AUC Scholarships 2027: application steps and deadlines for Nigerians

Nigerians considering study at the American University in Cairo (AUC) have two scholarship routes to check for 2027: AUC’s competitive Excellence Scholarships for eligible applicants, including international students, and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program for qualifying African graduate applicants. Their forms and deadlines are different, and a scholarship is not guaranteed.

Spring 2027 dates to know

AUC lists 1 November 2026 as the regular admission deadline for Spring 2027. Students seeking priority for higher scholarship percentages should submit their admission, scholarship and financial-need applications by that date. AUC says Spring applicants who have not submitted the financial assessment by 10 November 2026 will be placed on a waiting list for consideration. That later date is not the priority deadline.

The separate Mastercard Foundation Scholars fellowship application cycle for Spring 2027 opened on 7 October and closes on 2 November 2026. Applicants must submit both the AUC graduate admission application and the fellowship application through the required channels.

AUC Excellence Scholarships for international applicants

AUC says its Excellence Scholarship categories may be combined, with total tuition coverage ranging from 20% to 100% for selected applicants. The International Diversity category offers up to 30% tuition coverage and is for applicants applying to AUC as international students. Academic Achievement awards can range from 20% to 100% based on certificate scores and the applicant pool. These awards are highly competitive; available places and award levels may change between cohorts.

Mastercard Foundation graduate fellowship

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at AUC is for new graduate degree-seeking students. Published eligibility includes African citizenship and current residence in an African country, age 35 or younger, a bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale or equivalent, financial need and meeting AUC graduate admission requirements. Transfers are not eligible.

The fellowship covers tuition for nine credits per semester, a stipend during fall and spring, a laptop, student services and health insurance fees. It also provides university accommodation for fellows living outside Cairo and round-trip airfare for fellows not living in Egypt, among other support. The award is reviewed each semester and requires full-time study and a minimum 3.2 GPA.

How to apply without missing a step

1. Submit AUC’s admission application. In the scholarship section, answer “Yes” when asked if you are interested in scholarship consideration. AUC says applicants who miss this step cannot apply for scholarships later in the 2027 cycle.
2. After receiving the email link, complete the AUC scholarship application and tick its scholarship-interest box. Upload any required supporting documents before submission; the form cannot be reopened for late documents.
3. Complete the financial-need assessment and required documents. For the Mastercard fellowship, also submit the separate official fellowship application by 2 November 2026. Use the exact aid year and application instructions on AUC’s pages.

Before applying, check AUC’s application steps, Excellence Scholarship details, Mastercard Foundation eligibility and coverage, and fellowship cycle dates. For another current option for Nigerian applicants, see CrispNG’s Commonwealth Shared Scholarships guide. Check the official pages again before submitting, as admissions and scholarship terms can change.