Step 1: Check the timeline.

March: Applications open on Thursday, 14 March 2024. 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 Sunday, 21 April 2024. No late or incomplete applications
will be accepted under any circumstances.

June: You will be notified by the end of June whether you are through to Round Two.

July: You will be notified by the end of July whether 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 January.

Step 2: Check program requirements

See the PDF requirement form.

Step 3: Get Your Document Ready

Important: Applicants from outside South Africa may need to complete SAQA verification to start
their studies at a South African university. Please see below.

Recommenders: We require three letters of recommendation, in English, as part of your application.

Your recommenders must submit their letters through our application platform. Without these letters,
you cannot submit your application. Get in touch with three people who have relevant experience of
you and insight into your character as soon as possible - even before applications open - to ask them
permission and give them time to write their letters. Once you register a recommender on the platform,
they will receive an email asking them to log on and upload their letter.

Documentation: You will be required to upload certificates of completion for your degrees,
transcripts of your academic results, and scans of your ID and passport documents. Your documents
and transcripts must be provided in English.

Essays: You will be asked to write two short essays, one on your personal journey, and one on a
specific question relating to our principles.

Application for university: You will be asked to fill in your proposed course of study on your
application. We do not require proof that you have applied, but we recommend that you apply as soon
as possible, and to more than one university.

Do your qualifications meet the requirements for your proposed course of study? Each country has its
own framework for registering and rating qualification levels. In South Africa, this is managed by the

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South African Qualifications Agency (SAQA). SAQA accreditation can take 4-8 weeks, which can
delay your acceptance to university and thus your study visa to South Africa.
To ensure that you will be accepted for your chosen program, we highly recommend that you find out
as soon as possible what the National Qualification Framework (NQF) requirements for your course
are, and whether your qualifications meet these requirements.

Master’s programs in South Africa may require several years of work or clinical experience as an
admission requirement. It is your responsibility to check if you will be accepted to the course and
apply for backup options.

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 WELCOME TO THE MANDELA RHODES SCHOLARSHIPS
APPLICATION PROCESS FOR 2025

Thank you for your interest in applying for the 2025 Mandela Rhodes Scholarships. Below is a
summary of what you will be asked to complete before submitting your application:

 Eligibility – Applicants must meet the following requirements to submit the application:
- Must be a citizen of an African country.
- Institution of study must be one of the South African universities or institutions listed
in the application.
- You must be able to do written and verbal academic work, in English, at a
postgraduate level.
- Age of applicant must be between 19 and 30 at the time of taking up the Scholarship.
- The Mandela Rhodes Scholarship is for full time postgraduate study only (Honours or
Masters). Applicants must have a first degree by the time they take up the scholarship
in January.
- Must be academically eligible
 70% average if studied in South Africa
 Upper second if studied outside South Africa
 Register Recommenders – Applicants are required to register three Recommenders before
submitting. Once you register your Recommenders, they will receive a registration email that
contains a link to their forms.
 Section A – Personal Details:
- Name.
- Date of Birth and Age.
- Country of Citizenship and ID or Passport number.
- Home language.
- Mother and father’s occupations.
- Applicants must also upload a head and shoulder colour photo, as well as a copy of
their ID or passport.
 Section B – In this section, you will be asked to provide the following information
regarding the Scholarship you are applying for:
- Have you applied for a Mandela Rhodes Scholarship before?
- Indicate whether you are studying at a tertiary institution in or outside of South
Africa, or if you are not currently studying at all.
- Which South African tertiary institution do you wish to attend if you are awarded a
Mandela Rhodes Scholarship?
- Proposed course of study and the level of the course (Honours or Masters).
 Section C – Contact Details:
- Phone numbers for when you are studying at your institution, when you are on
vacation, as well as a cell phone number.
- Address for when you are studying at your institution, your permanent address, and
your mailing address.
- Email address.
 Section D – High School Education:
- Name of high school.
- Last year you were in high school.
- You will be required to upload a certificate that contains your grades and the subjects
you studied.
 Section E – Tertiary Institution:
- Name of institution.
- Degree start and end dates (or expected complete date).

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 - Name of degree.
- Main subjects studied.
- You will be required to upload a transcript for this institution, as well as a diploma (if
applicable).
- You will also have the option to enter information for additional institutions, if
applicable.
 Sections F, G & H – On this page, you will be required to do the following:
- Upload a CV no longer than three (3) pages which includes your work experience,
activities, achievements, and interests from high school onwards. You will also be
asked to confirm that the information in the CV is true.
- Upload a Personal Statement that contains a summary of your life story, why you are
applying for the Scholarship, as well as your vision for the future. You must limit
your response to 500 words.
- Upload an essay that answers: “Reflect on a polarizing issue or event in your country
and the steps that the respective communities could take in an effort to move towards
one another. Contextualize the issue/polarizing event, who the relevant
stakeholder/communities affected are and provide your analysis of the issue and
possible resolutions.” You must limit your response to 800 words.
- You will also be asked to confirm that the information provided in your Personal
Statement and Essay is true.
 Section I – Section I contains the following optional questions:
- Should you not be successful, can the MRF pass on your details if approached by a
third party?
- Any other comments that you feel are relevant for this application?
 Consent and Declaration – As you near the end of the application, you will be asked to
review the list of declarations provided by The Mandela Rhodes Foundation, and then confirm
by entering your signature and the current date.