Egerton University TAGDev 2.0 Scholarships 2026/2027 — Fully Funded for East African Youth in Agriculture

Omran Aburayya
Apr 26
6 min read

If you are a young, ambitious student from East Africa with a passion for agriculture, agribusiness, or food systems — and financial constraints have been standing between you and your university dream — then this is the opportunity you have been waiting for. Applications are now open for the TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship Programme at Egerton University, Kenya, for the 2026/2027 academic year. Funded through a powerful partnership between the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) and the Mastercard Foundation, this fully funded scholarship covers both undergraduate and master's degree programmes in agricultural and related fields — at zero cost to the student. Whether you are a fresh secondary school leaver, a diploma holder, or a bachelor's graduate ready to advance to postgraduate level, this scholarship could be your gateway to becoming the next generation of agricultural leader, entrepreneur, and community changemaker in Africa.

🎓 Scholarship Summary

Location: Njoro, Kenya
Host Institution: Egerton University, in partnership with RUFORUM and the Mastercard Foundation
Study Level: Undergraduate (Bachelor's) and Postgraduate (Master's)
Target Group: Economically disadvantaged youth from East Africa; refugees, displaced persons (RDPs), and persons with disabilities (PWDs) are especially encouraged to apply; female candidates are highly prioritized
Fields of Study: Agriculture, Natural Resources Management, Animal Science (undergraduate); Horticulture, Agribusiness Management, Food Science (postgraduate)
Value & Coverage: Full board comprehensive scholarship — see Benefits section below
Award Duration: Annual renewable scholarship for the full duration of study, subject to satisfactory academic performance
Application Deadline: 1st May 2026
Academic Year Start: 2026/2027
Eligible Nationalities: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, and South Sudan (countries implementing the Common East Africa Higher Education Protocol)
Call ID: RU/2026 Egerton Univ/TAGDev 2.0

📚 Scholarship Overview

TAGDev 2.0 is a collaborative initiative between RUFORUM, the Mastercard Foundation, the Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA), and 12 African universities.

The programme seeks to strengthen universities and TVET institutions to better serve communities by skilling and empowering Africa's young people and their institutions to drive inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient transformation of agriculture and agrifood systems.

Egerton University — one of Kenya's oldest and most respected agricultural institutions — sits at the heart of this mission. Through interdisciplinary programmes, experiential learning, and strategic industry partnerships, the university aims to skill at least 10,500 young women and men, expand work opportunities for 25,000 youth, support the establishment of 75 startups, validate and scale 15 climate-adaptive technologies, and plant at least 950,000 trees. The university is especially committed to inclusivity, actively integrating marginalized groups including persons with disabilities, refugees, and out-of-school youth into this transformative journey.

📘 Eligible Programmes

The 2026/2027 call covers the following degree programmes at Egerton University:

Undergraduate (Bachelor's)

Bachelor of Science in Agriculture
Bachelor of Science in Natural Resources Management
Bachelor of Science in Animal Science

Postgraduate (Master's)

Master of Science in Horticulture
Master of Science in Agribusiness Management
Master of Science in Food Science

🧩 Structure, Activities & Scholar Experience

The TAGDev 2.0 scholarship is not just financial support — it is a holistic academic and leadership development programme. Scholars are integrated into a dynamic learning environment that goes beyond the classroom.

Experiential Learning & Internships: Scholars benefit from structured internship attachments and field placements that connect academic theory to real agricultural value chains. These hands-on experiences prepare graduates for the realities of working in agriculture, agribusiness, and rural development across Africa.
Entrepreneurship Training: A core pillar of the programme, entrepreneurship training equips scholars with the mindset and tools to build enterprises that create jobs — not just for themselves, but for others in their communities. This reflects TAGDev's ambition to produce job creators, not just job seekers.
Community Engagement: Scholars are expected to actively contribute to community outreach and transformation. This embedded community focus ensures that scholarship beneficiaries remain connected to the grassroots realities they are trained to address.
Research & Conferences: Support for research activities and participation in regional and international conferences is built into the programme. Indirect costs such as participation in international conferences will be directly covered by the RUFORUM Secretariat.
Leadership Development: Successful scholars are groomed to become transformative leaders and change agents. Upon completion, they are expected to remain active within the RUFORUM and university alumni networks, continuing to contribute to Africa's agricultural development agenda.
Special Support for RDPs and PWDs: Refugees and Displaced Persons will receive support with travel documents. Persons with Disabilities will receive assistive devices to support their learning and movement throughout their studies.

