RUFORUM and Mastercard Foundation TAGDev Scholarships
There are scholarships that offer a little financial help, and then there are programmes that genuinely set out to change the course of a continent. The RUFORUM and Mastercard Foundation TAGDev Scholarships fall firmly into the second category. This is a fully funded, multi-country initiative that is not just paying for someone’s tuition. It is part of a ten-year strategy to transform how agriculture is taught, researched, and practised across Africa, with the people most likely to be left behind placed right at the front of the queue.
If you are a young African who wants to study agriculture, agribusiness, rural development, food systems, or a related field, and you have been held back by the cost of university education, this scholarship was designed with you specifically in mind. In this guide, we walk you through everything you need to know: what the programme is, who is behind it, which universities are participating, exactly what the scholarship covers, who is eligible, how to apply, and what the deadline is. By the time you finish reading, you will know whether this opportunity is right for you and precisely what steps to take next.
Understanding the RUFORUM and Mastercard Foundation TAGDev Scholarships : What Does It Stand For?
TAGDev stands for Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development. It is a programme built on a straightforward but powerful observation: that African universities with agricultural faculties have enormous untapped potential to drive food security, rural economic growth, and climate-resilient farming across the continent, but they are chronically underfunded, understaffed, and unable to reach the students who need them most.
The programme in its current form is known as TAGDev 2.0, reflecting the fact that it builds on an earlier phase of collaboration between RUFORUM and the Mastercard Foundation. The second phase runs from 2023 to 2033, giving it a ten-year horizon and the kind of institutional depth that short-term funding cycles rarely allow. This is not a programme that will close next year or disappear when a grant cycle ends. It is a sustained, strategic investment in African agricultural higher education with backing from one of the world’s most influential philanthropic foundations.
The goals of TAGDev 2.0 go beyond individual student support, although the scholarships are a central component. The programme also works to strengthen the universities themselves, improve curriculum quality and relevance, build connections between universities and local industries and communities, and create pathways for graduates to apply their training directly in African food systems. The scholarship recipients are not just beneficiaries of the programme. They are also part of a generation of change agents that the programme is deliberately cultivating.
About RUFORUM: The Organisation Behind the Programme
RUFORUM stands for the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture. It is an inter-university consortium headquartered in Kampala, Uganda, that brings together over 170 universities across 40 African countries. Its core mission is to strengthen the capacity of African universities to produce graduates who are equipped to drive agricultural development and food security across the continent.
RUFORUM has been operating since 2004 and has built a substantial track record of creating postgraduate training programmes, facilitating research collaboration between African universities, and connecting academic institutions with the farming communities, government agencies, and private sector actors that their graduates will ultimately serve. The organisation takes a distinctly practical approach to agricultural education, emphasising the importance of training that connects classroom learning to field experience and real-world application.
The TAGDev programme is one of RUFORUM’s most ambitious initiatives. It represents the organisation’s most direct engagement with the challenge of access to agricultural higher education for young Africans from disadvantaged backgrounds, and it brings together a coalition of twelve partner universities that spans the continent from West Africa to the Maghreb to Southern Africa.
About the Mastercard Foundation: The Funder Making It Possible
The Mastercard Foundation is a Canadian philanthropic organisation that operates independently of Mastercard the payments company. With an endowment of over 40 billion US dollars, it is one of the largest private foundations in the world, and its primary focus is on enabling young people in Africa to access dignified and fulfilling work.
Through its Young Africa Works strategy, the Mastercard Foundation has committed to enabling 30 million young Africans to access decent work by 2030, with a particular emphasis on reaching young women, refugees, displaced persons, and people with disabilities. Higher education is a central pillar of this strategy, and the Foundation has invested billions of dollars in scholarship programmes at African universities, including the TAGDev partnership with RUFORUM.
The Foundation’s involvement in TAGDev 2.0 is not limited to writing cheques. It brings with it a strong values framework around equity, inclusion, and community impact that shapes every aspect of how the scholarship programme is designed and who it prioritises. When you see the emphasis that TAGDev places on reaching students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, conflict-affected areas, and marginalised communities, that orientation reflects the Foundation’s core commitment to making sure that the young Africans who have the most to gain from higher education are the ones who get access to it.
The 12 Partner Universities: Where You Can Study
One of the most distinctive features of the TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship Programme is its multi-university structure. Rather than funnelling all scholarship recipients into a single institution, the programme distributes opportunities across twelve universities in eleven countries, giving applicants real flexibility to choose the institution and programme that best fits their academic background, geographic situation, and career goals.
