Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship for Africans 2026

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation, an African organisation founded and funded by Dr Mo Ibrahim and dedicated to strengthening leadership and governance across the continent, has generously established a new scholarship at SOAS. 

This award aims to support and nurture future leaders committed to Africa’s development. In line with the Foundation’s core values, preference will be given to applicants who are ordinarily resident in Africa and to those who demonstrate a clear interest in governance and/or development in Africa.

There are two awards available for 2026/27, each with a total value of £45,479. Tuition fees will be deducted from this amount with the remainder being paid directly to the student as a maintenance stipend.

• Table of Content
• About Mo Ibrahim Foundation
• Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship
• Aim and Benefits of Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship
• Requirements for Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Mo Ibrahim Foundation

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation (MIF) is an African foundation, established in 2006 with one focus: the critical importance of governance and leadership in Africa. It is our conviction that governance and leadership lie at the heart of any tangible and shared improvement in the quality of life of African citizens. The Foundation is a non-grant making and non-fundraising organisation. It focusses on defining, assessing and enhancing governance and leadership in Africa through four main initiatives:... continue reading

Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship

Tuition fees and maintenance stipend.

Requirements for Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship Qualification

• Any full-time 1-year taught masters degree programme beginning in 2026/27.

In order to be eligible, applicants must:

• Be a new admission, starting in September 2026.
• Be an Overseas fee status applicant.
• Have a minimum 2:1 bachelor’s degree from a UK university or international equivalent.
• Hold an unconditional offer for their programme by the time the scholarship panel meet.

This scholarship does not cover funding or allow for pre-sessional programmes.

Interview date, Process and Venue for Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship

• Candidates will be assessed by a selection panel based on their academic merit and personal statement. Information included in your scholarship and admissions applications will be reviewed by the panel.
• Preference will be given to candidates who are ordinarily resident in an African and those who demonstrate an interest in governance and/or development in Africa.
• Applicants should not use generative AI tools to write their scholarship application statements. You may, however, use AI tools to check grammar and spelling or to help you plan the structure of your statements. For further guidance on appropriate AI use, please refer to our guidance to students on the use of AI.

SOAS will not consider late or incomplete applications.

The scholarship shortlisting and awarding period is expected to be completed by mid-July at the earliest. Successful candidates will be contacted first, and once all awards have been allocated, unsuccessful candidates will be notified.

Check also:
Commonwealth Master's Scholarship to Study in UK 2027/2028
Wageningen University Masters Scholarship to Study in Netherlands 2027/2028

Application Deadline

How to Apply

To apply for this scholarship, applicants should follow the following steps:

Step 1

• Apply for your programme. To apply for a masters degree programme, please see taught masters applications.
• Applicants applying for scholarships must submit an application for admission as soon as possible. Please note that complete applications for admission can take up to 4 weeks to be considered by the department, although this duration can vary depending on the time of year. You should be prepared to wait up to 6 weeks in busy periods.

Step 2

• Apply for the scholarship by 12 noon UK local time on 17 June 2026. You must apply for this scholarship via the admissions portal and will need to have applied for a course to get login credentials for this.

For enquiries regarding your programme application procedure please email [email protected].

For any enquiries regarding the scholarship application procedure, please email [email protected].

For more information, kindly visit SOAS scholarship webpage.