We are pleased to announce the start of the 2026-2027 Mastercard Foundation graduate scholarship recruitment at the University of Toronto. This doctoral scholarship opportunity is open to recent alumni and graduating students at our Africa Health Collaborative partner universities. These graduate scholarships will be awarded to individuals who have demonstrated academic excellence in associated health-related disciplines and a personal commitment to going back and giving back to their home countries.
The Award
This comprehensive scholarship offers full financial support for tuition, travel expenses, housing, food, books, and other expenses for the duration of the professional program. In addition to financial support, scholars will be provided with a comprehensive support network to ensure academic success. Furthermore, each scholar will have the opportunity to engage in orientation sessions, which will ensure that they are fully engaged from the very beginning of their graduate studies, and which will ease their transition to life as a graduate student in the city of Toronto, and to their preparedness for return to their home country.
Graduate Program
Up to 3 Mastercard Foundation Doctoral scholarships will be awarded for the 2026-2027 academic year for the following graduate program: Doctor of Public Health.
When preparing your application, please ensure you meet all the program requirements. Keep in mind that your motivation for pursuing this field, along with your career goals and commitment to contributing to Africa’s future, will play a key role in determining your eligibility for the scholarship.
Eligibility Assessment:
Applicants MUST meet the following five eligibility criteria:
- Be a citizen and currently residing in a Sub-Saharan African country.
- Have graduated from a partner institution of the Africa Health Collaborative (listed here) and have not yet started graduate studies at the doctoral level.
- Demonstrate academic excellence and leadership qualities during his/her undergraduate and master’s years.
- Be academically admissible to the sponsored graduate program listed above.
- Demonstrate a desire and commitment to return home for the last two years of the program to contribute to the ongoing economic growth and social development in Africa.
How to Apply:
Step One
Prospective applicants must first consult the admission requirements for the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program of study. If you meet the academic requirements of this program, please follow through to step two.
Step Two
Register and attend one of the three virtual info sessions and the (optional) Q&A session. Please note that to be eligible for the Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarship and have your application considered, attendance at one (1) information session is mandatory:
Info Session 1:
September 3rd at 10-11 am EST | 2-3 pm GMT I 4-5 pm CAT I 5-6 pm EAT
Info Session 2:
September 11th at 8 -9:30 am EST I 12-1:30 pm GMT I 2-3:30 pm GMT I 3-4:30 pm EAT
Info Session 3:
September 25th at 9-10:30 am EST I 1-2:30 pm GMT I 3-4:30 pm GMT I 4-5:30 pm EAT
Q&A Session
October 1st at 10-11 am EST | 2-3 pm GMT I 4-5 pm CAT I 5-6 pm EAT
Step Three
Complete the Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholarship application. The link to the application form will be shared at the upcoming info sessions. Deadline for submission of the completed application is October 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST (Toronto time). If your application for the Mastercard Foundation scholarship meets all criteria and is approved by the Scholarship Admission Committee, you will receive an email to move forward to step four. These notifications to successful applicants will be made by November 1, 2025.
Step Four
If you are shortlisted for the Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholarship, you will be invited to complete a program application to the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program from the University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, which is due by November 21, 2025. The Dalla Lana School of Public Health will inform you as to the specific requirements of their department and provide you with subsequent dates for the submission of supplementary information. This is an online process that will require you to upload documents to your application. Please follow the instructions once you receive them.
Please direct any questions to the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health: globalhealth.dlsph@utoronto.ca
More News & Events
Skip scroller content
Apply for KNUST’s CPD-Eligible Short Courses in Health Systems and Services Management
Applicants must meet the following requirements to qualify for the scholarship: Short Courses and Timelines 23rd – 27th February 2026: Emergency Preparedness and Response to Epidemic/Pandemic-Prone Diseases 10th – 14th February 2026: Community Emergency Care 24th – 27th February 2026: Palliative Care Module 1 23rd – 27th March 2026: Introduction to Healthcare Quality Improvement (IQI) […]
Call for Insights & Stories: Frontiers Opens Special Collection for AHC Partners
The Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) is pleased to share an exciting opportunity for all AHC institutional partners to share original research, reviews, case studies, policy briefs, perspectives, and reflective pieces in a new article collection titled “United in Partnership: Academic Collaborations for Primary Health Care Transformation” by Frontiers in Medicine. This special collection is being […]
A New Chapter of Collaboration: AHC Welcomes Prof. Joachim Osur as Executive Steering Committee Chair
The Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) has announced Prof. Joachim Osur, Vice Chancellor of Amref International University, as the new Chair of the Executive Steering Committee (ESC). The symbolic handover took place during the closing ceremony of the 2025 AHC Convening in Rwanda, held in October 2025. This marks a significant leadership transition from Prof. Nhlanhla […]
Africa Health Collaborative 2025: Driving Transformative Change in Primary Healthcare Future
Last October, over 170 policymakers, health experts, academics, and youth innovators from 14 countries came together for the Africa Health Collaborative’s (AHC) 2025 Annual Convening, hosted by the African Leadership University (ALU) in Kigali, Rwanda.
Engineering Dignity: Designing Low-Cost Prosthetics in the University of Cape Town’s MedTech Lab
Read about how Jemila Abdulai’s internship at UCT’s MedTech Lab strengthened her commitment to human-centered engineering, demonstrating how affordable innovations like the ADL Arm can expand access, restore dignity, and transform lives in underserved communities.
Graduate Scholarship Opportunities at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Apply for graduate (MPh, MSc, MPhil, PhD) scholarships at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Digital Storytelling & Co-Design in Africa’s Healthcare Landscape
Join this webinar to explore how Digital Storytelling (DST) and Co-Design can transform health systems by centering the people who live the stories.
Africa Health Collaborative Convening to Spotlight Youth, African-Led Innovation, and Systems Change in Primary Health Care
The 2025 Convening will bring together leaders and innovators from government, academia, civil society, and the private sector to explore practical solutions for strengthening Africa’s primary health care systems through workforce development, entrepreneurship, institutional collaboration, and innovation.
Young Innovators Reimagining Ethiopia’s Health Future
The Africa Health Collaborative at Addis Ababa University brought youthful energy and big ideas to the spotlight at its Health Startups Panel Discussion and Pitch Competition.
Health Entrepreneurship Dialogue- The Journey of a Health Entrepreneur
The Health Entrepreneurship Dialogue by Amref Health Africa brings together bold thinkers, innovators, and changemakers shaping the future of health across Africa and beyond.