Scholarships for Masters Degree Students in Kenya 2021-2025

Going to school is a dream for all. It is often very devastating when you realize that the dreams to further your education have been cut off due to insufficient funds and the inability to pay school fees.

Imagine being awarded a fully paid studentship to pursue your master’s degree in a top league university or college without worrying about your tuition fees. Furthermore, you will not even be required to work to raise pocket money as you will be awarded a monthly stipend and your accommodation too.

I know, you are probably wondering whether such a sweet deal exists. Well, it does, and that is the life of hundreds of Kenyan living and studying abroad on a full scholarship basis.

When applying for complete masters’ scholarships in Kenya, most candidates consider universities in the UK and the US unaware that some of the universe top universities are situated in Asia and even in Africa. There is a wide range of education grant opportunities for Kenyan scholars to study at universities across the globe.

The only thing standing in between a scholarship is that most Kenyans lack the knowledge and the courage to apply for financial aid. Others believe that the process is rigorous and very challenging that they pass up on opportunities that could change their whole existence. The following article will help explore the latest master’s scholarships in Kenya as well as give tips on how to land that scholarship.

Masters Scholarships in Kenya

Where do I look for scholarships in Kenya? Well, there are numerous channels to acquire scholarships while in Kenya.

1. Your Undergrad University May Offer Masters Scholarships

Almost all the public universities in Kenya will offer full scholarships to their students who graduate with First Class Honour’s in their Bachelor’s degree program.

Such universities include the University of Nairobi, Kenyatta University, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology among others.

Additionally, these universities can also pay for the student’s funding to pursue a masters course abroad.

2. Institutions That Sponsor Top Performers

The other way to acquire a scholarship for a master’s in Kenya to apply for funding from individuals or corporations with scholarship programmes initiated to help top performers.

One of such companies that sponsor Kenyans to study abroad in recognized universities like Yale, Cambridge, and Oxford is Equity Bank of Kenya.

You need work hard and be on the top of your class, and then apply for the scholarship.

3. Masters Scholarship From Your Current Employer

Depending on the organization you are working for, you can inquire whether your employer offers study scholarships to their highly venerated employees. Your employer might pay for your master’s degree on the condition that once you graduate; you can return and work in the same company to impart the knowledge learned.

For instance, companies that offer study scholarships in Kenya include well-grounded NGO’s, parastatals as well as top government organizations.

The fourth way to land the latest master’s scholarship in Kenya is online because there are plenty of scholarship opportunities advertised on the internet for students in developing nations like Kenya. In such online adverts, African is given priority more, so ladies as such programs aim to achieve gender parity in education.

You can access most of these global scholarships through www.scholarships.com. All you need to do is to ensure you have a stable internet connection and dedication and you will be halfway in realizing your dreams.

Masters Scholarship Available in Kenya

There are several international scholarships for Kenyan students to pursue including government scholarships, university scholarship and Commonwealth scholarships.

One of the best government-sponsored education grants is the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship that offers to fund Kenyans students to study abroad. The programs focus on needy students, scholars with disabilities, and community college students. The education grant comes in the form of tuition fees, books, local transport and airfare, accommodation fees.

In this programme over 2,300 scholarships are awarded annually, and the average financial aid is $4000 but can go up to $5000.

Below is a guide on how to find scholarships abroad depending on the country of preference.

To Study Anywhere;

• There is the Commonwealth distance learning scholarship which is open to students from African nations to consider a Master’s degree via distance learning from some universities I the UK and worldwide
• Well, Mountain Foundation scholarships assist scholars in developing countries including Kenya to access funding for university study both locally and abroad.
• WOMEN Techmakers Scholars Program is a specialized fund directed to women in Arica who would like to pursue computer science, computer engineering, or any other technical course abroad.
• The Aga Khan Foundation Sponsorship Programme grants scholarships to needy students to continue their Masters and PhDs studies at any university of their choice worldwide.

To Study in Africa

• Mandela Rhodes Scholarships are for African students with robust leadership skills and are funded to study for a master’s degree at a university in South Africa.
• TRECCAfrica Scholarships offer both Master’s and Ph.D. education grants to African students to gain full and partial funding to study at any of the partnered African Universities.

To Study in Europe

• VLIR-UOS Awards Scholarship sponsors students from developing countries to study a development-related master’s degree in Belgium
• DRD-DAAD Merit Scholarships is another program where Kenyans can apply for scholarships to pursue a development-related course at their accredited universities in Germany.
• The UK also offers several scholarship opportunities for Kenyan students willing to do a master’s some of the sponsors include the Ruth First Scholarship at Durham University, the African Graduate Scholarship at UCL, and Commonwealth Scholarships at SOAS. The Ibrahim Scholarship Programme, and African Scholarships at the University of Edinburgh, and Oppenheimer Funds Scholarships at Oxford University amongst many others.

To Study in the US

• You can apply for a master’s scholarship at Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young Africa Leaders, Zawadi Africa Education Fund for Young African Women, MSFS full-tuition Scholarships at Georgetown University, and Masters Foundation Scholars Programme.

Tips To Land You Full Master’s Scholarships In Kenya

Firstly, when applying for scholarships, do not focus on Universities in the US alone as you might be losing out of top league universities locates in Netherland, Germany, Belgium as well as in African and Asia countries.

The reason why most Kenyan overlooks other countries besides the US is that such nations are not native English speakers; hence, they fear alienation or feeling out of place. But there is no need to worry there are many programs taught in English even in Non-native English-speaking countries; hence, most non-native English speakers are required to enroll in an English course.

Secondly, when looking for scholarship opportunities, focus on the smaller organizations as there is a higher chance of success as compared to significant scholarship agencies.

Thirdly, you can get sponsorship in one of the top universities by checking their QS ranking which compares several universities around the globe and ranks them accordingly.

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