Mo Ibrahim Foundation SOAS Scholarships at University of London for Africans 2026 | Fully Funded

Applications are now open for the prestigious Mo Ibrahim Foundation Scholarship 2026/2027 at SOAS University of London.

Established by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation — an African organisation founded by Dr. Mo Ibrahim and dedicated to strengthening leadership and governance across Africa — this scholarship is designed to support outstanding future leaders committed to the continent’s development.

The scholarship gives preference to applicants who are ordinarily resident in Africa and those with a strong interest in governance, leadership, and development across the continent.

Scholarship Benefits

• Two scholarship awards available for 2026/27
• Each award is valued at £45,479
• Covers full tuition fees
• Remaining balance paid to recipients as a maintenance stipend

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

• Be starting a new programme in September 2026
• Have Overseas fee status
• Hold a minimum of a 2:1 bachelor’s degree or international equivalent
• Receive an unconditional admission offer before the scholarship panel meets

Note: The scholarship does not cover pre-sessional programmes.

Application

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

Step 1

Apply for your programme. To apply for a masters degree programme, 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.

Deadline: June 17, 2026