Here is the full list of partner universities where scholarship holders will be enrolled for the 2026/2027 academic year:
In Uganda, the participating institutions are Gulu University and Uganda Martyrs University. Gulu University is located in northern Uganda and has strong ties to the agricultural communities in that region, particularly those affected by conflict and displacement. Uganda Martyrs University, based in Nkozi, is a Catholic university with a well-regarded faculty of agriculture and environmental sciences.
In Kenya, the two partner universities are Egerton University and the University of Eldoret. Egerton University is one of Kenya’s leading agricultural universities and has been a TAGDev partner since the programme’s first phase. The University of Eldoret, in Kenya’s Rift Valley, has a growing reputation for applied agricultural research and community engagement.
In Zimbabwe, Africa University in Mutare is the participating institution. Africa University is a pan-African university with a strong international character and a faculty of agriculture, environment and natural sciences that attracts students from across the continent.
In South Africa, the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein is the partner university. One of South Africa’s leading research universities, the University of the Free State offers world-class facilities and postgraduate programmes that connect agricultural science with development economics and policy.
In Malawi, the Malawi University of Science and Technology is the TAGDev partner. MUST, as it is commonly known, is one of Malawi’s newer public universities, established in 2012 with a specific mandate to produce graduates equipped to address the country’s development challenges through science and technology.
In Nigeria, the University of Port Harcourt represents the programme. UniPort, as it is known, is one of Nigeria’s largest and most research-active federal universities, with a strong faculty of agriculture that is particularly focused on the challenges facing farming and food systems in the Niger Delta region.
In Ghana, the University of Cape Coast is the partner institution. UCC is one of Ghana’s most respected public universities and has a faculty of agriculture that is well known for its community outreach programmes and its applied research on smallholder farming systems.
In Cameroon, the University of Bamenda in the Northwest Region is the partner. The University of Bamenda is a relatively young institution that has rapidly developed strong agricultural and applied sciences programmes, serving a region where agriculture is a primary livelihood for most of the population.
In Benin, the National University of Agriculture is the participating institution. Often referred to as UNA Benin, it is a specialised public university dedicated entirely to agricultural education, research, and community service, making it a natural fit for the TAGDev programme.
In Morocco, Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique, or UM6P, rounds out the network. UM6P is one of Africa’s most innovative and internationally connected universities, and it brings a strong dimension of agricultural technology, precision farming, and agri-innovation to the TAGDev partnership.
Together, these twelve institutions represent a remarkable breadth of geographic and academic coverage. Whether you are in West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, Southern Africa, or North Africa, there is a TAGDev partner university within or near your region. And the range of disciplines, research strengths, and institutional cultures across the network means that applicants can genuinely select a university that fits their academic interests rather than simply applying wherever they have the best chance of getting in.
What the Scholarship Covers: A Full Breakdown
The TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship is a fully funded award. This is not a partial bursary or a tuition discount. It is a comprehensive package designed to remove virtually every financial obstacle between an eligible student and the completion of their degree. Here is exactly what scholarship holders receive.
Full Tuition Fees
The scholarship covers all tuition and registration fees for the duration of the programme. Whether you are enrolled in a three-year undergraduate degree or a two-year master’s programme, your academic fees are fully covered. You do not need to worry about finding money for tuition, supplementary fees, or examination charges.
Living Stipend
A monthly living stipend is provided to cover day-to-day expenses during your studies. This amount is intended to allow you to focus on your academic work without having to take on part-time employment or rely on family support for your basic living costs. The stipend is paid directly to scholarship holders and is sufficient to cover food, local transport, personal items, and other everyday expenses.
Accommodation
Scholarship holders are provided with hostel accommodation on campus or in university-affiliated housing. This ensures that students have a safe and stable place to live throughout their studies without the stress or cost of arranging private accommodation.
Laptop
Each scholarship recipient receives a laptop to support their academic work. This is an important component of the package because it acknowledges that access to personal computing is now fundamental to university study. Having a reliable laptop allows students to complete assignments, access research databases, participate in online learning activities, and connect with classmates and supervisors.
Research and Workshop Costs
The scholarship also covers costs associated with research activities, including field visits, data collection, laboratory work, and attendance at relevant workshops and conferences. This is particularly significant for students at the master’s level, where the cost of carrying out original research can be substantial and is often not covered by standard tuition arrangements.
Internship and Field Attachment Support
TAGDev scholars are supported to undertake internships and field attachments as part of their training. These practical placements are a core component of the programme’s commitment to producing graduates who are not just academically qualified but genuinely work-ready. The costs associated with completing these placements, including transport and accommodation away from campus, are covered by the scholarship.
