The Edinburgh Invite Pack
Updated 6 September 2026
Full postgraduate scholarships for Nigerians heading into a master's at the University of Edinburgh, September 2027 entry: what the university asks for, the one step you cannot skip, and both deadlines.
Which of these is you
- 2:1 or equivalent, born on or after 1 January 1992, no master's yet. Start at "Eligibility, in the university's words" and register for a session today.
- Born in 1991 or earlier. The age rule closes the master's scholarship to you; see "If the age rule closes this one".
- You already hold a master's. The master's stream is closed, but the online postgraduate diploma may still be open; see "What it is".
- Refugee status in an African country. You are eligible; the same steps apply.
What it is
The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Edinburgh funds full postgraduate scholarships for September 2027 entry: a one-year master's on campus in Scotland, or a master's or postgraduate diploma studied online from Nigeria. The programme runs from 2023 to 2030, with 850 scholarships across that period. Official: Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, University of Edinburgh.
Eligibility, in the university's words
- A degree that qualifies you academically for your chosen course: generally a UK 2:1 or its Nigerian equivalent.
- Born on or after 1 January 1992.
- An African citizen resident in Africa, or holding refugee or displaced status there.
- Faced significant barriers to education or to your career: social, financial, personal, practical or health-related.
- For the master's stream: no previous master's degree, and not enrolled on another programme during the scholarship. The online postgraduate diploma stream also takes applicants who already hold an undergraduate or master's degree from an African university.
- Your final degree certificate and official transcript uploaded by 19 November 2026.
Source: Eligibility.
The mandatory information session
Attending an information session is a mandatory step: it is the only way to gain access to the scholarship application form. Sessions run from 15 to 24 September 2026. Register here: registration form. On registering, you complete a short questionnaire that is reviewed for preliminary eligibility; attending a session does not by itself guarantee an invitation to apply.
Before you register, choose one study mode, on campus or online, and check your course sits on that mode's programme list; you can apply for one mode only, not both.
Source: How to apply.
The calendar
| Step | Date |
|---|---|
| Information sessions | 15 to 24 September 2026 |
| Applications open | 13 October 2026 |
| Applicant Declaration Form due | 19 October 2026, 5pm UK |
| Main application deadline | 19 November 2026, 5pm UK |
| Admission decisions | Early February 2027 |
| Interviews | February to March 2027 |
| Outcomes | Late March 2027 |
| Programmes start | September 2027 |
This calendar is subject to change; confirm live dates on Application timelines.
What the scholarship covers
In the university's own words, the on-campus award covers "full approved tuition, accommodation, travel, living cost stipend and study materials." The support is for you as the individual scholar; it does not extend to family members or dependants.
Tonight
- Open How to apply, pick one study mode, and check your course is on that mode's list.
- Register for a session between 15 and 24 September at the registration form; answer the questionnaire truthfully and save your confirmation email.
- Line up an academic or professional referee now; friends and family are not accepted as referees.
- Request your final degree certificate and transcript today, so the 19 November upload is not a scramble.
Worked example
Adaeze, 29, Enugu, has a 2:1 in microbiology from 2021 and has never done a master's. She picks one on-campus programme from the sustainability list, registers for the 17 September session, and answers the questionnaire truthfully. She books her transcript collection from her university the same week, so the 19 November upload is ready early. If she is invited, her application goes in well before the deadline; if not, she moves to Chevening, and the pack still did its job.
If the age rule closes this one
Born in 1991 or earlier: this master's scholarship is not open to you. Two other funded routes stay live this season: Chevening 2027/28, no age limit, needs about two years of work experience, closes 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC (the Chevening pack), and the Commonwealth Master's Scholarships 2027/28, expected to open this month.
The lines that protect your money
The form is free. The information sessions are free. Nobody sells "priority invitations" to a session or the application form. Nobody can guarantee a scholarship, including us.
Rekoja provides information and document preparation, not regulated immigration advice, so confirm every rule above with its official source before you act.