Call for Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Applications under the TAGDev 2.0 Programme for the 2025/2026 Academic Year at Egerton University – Kenya

Background

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and various African universities, is implementing a 10-year programme (2023-2033) called Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev 2.0). This programme aims to strengthen universities and TVET institutions to better serve communities by equipping Africa’s young people with skills and empowering institutions to drive inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient transformation of agriculture and agrifood systems.

The TAGDev 2.0 programme will support young African students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds who demonstrate academic excellence. The scholarship is open to both male and female applicants, with a special focus on females, refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and persons with disabilities (PWDs).


Eligible Programmes

The 2025/2026 academic year scholarship is open for applicants interested in the following degree programmes at Egerton University, Kenya:

Undergraduate Programmes
  1. Bachelor of Science in Community Development

  2. Bachelor of Agribusiness Management

  3. Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Technology

Postgraduate Programmes
  1. Master of Science in Animal Nutrition

  2. Master of Science in Food Science

  3. Master of Science in Soil Science

  4. Master of Science in Agricultural Engineering

For detailed admission requirements, visit: www.egerton.ac.ke or TAGDev Egerton.


Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship, applicants must:

  1. Be a national of Kenya or East African countries implementing the East Africa Higher Education protocol (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan).

  2. Be from an economically disadvantaged background, including refugees, displaced persons (RDPs), and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

  3. Be less than 30 years for undergraduate studies and less than 35 years for master’s studies at the time of application.

  4. Have completed secondary school or diploma between 2021-2024 for undergraduate applications.

  5. Meet the Egerton University admission criteria for the chosen programme.

  6. Demonstrate interest in agriculture, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship.

  7. Exhibit leadership qualities and a commitment to community transformation.

  8. Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

  9. Applicants already holding another scholarship are not eligible.


What the Scholarship Covers

This is a fully-funded scholarship covering:

  • Tuition fees

  • Research costs

  • Workshops and conferences

  • Living expenses (stipend and hostel accommodation)

  • Laptop

  • Internship and field attachment

  • Entrepreneurship training

  • Transportation

Additional Support for Refugees, Displaced Persons (RDPs), and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs):
  1. RDPs will receive support for travel documents.

  2. PWDs will receive assistive devices to facilitate learning and mobility.


Scholarship Conditions
  1. Scholarships will be renewed annually based on satisfactory academic performance (minimum B grade).

  2. Retaking more than four courses will lead to withdrawal of the scholarship.

  3. Falsification of information will result in immediate disqualification.

  4. Examination malpractice or misconduct will result in scholarship termination.

  5. Scholarship recipients must be change-makers and contribute to community outreach.


Application Process

The application process involves two stages:

  1. Application for admission to Egerton University (to be submitted directly to the university).

  2. Application for the TAGDev Scholarship (submitted to RUFORUM).

Both applications must be submitted concurrently, with university admission being the first step.

How to Apply
  • Download the admission application forms from www.egerton.ac.ke or TAGDev Egerton.

  • Submit completed admission applications and supporting documents via email as a single PDF file to: mcf.chs@egerton.ac.ke.

  • Hard copies can be delivered to TAGDev Centre, Egerton University, or sent via postal mail to:

    TAGDev 2.0 Programme Coordinator
    Egerton University, TAGDev Centre
    P.O Box 536-20115, Egerton Njoro, Kenya
    Tel: +254 794 062325
    Email: mcf.chs@egerton.ac.ke


Important Notes
  • Ensure you read and understand the admission requirements before applying.

  • Applicants found with double scholarships will automatically be disqualified.

  • Only highly committed students will be selected to drive positive change in agriculture and community development.

For further details, visit www.egerton.ac.ke or TAGDev Egerton.