Entrepreneurship Training
One of the distinctive elements of the TAGDev approach is its emphasis on entrepreneurship. Scholarship holders receive dedicated training in agribusiness and entrepreneurship skills, reflecting the programme’s belief that the next generation of African agricultural leaders needs to be capable not just of working within existing systems but of creating new businesses, value chains, and economic opportunities. This training is built into the programme rather than being an optional add-on.
Community Engagement Activities
Scholars are also supported to engage directly with agricultural communities near their universities as part of their training. This community engagement component is important because it keeps scholarship recipients connected to the real-world challenges that their education is meant to address, and it gives them practical experience of working alongside smallholder farmers, rural cooperatives, and local development organisations.
Who Is Eligible to Apply?
The eligibility criteria for the TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship are designed to ensure that the award reaches the young Africans who need it most and who have the strongest potential to make a meaningful contribution to their communities and to African agriculture after graduation. Here is a clear summary of the key requirements.
African Nationality
Applicants must be nationals of an African country. The programme is specifically designed to build human capital within the African continent, so citizenship or permanent residency in an African country is a fundamental requirement.
Age Limits
For undergraduate programmes, applicants must be under 30 years of age at the time of applying. For master’s programmes, the age limit is under 35. These limits are slightly extended for refugees and internally displaced persons, who may be up to 30 years old for undergraduate programmes and up to 35 for master’s programmes, reflecting the recognition that displacement often interrupts educational trajectories in ways that cause unavoidable delays.
Academic Qualifications
Applicants must meet the standard admission requirements of the partner university to which they are applying. Each university has its own entry requirements for its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and TAGDev scholarships can only be awarded to students who have already been accepted or are in the process of being accepted by the relevant institution. You cannot receive the scholarship without also being admitted to the programme of study.
Field of Study
The scholarship is open to students pursuing studies in agriculture, agribusiness, agricultural economics, food science, rural development, environmental science, and other closely related disciplines. The exact list of eligible programmes varies by university, so you should check the specific call for applications published by your chosen partner institution to confirm which programmes are covered.
Economic Background
Priority is given to applicants from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This does not mean that students from middle-income families are automatically excluded, but it does mean that evidence of financial need is a significant factor in the selection process. Applicants should be prepared to document their economic circumstances as part of their application.
Priority Groups
The programme gives explicit priority to several groups who are systematically underrepresented in African higher education. These include women, refugees and asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, students from conflict-affected regions, and students with disabilities. Members of these groups are strongly encouraged to apply and are given additional consideration during the selection process. This priority framework reflects the Mastercard Foundation’s commitment to equity-centred development and RUFORUM’s recognition that building a more inclusive agricultural sector requires deliberate effort to bring in voices and perspectives that are often excluded.
Commitment to Agricultural Development
Beyond the formal eligibility criteria, the selection process also looks for evidence of genuine commitment to using the scholarship to contribute to agricultural development and community uplift after graduation. Applicants who can demonstrate leadership potential, a track record of community engagement, and a clear plan for how they intend to apply their education to real development challenges are given preference over those who cannot show this kind of purposeful orientation.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step Guide
The application process for the TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship has a few distinct steps. Because the programme operates across twelve universities, the exact process varies slightly by institution, but the general framework is consistent. Here is what you need to do.
The first step is to identify the partner university and programme where you want to study. Look through the list of twelve partner universities and research which ones offer programmes in your area of interest. Go to the official website of the university and find the specific call for TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship applications for the 2026/2027 academic year. Each university publishes its own call with details of which programmes are covered and what the specific application requirements are for that institution.
The second step is to apply for admission to your chosen university. You must be admitted to the programme before or alongside your scholarship application. Follow the university’s standard admission process, which will involve submitting your academic transcripts, identification documents, and any other materials the university requires. Make sure your application for admission is complete and submitted on time.
The third step is to complete the RUFORUM Mastercard Foundation Scholarship application. For most partner universities, this involves going to the official Mastercard RUFORUM Scholarship portal, finding the relevant calls section, and selecting the appropriate Call ID for your university and year. You fill in the online application form, which will ask for information about your academic background, economic circumstances, leadership experience, community involvement, and plans after graduation. Save your progress regularly as you complete the form, as some portals time out if left inactive for too long.
The fourth step is to gather and submit your supporting documents. These typically include certified copies of your academic certificates and transcripts, a form of identification such as a national ID or passport, proof of citizenship or refugee status where applicable, any documentation supporting your claim of economic disadvantage or membership of a priority group, and a personal statement or motivation letter. Check the specific call document for your chosen university to make sure you include everything that is required.
The fifth step is to submit your completed application before the deadline. Applications for the 2026/2027 academic year close on 1 May 2026. This deadline applies across all twelve partner universities, though some individual institutions may have earlier internal deadlines for their own admission processes, so it is important to check the specific timeline published by the university you are applying to rather than assuming the 1 May date covers everything.
