing a full-time Honours or Master’s degree
- Have achieved at least 70% in each subject/course in the last two completed years of study
- Demonstrate leadership potential or achievements (via essays and references)
- Submit a complete online application with supporting documents in PDF format
🏫 MINDS Preferred Institutions
You must be accepted into one of these universities:
East Africa
- African Leadership University (Rwanda)
- Carnegie Mellon University (Rwanda)
- Makerere University (Uganda)
- Strathmore University (Kenya)
- Universidade de Cabo Verde (Cabo Verde)
- Université Libre de Kigali (Rwanda)
Southern Africa
- African Leadership University (Mauritius)
- University of Cape Town (South Africa)
- University of Mauritius (Mauritius)
- University of Witwatersrand (South Africa)
- Universidade Agostinho Neto (Angola)
North Africa
- Al Akhawayn University (Morocco)
- Université Cadi Ayyad (Morocco)
- Université Mohammed V (Morocco)
- Cairo University (Egypt)
- Ain Shams University (Egypt)
- Alexandria University (Egypt)
- Assiut University (Egypt)
West Africa
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (Ghana)
- Pan-Atlantic University / Lagos Business School (Nigeria)
- University of Development Studies (Ghana)
- Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny (Ivory Coast)
- Cheikh Anta Diop University (Senegal)
- University of Ghana (Ghana)
- University of Ibadan (Nigeria)
💰 What Does the Scholarship Cover?
Depending on whether it’s full or partial, the scholarship may cover:
- Tuition fees
- Accommodation and meals
- One return flight for the full duration of study
- Fixed living stipend
📝 Special slots available for programs in Actuarial Sciences, Business Sciences, and Accounting.
📄 Required Documents (PDF format only, Max: 2MB per file)
- Passport bio page
- Certified transcripts/results from last 2 years of study
- Official university acceptance letter stating:
- Applicant’s name
- Degree program
- Start date & duration
- Proof of visa or study permit (optional)
- Detailed CV (max 4 pages)
- Two reference letters (max 3 pages each), discussing:
- Integrity
- Leadership potential
- Commitment to Africa’s development
📝 How to Apply
- Secure admission into a MINDS-preferred university (outside your home country)
- Prepare all required documents in PDF format
- Visit the MINDS Scholarship Application Portal
- Complete the online form and upload documents
📌 Note: Applications are processed on a rolling basis, so apply as soon as you’re admitted.
✅ Key Tips
- Only complete applications are considered
- Consider applying to non-South African institutions to increase chances
- Focus your application on leadership, Pan-Africanism, and academic excellence
🔗 Apply Now:
👉 MINDS Scholarship Application Link
