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Scholarship · Fully funded

Mandela Rhodes Scholarship (Class of 2028)

The Mandela Rhodes Foundation

Fully funded postgraduate scholarship and leadership programme for young Africans to study an Honours or Masters degree at a South African university.

Award
Comprehensive funding for tuition and registration, study materials, research, medical aid, accommodation and meals, personal allowance, and economy-class travel to and from home country.
Who can apply
Africa
Where
South Africa
Deadline
14 Apr

About the programme

The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship combines comprehensive financial support for postgraduate study in South Africa with a leadership development programme built on reconciliation, education, entrepreneurship and leadership. The programme is delivered mainly through week-long residential workshops. Applications for the Class of 2028 open on 9 March 2027, and the page states the application deadline as 14 April 2027.

Eligibility

  • Citizen of an African country (living anywhere)
  • Aged 19 to 29 in the year of applying
  • Able to study at postgraduate level in English
  • Undergraduate degree with excellent results (above 70% or upper-second class Honours) completed by 1 January 2028
  • Aspires to ethical leadership and commitment to equality, freedom and human dignity in Africa
  • Willing to reflect deeply and undergo personal change and growth
  • Study must be full-time at a South African institution; distance learning and home-country study not allowed; no MBAs, block courses or predominantly online courses
  • Sign in to check these against your background.

What they look for

  • Demonstrated leadership on campus or in community
  • Admires Nelson Mandela's ability to bridge divides

What you will need

  • Certificates of completion for degrees
  • Academic transcripts in English
  • Scans of ID and passport documents
  • Three letters of recommendation in English uploaded via the online platform
  • Two short essays (personal journey and a question on the principles)

How to apply

  1. Apply online via the application platform (Round One opens 9 March 2027)
  2. Recommenders upload letters directly to the platform
  3. Notification of round two by mid-July, round three by end of July
  4. Interviews in South Africa in October; selected scholars notified by end of October
  5. Apply separately to a South African university; award conditional on university admission

Applications are submitted on The Mandela Rhodes Foundation’s own site. Open Doors helps you prepare; it is not the official application portal.

From people who applied

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Source and verification

Last checked
11 Nov 2026, read automatically from the official page

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