After submission, successful applicants are typically notified through the contact information provided in their application. Given the volume of applications the programme receives, it may take several weeks or even months after the deadline before you hear back. Keep an eye on your email and check any correspondence address you provided in the application.
Tips for a Competitive Application
Given that the TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship is fully funded and open to students across an entire continent, the competition for places is significant. Here are some practical suggestions for putting together an application that stands out.
Be clear and specific about your motivation. The personal statement or motivation letter is where you can really distinguish yourself. Write about why you want to study this particular discipline, what experiences or observations have driven your interest in agriculture and rural development, and most importantly, how you plan to use your degree to create real change in your community or country. Generic statements about wanting to help Africa develop are not compelling. Specific stories, concrete plans, and genuine personal commitment are.
Document your circumstances honestly and thoroughly. If you come from an economically disadvantaged background or belong to one of the programme’s priority groups, do not undersell this aspect of your application. The programme explicitly values these factors, and the selection panel needs concrete evidence to assess your eligibility. Provide the documentation that supports your stated circumstances, and make sure it is accurate, certified where required, and clearly relevant.
Choose your university and programme carefully. Apply to the institution whose programmes and research focus most closely match your academic interests and career goals. A well-reasoned explanation of why you chose a particular university and programme demonstrates that you have done your homework and that you are applying strategically rather than just casting a wide net.
Show your leadership and community engagement. The TAGDev programme is looking for future agricultural leaders, not just good students. If you have any experience of community work, student leadership, farming activities, cooperative involvement, or any other form of practical engagement with agricultural or rural development issues, make sure it features prominently in your application. Even experience that seems informal or small-scale can be relevant if you explain its significance clearly.
Apply early and prepare all documents in advance. Start gathering your supporting documents as soon as you decide to apply. Academic transcripts, certified copies of certificates, and documentation of your personal circumstances can take time to obtain, especially if you need to request them from institutions or offices that have slow processing times. Do not leave this until the last week before the deadline.
What Happens After You Graduate?
The TAGDev programme places strong emphasis on what scholarship holders do after they complete their studies. This is not just a matter of curiosity on the programme’s part. The entire rationale for the investment is that trained agricultural graduates will go back to their communities, countries, and regions and apply what they have learned to real development challenges.
Scholarship holders are expected to maintain a genuine commitment to agricultural development and to contribute to their communities after graduation. Many TAGDev alumni have gone on to work in agricultural extension services, rural development NGOs, government agricultural agencies, agribusiness ventures, and university teaching and research positions. The network of TAGDev alumni across Africa is growing with each cohort, and it represents a valuable professional community that new graduates can connect with as they build their careers.
The entrepreneurship training that is part of the scholarship package also equips graduates to create businesses and employment opportunities rather than simply seeking employment within existing organisations. This entrepreneurial emphasis reflects the programme’s understanding that Africa’s agricultural transformation will require new models, new value chains, and new enterprises, not just more qualified employees in existing systems.
Application Deadline and How to Apply
The deadline for TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship applications for the 2026/2027 academic year is 1 May 2026. Given the comprehensive nature of the application and the need to secure university admission alongside the scholarship application, it is strongly advisable to begin the process as soon as possible rather than waiting until close to the deadline.
To start your application, visit the official application and information page for the TAGDev 2.0 programme. You can access all scholarship calls, partner university details, eligibility requirements, and the online application portal through the official TAGDev 2.0 programme website hosted by RUFORUM. From there, navigate to the scholarship calls section and select the call that corresponds to your chosen university and the 2026/2027 academic year.
You can also visit the main RUFORUM website for additional information about the organisation, its programmes, and the partner universities participating in TAGDev 2.0. For university-specific questions about admission requirements and programme details, go directly to the website of the partner university you are interested in attending.
Final Thoughts
The RUFORUM and Mastercard Foundation TAGDev Scholarships  represent one of the most comprehensive and seriously funded opportunities in African agricultural higher education today. They are not just a financial award. They are an investment in a generation of young Africans who are expected to become the agricultural entrepreneurs, researchers, extension workers, and policy makers who will help feed, employ, and develop the continent over the coming decades.
If you are an African student who is serious about agriculture and about using your education to create real change, who comes from a background where the cost of university has been a genuine obstacle, and who has the drive and the commitment to make the most of a fully funded postgraduate or undergraduate opportunity, this is the scholarship you should be applying for right now.
The deadline is 1 May 2026. Start your application today, choose your university carefully, write your personal statement with honesty and purpose, and give yourself a real shot at this extraordinary opportunity.
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