Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme 2027: Eligibility, Benefits and How to Apply

Updated: October 25, 2026 | Reading time: 9 min | Written by: StudyTribune Team

The Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme (MASS) 2027 call is open: the Government of Mauritius offers scholarships to citizens of African countries for full-time study at public universities and institutions in Mauritius, from diploma to PhD level. The call was published in October 2026, and nominating agencies must send applications to the Ministry by 17 March 2027 (soft copies) and 31 March 2027 (hard copies). Your own country’s agency will set an earlier date, so start now.

Updated 26 October 2026 against the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research’s official 2027 call and guidelines.

Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme for African students at a public university in Mauritius The Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme funds study at public universities in Mauritius for students from African countries.

Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme 2027 at a glance

Is the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme 2027 open?

Yes. The Ministry published the 2027 call, application forms and guidelines in October 2026. The previous cycle, for 2026, closed in March 2026, so ignore guides that still say the 2027 dates are unconfirmed.

Two deadlines matter, and they are not the same:

• Your nominating agency’s deadline. The guidelines say applicants must hand their file to the agency “by a deadline to be communicated by the Nominating Agency”. It will fall before 17 March 2027, and it is different in each country.
• The Ministry’s deadline. The agency must forward your file by 17 March 2027 (soft copies) and 31 March 2027 (hard copies).

Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme 2027 timeline from university application to the March 2027 deadlines Apply to a Mauritian university first, then submit through your nominating agency before its deadline.

You must also have applied to a Mauritian public university first. These are the tentative application windows for the 2027 intake, from the guidelines:

MPhil and PhD applicants have a tighter limit. The guidelines tell them to apply for a seat by the end of January 2027. Keep a record of the date, because the university’s receipt is a required document. For a full list of other deadlines, see our scholarship deadlines page.

What the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme covers

What the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme covers: tuition, monthly allowance, return airfare and public healthcare The scheme pays tuition up to a cap, a monthly allowance and return airfare, but you must top up living costs.

The scheme is generous, but it is not fully funded. Read this section before you promise your family anything.

At the exchange rate the guidelines quote for 23 September 2026 (1 USD = MUR 47.88), that is roughly USD 2,090 or USD 3,340 a year for tuition and about USD 345 a month for living costs. Use the current rate before you budget.

Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt are not SADC members, so students from those countries fall under the MUR 160,000 cap.

Things the headline does not tell you:

• You pay for your own flight first. Awardees buy their one-way ticket and claim a refund after arrival with original receipts. If your country requires a return ticket to leave, you buy that too, and the cost of a one-way fare plus any cancellation charges is refunded.
• You need cash on arrival. The guidelines expect you to arrive with at least USD 1,000 for your first three months while paperwork is completed.
• You pay for re-sits and books. Repeat years, re-sit exams, fieldwork overseas and books are your cost.
• The final year is pro-rated. The allowance in the last year covers about six weeks after your last exam.

Who can apply for the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme?

Everyone:

• You are a resident citizen of an active member state of the African Union or an African Commonwealth country.
• You have applied to a full-time, on-campus programme at a public Mauritian institution.
• You are not a Mauritian national.
• You are not a self-financing African student already studying in Mauritius at the same level.
• You do not hold a scholarship from another public source in Mauritius.

Undergraduate and diploma applicants:

• Over 18 and under 26 on 1 January 2028.
• Diploma: five credits at O-level (or equivalent), including English. Degree: at least 21 points from three A-level subjects, or an overall average of 60% (12/20).
• If your qualification was not taught in English, valid IELTS 5.5 or TOEFL (550 paper, 213 computer or 79 internet), or acceptable proof of English proficiency.

MPhil, MPhil/PhD and PhD applicants:

• Under 40 on 1 January 2028.
• MPhil and MPhil/PhD: a recognised degree with at least an upper second class (or a GPA above 60%).
• PhD: direct entry is possible if you meet the university’s own requirements. For example, the University of Technology, Mauritius asks for a Bachelor’s with honours and a Master’s.
• A written acceptance from your proposed supervisor and a short research proposal.

Not covered: part-time courses, distance learning, and blended programmes. You also cannot get a scholarship for a level you already hold (for example, a second MPhil).

Students from Pakistan and Bangladesh are not eligible, because the scheme is only for African Union and African Commonwealth countries.

How to apply for the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme

How to apply for the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme through a nominating agency instead of directly You cannot apply to Mauritius directly. Your country’s nominating agency sends your file to the Ministry.

You cannot send your application to Mauritius. The Ministry says applications that do not come through a nominating agency or authorised institution will not be accepted.

