At Youth Works Hub, we went through this scholarship in detail so you know exactly who it's for, what it covers, and the step-by-step application before the 1 October 2026 deadline. This is a Mastercard Foundation graduate scholarship at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, delivered through the Africa Health Collaborative, offering full financial support for a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) to recent alumni and graduating students of the Collaborative's partner universities.
About the Scholarship
🎓 The 2027-2028 Mastercard Foundation graduate scholarship recruitment at the University of Toronto is open to recent alumni and graduating students at Africa Health Collaborative partner universities.
🤝 The scholarships go to individuals who have demonstrated academic excellence in health-related disciplines and a personal commitment to going back and giving back to their home countries.
What the Award Covers
💶 Full financial support for tuition, travel expenses, housing, food, books and other expenses for the duration of the professional programme.
🧭 A comprehensive support network to ensure academic success, plus orientation sessions that ease the transition to graduate life in Toronto and prepare scholars for their return home.
The Programme
🎓 At least seven Mastercard Foundation doctoral scholarships will be awarded for the 2027-2028 academic year, for the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) programme.
🏫 According to Youth Works Hub's review, the DrPH at Dalla Lana is a four-year, full-time professional doctorate delivered in a hybrid format, with on-campus "Burst Weeks" in years one to three (there is no fully remote option), designed for working professionals; entry typically requires a relevant master's (such as an MPH/MHSc/MHA) plus several years of experience.
Who Can Apply
Applicants must meet all five eligibility criteria:
🌍 Be a citizen and currently residing in a Sub-Saharan African country.
🏫 Have graduated from a partner institution of the Africa Health Collaborative, and not yet started graduate studies at the doctoral level.
📈 Demonstrate academic excellence and leadership qualities during their undergraduate and master's years.
✅ Be academically admissible to the sponsored graduate programme.
🔁 Demonstrate a desire and commitment to return home for the last two years of the programme to contribute to Africa's economic growth and social development.
🎓 Exploring other funded study routes in Canada? See The Lester B. Pearson Award for International Undergraduates in 🇨🇦 Canada → https://youthworkshub.org/21038
The Africa Health Collaborative Partners
🌍 According to Youth Works Hub's review, the Collaborative's partners include Addis Ababa University (Ethiopia), AIMS (Rwanda), African Leadership University (Mauritius and Rwanda), Amref (Kenya), Ashesi University (Ghana), KNUST (Ghana), Moi University (Kenya) and the University of Cape Town (South Africa), with the University of Toronto as host.
🌿 Interested in another funded graduate scholarship? Take a look at DAAD-EPOS Funding for the MSc in Environmental Governance in 🇩🇪 Germany → https://youthworkshub.org/21039
How to Apply
📋 Step one: Consult the admission requirements for the DrPH programme; if you meet the academic requirements, proceed.
🎥 Step two: Attendance at one of the three virtual information sessions was mandatory (held on 25 August, 31 August and 4 September 2026, with an optional Q&A on 16 September).
📝 Step three: Complete the Mastercard Foundation Doctoral Scholarship application (the form link is shared at the info sessions). The completed application is due by 1 October 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST (Toronto time); successful applicants are notified by late October.
📎 Step four: If shortlisted, complete a programme application to the DrPH at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, due by 20 November 2026.
📧 Questions go to globalhealth.dlsph@utoronto.ca.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Who is eligible? Only citizens residing in a Sub-Saharan African country who graduated from an Africa Health Collaborative partner university and have not yet started doctoral studies.
❓ What does it cover? Full financial support: tuition, travel, housing, food, books and other expenses, plus a support network and orientation.
❓ How many scholarships? At least seven for the 2027-2028 academic year.
❓ What's the programme? A Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
❓ When is the deadline? 1 October 2026, 11:59 p.m. EST, with a shortlisted programme application due 20 November 2026.
Deadline
⏳ 01 October 2026, 23:59 EST
Link
You'll find more fully funded scholarships and doctoral opportunities, explained in plain language, on Youth Works Hub.