🎁 Scholarship Benefits

This is a full board, comprehensive scholarship. The following costs are covered:

Full tuition fees
Research costs
Workshop and conference costs (including international conferences via RUFORUM Secretariat)
Monthly living stipend
On-campus hostel/accommodation
Laptop
Internship attachment costs
Community engagement and field attachment expenses
Entrepreneurship training
Transportation
Travel documents support for Refugees and Displaced Persons
Assistive devices for Persons with Disabilities

The scholarship is renewed annually, provided the scholar maintains satisfactory academic performance at a grade B level or above at Egerton University.

ℹ️ Important conditions: Retaking more than four courses will result in scholarship withdrawal. Any misconduct — including examination malpractice or violence — leads to automatic disqualification. Scholars discovered to have falsified information will be disqualified immediately upon confirmation.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship at Egerton University, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Nationality & Background

Be a national of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, or South Sudan
Come from an economically disadvantaged or marginalized community
Refugees, displaced persons, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply

Age Requirements

Under 30 years of age for undergraduate applicants
Under 35 years of age for master's applicants at the time of application

Academic Requirements — Undergraduate

BSc Agriculture: Minimum C+ aggregate in KCSE, with C+ in Mathematics, English, Biology/Biological Sciences, and Chemistry/Physical Sciences; or a Credit Diploma from a recognized institution
BSc Natural Resources Management: Minimum C+ aggregate in KCSE, with C+ in Biology, C in Agriculture/Commerce/Geography, C in Chemistry/Physical Sciences, and C in Mathematics; outstanding diploma holders in related fields also considered
BSc Animal Science: Minimum C+ in KCSE with C+ in English/Kiswahili, C in Mathematics, C in Biology or Agriculture, and C in Chemistry; Credit Diploma in Animal Science or related disciplines; or a Pass Diploma with at least two years of relevant work experience

Academic Requirements — Postgraduate

MSc Horticulture: Bachelor's in Horticulture or related field with Upper Second Class Honours or above; Lower Second with 2+ years relevant experience also considered
MSc Agribusiness Management: Bachelor's Upper Second Class Honours in Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, Commerce, or related disciplines; Lower Second with 2 years' experience considered
MSc Food Science: Bachelor's in Food Science & Technology or related field with Upper Second Class Honours; Lower Second with 2+ years' relevant experience also considered

Other Requirements

Secondary school or diploma completed between 2021–2024 (for undergraduate applicants)
Demonstrated interest in agriculture, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship
Evidence of leadership qualities and commitment to community transformation
Commitment to working in agriculture and agricultural value chains
Must not already hold any other scholarship; previous TAGDev beneficiaries are ineligible

📝 Application Procedure

The application process runs in two concurrent stages — both must be completed together, with university admission submitted first.

Stage 1: Apply for University Admission at Egerton University

Documents Required:

Completed university admission application form (download from https://www.egerton.ac.ke/undergraduate-forms or https://www.egerton.ac.ke/postgraduate-forms)
Certified copies of academic certificates, transcripts, and high school result slips (certified by the issuing institution)
Recent passport-size photograph
Copy of National ID or Passport (refugees may submit relevant identification; applicants without a National ID may attach a birth certificate)
Curriculum Vitae (CV) — required for Master's programme applicants only

Submit to:

Email: mcf.chs@egerton.ac.ke (as a single PDF file)
Or deliver hard copies to: TAGDev Centre, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536-20115, Egerton Njoro, Kenya
Tel: +254 794 062 325

Stage 2: Apply for the TAGDev 2.0 Scholarship via RUFORUM (RIMS Portal)

Visit the RUFORUM Information Management System (RIMS) at https://rims2.ruforum.org/
Register a new account and activate it via your email (check Spam/Junk if needed)
Log in and navigate to Calls → Scholarship Calls
Select Call ID: RU/2026 Egerton Univ/TAGDev 2.0
Click Apply and fill in the application form — save your progress regularly using "Save Draft"
Download, print, and attach the completed scholarship form with your university admission application
Submit either as a hard copy or through the university's online portal