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About the 2023 Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarship for Young Africans
The Mandela Rhodes Foundation is a unique partnership seeking to close a circle of history for the benefit of current and future generations of Africans. It brings together the 20th century legacy of Leadership and Reconciliation embodied by Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, and Cecil John Rhodes’s 19th century legacy as it relates specifically to Education and Entrepreneurship.
The overarching mission of The Mandela Rhodes Foundation is to build exceptional leadership capacity in Africa, by providing excellent educational and training opportunities to individual Africans with leadership potential; as well as by creating over time a network of well-rounded leaders of talent, effectiveness and integrity across African society.
The Mandela Rhodes Scholarships are intended as a vehicle for the sustainable and practical expression of the aim to provide exceptional educational opportunities, develop a network of leaders, and thereby help to build leadership capacity in Africa.
The Scholarships programme will seek candidates who identify with the values set out by Mr. Mandela and Mr. Rhodes; as well as demonstrating the characteristics set out separately in the document: The Characteristics Sought in a Mandela Rhodes Scholar.
What follows is an expansion, intended in the first instance to provide clarity for members of the Mandela Rhodes Scholarships Selection Committees, on each of the four ‘legacy categories’ to which the Mandela Rhodes Scholarships programme is intended to give practical expression.
Eligibility
Am I eligible?
- If you are between the ages of 19 and 29, are a citizen of any African country, and have a first degree with above average academic results (70% or upper second), you are eligible to apply for the scholarship.
- We look for young Africans who have demonstrated the potential to embody our founding principles of reconciliation, education, entrepreneurship, and leadership. You must have already assumed leadership and made an impact on your campus or community.
- To benefit from our programme you must be curious about doing the personal, internal work of leadership. This means a commitment to developing self-awareness by engaging with difficult parts of yourself, an openness to learning from the diversity and differences in your cohort, and a willingness to explore and embrace complexity within yourself, others, and the systems around you.
Benefits of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation Scholarship
The benefits attached to Mandela Rhodes Foundation scholarship are enormous, and includes:
Coverage of Financial cost of studies
The Scholarship covers the cost of a Scholar as follows:
- Tuition and registration fees as set by the institution
- A study materials allowance as set by the MRF
- Accommodation and meal allowances as set by the MRF
- A medical aid allowance as set by the MRF
- Economy-class travel allowance for international Scholars only from the Scholar’s home to their institution at the beginning and end of their degree
- Personal allowance
Leadership Development Programme
The MRF Leadership Development Programme is made up of the following three components.
- Three residential Workshops;
- Three Regional group Pods;
- Mentoring.
- Second Year Programme
Residential workshops
The heart of the Leadership Development Programme is delivered primarily through a series of residential Workshops. These highlight and engage critically with the four principles of the Foundation, namely: Leadership, Reconciliation, Entrepreneurship and Education. The Workshops create a unique opportunity to build the individual capacities of Scholars, provide the space to engage with high-profile leaders and expert thinkers, build a sense of community within the cohort and connect incoming Scholars to the broader Mandela Rhodes Community.
The Foundation holds three Workshops of approximately five days each during the year. Attendance to the Workshops is compulsory for all Scholars. Since workshop dates will be given in advance, Mandela Rhodes Scholars must make the necessary arrangements where there are clashes with their academic calendars to ensure full participation in the Workshops.
Pods
Pods are regional gatherings which seek to:
- Build stronger local support networks;
- Continue particular conversations and areas of reflection and engagement to supplement learning from the residential Workshops;
- Enrich the residential experience once Scholars return home.
Mentoring
The third component of the programme is a voluntary Mentoring Programme. The purpose of this component is to:
- Give Scholars in residence space for one-on-one reflection, advice and growth;
- Allow alumni Mandela Rhodes Scholars to give back to the Foundation through volunteering their time serving as Mentors;
- Build intergenerational networks among Mandela Rhodes Scholars;
- Enrich and support the growth journey of Scholars in their year-in-residence beyond the group gatherings.
Second year Programme
The overall objective of the Second Year Program is to prepare Scholars to be more impactful in their respective sectors, while they are in the second year of their Masters. Using multi-disciplinary pod groups, design thinking and systems thinking principles, the pod sessions are intended to equip Scholars with the necessary mindsets and tools to action the principles of the MRF towards greater societal impact.
PROGRAMME TIMELINE
- March: Applications open on Tuesday, 22 March 2023. Candidates can add recommenders on the platform and begin uploading their documentation and working on their personal essays. See ‘requirements’.
- April: Applications close by the end of Thursday, 21 April 2023. No late or incomplete applications will be accepted under any circumstances.
- June: You will be notified by the end of June whether or not you are through to Round Two.
- July: You will be notified by the end of July whether or not you are through to Round Three.
- August: You will be notified by the end of August if you are invited for an interview in the Final Round, or if you have been unsuccessful.
- October: Interviews will be conducted in South Africa in October. If you are in the final round and you are based outside South Africa, you will be flown in for an in-person interview with our selection committee. You will be notified by the end of October if you are selected as a Mandela Rhodes Scholar.
- October-December: Selected Mandela Rhodes Scholars must do their best to secure acceptance at their university of choice, and their study visa for travel to South Africa in
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, click HERE