Becoming the next Mastercard Foundation Scholar at the University Cape Town

by Luqman Muraina and Iyanuoluwa Oyetunji

Studying outside the borders of one’s country can be a lifelong dream for some, while for others, it is a mere expression of wealth. For whatever motivates your higher education study and for whatever Africa is known for in a highly globalized knowledge economy, the University of Cape Town (UCT) remains one of the best spots to study in Africa. Until today, the university remains the best university in Africa, amongst other sterling records. How much would studying in the 39^th most international university in the world be when you are sponsored by the Mastercard Foundation (MCF).

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Porgram (MCFSP), as a scholarship organization, remains one of the most popular and spectacular scholarship funder. It ranks in the calibre of the European Commission that funds the Erasmus Scholarship and UK Department for International Development (DFID) that sponsors the Commonwealth scholarship. The outstanding perk that MCF scholars relatively enjoy is admission into a renowned and outstanding BAOBAB Community.

BAOBAB is a unique community for all MCF scholars globally; there you get access to communicate easily with all MCF scholars far and beyond Africa, seek research collaboration, webinar, and funding opportunities, etc. We shall tell you more as much as your application to MCF UCT or to other MCF program universities is successful.

Getting Started with your Application

After a worthy wait, the MCF UCT application was publicized recently. Foremost, this essay shall not repeat what has been stated on the link; likewise, it shall not demonstrate how you would write your motivation letter nor the best type of curriculum vitae to submit, which can both be accessed here and here respectively. This writing aims to be an extra resource on our anticipation to welcome you into the MCF UCT family.

Besides, it shall be a means of answering the many questions received from prospective scholars. Meanwhile, we would advise that you should be confident as both authors did not utilize any other instruction outside the MCFSP website and UCT application webpage instruction as a current beneficiary of the program. In that light, your first task shall be to read and reread the application webpage; it has all the complete information to guide your undergraduate, honours, or postgraduate application.

Doing your research and asking relevant questions

The UCT and MCFSP require a different application process on two platforms named Peoplesoft and Vula; instructions on how to use these platforms are available here; however, your application to UCT would come before MCFSP. Another critical advice is that before or as you initiate your UCT application, you should peruse UCT application resources available on this page. The famous saying that ‘no one is perfect’ describes the UCT application structure because of its relative difficulty; thus, always request for an extra hand when appropriate.

Furthermore, imagine that upon resuming your studies as an erudite MCF scholar, you discover that your program or specialization is not what you think it was. Highly embarrassing, right? Never assume you know what your program of interest entails until you have done your necessary homework. Since ‘assumption is the lowest form of knowledge’; do not hesitate to request for clarifications from department administrative officer appropriately.

It is paramount that you understand the nature of the intended degree. Are you required to contact a supervisor if it is a full-dissertation degree? Full dissertation degrees are usually pre-planned, and the department (or division) usually have a maximum number of research student they can admit premised on available facilities. Is there a space for research students in that department this year?

Does your undergraduate degree meet the requisite criteria to get you accepted into the department? If you have some coursework as part of your degree, are you required to have taken some courses? Are you allowed to take those courses when you resume? These are some of the critical questions you need to answer before starting your application.

Another bit of information you must pay attention to as a postgraduate applicant is your area of specialization. Civil Engineering, for example, is generic at the undergraduate level, but as a postgraduate applicant, you must be able to indicate if your interest lies in Structural Engineering or Water Quality Engineering, amongst other numerous biases.

Nevertheless, postgraduate applicants are expected to have developed an interest in one of these specializations, to aid the search for a supervisor and writing research proposal and not make specialization decisions based on how they ‘look or sound.’ Specializations are usually difficult to change upon resumption.

Again, you should communicate with your department via email if the information on the website is not clear enough. As much as everything may not be clear to you about your degree from the start, as a postgraduate applicant, you should have an inkling of what you expect to meet.

The application process

The MCFSP application form is usually completed manually as it requires an attestation from your local magistrate/customary court, which costed about N500.00 ($1) in 2019. Depending on your country, the Faculty of Law of many institutions of higher learning performs the attestation function. Document attestation cost N50 ($0.129) at the University of Ibadan for a single document page.

More so, ensure you upload a clearly scanned and thoroughly filled document to Vula to submit your application. Also, UCT, depending on your specific department, requests for certified copies of transcripts and degrees to be physically verified at the advanced level of the application; meanwhile, the new COVID-19 might might change the usual procedure.

Nevertheless, in Nigeria, a channel is via Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST). NIPOST Express Mailing Service (EMS) takes about a month; however, private courier service providers usually deliver in seven days at an extra cost. You will be given directions on what you should write on the packaging material, make sure you include all details such as full name, student number, choice(s) of program, contact details and destination.

In extension, aside from the recommendation letter, attestation, and second witness that involves a third party, other sections of the MCF/UCT application can be effortlessly completed by you. The information on relatives and their properties should be completed diligently and does not require their (relatives) participation.

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) certificate is usually required by South African institutions from applicants with an international degree, meanwhile, UCT is usually flexible on this requirement.

What next after submitting your application

You should receive an acknowledgment email from your department after you have submitted your application (this may not be immediate). In the rare case that the department does not acknowledge your application after a long passage of time, you may send an email quoting your student number.

Essentially, you should not dump your application and stay carefree. Please, do not get it twisted, allow the selection committee (MCFSP & UCT) to do their job and await a positive outcome, hopefully. However, if you have a supervisor, keep communication with them; keep them abreast of progress in your admission application, let them know if there is a change, with reasons in your resumption dates.

Also, you can inquire about available departmental funding, which can be an alternative funding opportunity. You most likely will be “stuck” with your supervisor all through your year(s) of study, therefore, build a relationship!

UCT and MCFSP decisions are independently made; thus, on rare occasions, you can be nominated & selected for the MCF scholarship without getting a UCT admission. Therefore, the advice is that as much as you are determined to become a MCF scholar, you also need to put the best foot forward for your UCT application and pray for a successful outcome on both ends.

Luqman Muraina is a 2020 cohort beneficiary of the MCF UCT program. He studies Sociology and researches in the area of Development Studies (Higher Education).

Iyanuoluwa Oyetunji is also a 2020 scholar. He studies in the faculty of Health Sciences; a human nutritionist and currently works on the dietary patterns of people living with HIV/AIDS in the Cape Town.

Special thanks to Grace Bako; the Kenyan undergraduate MCF UCT student is the first reader of this article