Deadline for Applications: 14 April 2026
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship Programme for the 2026/27 academic year is now accepting applications. This prestigious fully funded scholarship offers young Africans an incredible opportunity to pursue higher education in South Africa while participating in a unique leadership development initiative.
This scholarship merges substantial financial assistance with a transformative leadership journey aimed at challenging, nurturing, and connecting aspiring young leaders across the African continent. It fosters a community of changemakers who share a commitment to making a positive impact.
About the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship is much more than financial support; it is a comprehensive leadership development experience. It is designed to empower emerging leaders through a combination of academic funding and a dynamic programme that encourages personal growth, critical thinking, and engagement with peers who are equally passionate about driving social change in Africa.
The Leadership Development Experience
Grounded in the foundational principles of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation — reconciliation, education, entrepreneurship, and leadership — this programme emphasizes that true leadership begins with inner transformation. The foundation’s mission is to honor Nelson Mandela’s legacy by fostering young African leaders who possess both the skills and the courage to help create a continent where equal opportunity is accessible to all.
The leadership training is delivered primarily via immersive week-long residential workshops during the scholarship tenure, providing a platform for scholars to learn, reflect, and grow together.
Comprehensive Financial Support
The scholarship fully covers the essential expenses related to your studies at a recognized South African university. This support includes:
- Tuition fees for either a one-year Honours degree or a two-year Masters degree in any academic discipline
- Registration fees
- Allowances for study materials and research expenses
- Medical aid coverage
- Accommodation and meal costs
- A personal stipend
- Economy class airfare to and from your home country and South Africa at the start and conclusion of your studies
Who is Eligible? Selection Criteria
The Mandela Rhodes Foundation seeks candidates who not only demonstrate academic excellence but also embody the organisation’s core values. They look for young leaders with the potential to exemplify and promote the following principles:
Leadership
- Do you envision yourself as a visionary leader with strong ethical grounding?
- Are you motivated by more than personal achievement, aiming instead to advance equality, human rights, and dignity?
- Do you aspire to inspire and empower others to reach their full potential?
Reconciliation
- Do you believe in the importance of reconciliation, paired with reparations, as a means to address historical injustices and build a fairer society?
- Are you willing to embark on this process by examining your own values and biases?
Education
- Have you achieved excellent academic results while understanding that education’s true purpose extends beyond personal gain to making a broader social impact?
- Do you agree that intellectual excellence should be complemented by character development and a well-rounded personality?
Entrepreneurship
- Are you passionate about Africa’s potential to become a competitive and respected player on the global stage?
- Have you demonstrated creativity, innovation, and self-driven efforts towards this goal?
Are You Ready to Grow?
To thrive in the Mandela Rhodes Scholarship Programme, applicants need to be deeply curious and committed to the often challenging personal work of leadership development. This involves:
- Engaging in self-reflection to build self-awareness, including confronting difficult personal truths
- Embracing the diversity and differing perspectives within the cohort
- Exploring complexity within oneself, others, and societal systems
Important Information for International Applicants
If you are applying from outside South Africa, please note that you might be required to complete verification through the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to be eligible for admission to a South African university. For more details, kindly visit the relevant FAQs on the official scholarship page.
You can find more information and submit your application by clicking Click Here To Apply.
Additionally, for verification requirements, refer to SAQA.