1. Apply to a public university in Mauritius. Do this first, as soon as its window opens. You need either an offer of admission (conditional or firm) or the receipt for your application fee. The fee is refunded if you win.
2. Find your nominating agency. The Ministry publishes a list, updated 25 September 2026. For Nigeria, it names the Federal Scholarship Board in Abuja. For Kenya, it names the Ministry of Education, State Department for University Education and Research. For Egypt, it names the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. If your country is not on the list, the guidelines tell you to contact your Ministry of Education.
3. Ask for their deadline and process. It is earlier than 17 March 2027 and differs by country.
4. Complete the 2027 application form. Download it from the Ministry’s MASS page, fill it in electronically, then print and sign it. Section 5 is completed by the nominating agency.
5. Gather certified copies of the documents below.
6. Submit to your nominating agency. The agency can endorse a maximum of 15 candidates per country, across all levels.
7. Wait. If you have not heard within six months of the application deadline, treat it as unsuccessful. The Ministry says it does not encourage individual queries.

Documents checklist:

• Completed application form with the signed declaration
• Birth certificate (certified copy)
• Educational certificates and transcripts (certified copies, with a certified translation if not in English or French)
• Passport biodata page, if available
• Admission offer or application-fee receipt from a Mauritian public institution
• Medical certificate, filled in and stamped by a registered medical practitioner (Section 6 of the form)
• MPhil, MPhil/PhD and PhD only: supervisor acceptance letter and an abridged research proposal

Missing or incomplete documents mean disqualification. If you win, you also need a certificate of good conduct from your country for the visa, and you must bring original certificates to the Ministry within two weeks of arriving.

If you are applying for a doctorate, the supervisor’s letter is the document that takes the longest. Our guide to a recommendation letter for scholarship helps when you ask academics for support, though this scheme does not ask for referee letters.

The abridged research proposal (MPhil and PhD)

The guidelines give a fixed format. Keep to the word limits:

1. Proposed title
2. Aims and objectives (maximum 200 words)
3. Background and significance (maximum 200 words)
4. Methodology and data collection (maximum 300 words)
5. Timeframe, with emphasis on data collection
6. Equipment, lab or software needed
7. Name and contact details of supervisors in Mauritius

Duration and rules once you are selected

The scholarship is for the shorter of these or the course length. Extensions are not given, and you cannot change university or course. Undergraduates must keep attendance above 70% and cannot fail more than half their modules in a semester. Postgraduate payments depend on monthly progress reports. Leaving your studies to take a job ends the scholarship, and the Ministry can ask you to repay what it has paid.

Mistakes to avoid

• Waiting for the agency before applying to a university. You need the university receipt or offer for your file.
• Using last year’s dates. The age cut-off is 1 January 2028, not 2027, and the Ministry’s submission email is now psmtesr@govmu.org.
• Posting your application to Mauritius. It will not be considered.
• Assuming “fully funded.” Budget for the flight upfront, USD 1,000 on arrival, and the gap between MUR 16,500 and your real living costs.
• Uncertified copies or missing translations. Both are grounds for disqualification.
• A PhD application without a supervisor. No written acceptance means no application.

If the timing or eligibility rules do not work for you, other routes exist. Our guide to the NL Scholarship covers Dutch options for African applicants, and our Scholarships for African Students hub lists more.

Frequently asked questions about the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme

What is the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme?

It is a Government of Mauritius scholarship for resident citizens of African Union and African Commonwealth countries to study full time at public higher education institutions in Mauritius, from diploma to PhD level.

Is the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme 2027 open?

Yes. The Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research published the 2027 call in October 2026. Applications go through your country’s nominating agency.

What is the deadline for the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme 2027?

Nominating agencies must send soft copies to the Ministry by 17 March 2027 and hard copies by 31 March 2027. Your agency sets an earlier deadline for applicants, so ask it as soon as possible.

Can I apply directly to the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme?

No. Applications must go through the nominating agency in your country of citizenship, or an authorised institution. Applications sent directly to the Ministry are not considered.

Is the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme fully funded?

Not completely. It covers tuition up to MUR 100,000 or MUR 160,000 a year, a MUR 16,500 monthly allowance and return airfare, but students must pay for their own flight first, bring at least USD 1,000, and cover any extra costs.

Can students from Pakistan or Bangladesh apply for the Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme?

No. The scheme is open only to resident citizens of active African Union member states and African Commonwealth countries.

Official sources

• Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research: MASS page

Conclusion. The Mauritius Africa Scholarship Scheme is a real, government-backed route to study in an English-speaking country, but it rewards early, organised applicants. Apply to a Mauritian university now, find your nominating agency this week, and ask for its deadline in writing.