University of Toronto Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health Scholarships 2026-2027
- Omran Aburayya
- Sep 12
- 4 min read
If you are an exceptional public health scholar from Sub-Saharan Africa, with a strong academic record and a deep commitment to improving health systems in your home country, the applications are now open for the Mastercard Foundation Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) Scholarships at the University of Toronto for the 2026-2027 academic year. This scholarship offers a unique chance to undertake a full professional doctoral degree, fully funded, while also preparing you for a leadership role in public health back home. Here's everything you need to know.
🎓 Scholarship Summary
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada (University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health)
Study Level: Doctoral (Doctor of Public Health, DrPH)
Fields of Study: Public Health (Doctor of Public Health) – this is a professional doctoral degree with an emphasis on leadership, health systems strengthening, policy & practice, applied public health.
Value & Coverage: Fully funded – covers tuition, travel, accommodation, food, books, and other essential costs for the duration of the program.
Duration: As per the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) program – full-time, 4 years typical duration.
Application Deadline:
Scholarship application: October 10, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. EST (Toronto time)
If shortlisted: application to the DrPH program by November 22, 2025
Start Date: For the academic year 2026-2027; likely in fall/September 2026 for the DrPH program.
Eligible To: Sub-Saharan African citizens who currently reside in Sub-Saharan Africa; who have graduated (or are graduating) from an Africa Health Collaborative partner university; not currently enrolled in a doctoral program; show academic excellence and leadership; and commit to returning home for at least the final two years of their program to contribute to social/economic development.
📚 Scholarship Overview
This opportunity is offered by the Africa Health Collaborative in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, supporting up to three scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year.
The degree is the Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) at U of T’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health. This is a professional doctorate designed to train public health practitioners and leaders — combining rigorous coursework, applied practice, leadership development, policy analysis, health systems, and governance. The program is full-time, typically lasting 4 years.
During the scholarship, in addition to academic work, recipients will get:
Orientation sessions to help transition to graduate life in Toronto.
A support network (academic & social) to promote success during studies.
Expectations / requirement that scholars commit to spending the final two years of the program in their home country (after returning) to apply their knowledge and contribute to public health in Africa.
🎁 Benefits
Comprehensive financial support: tuition, travel, housing, meals, books, living expenses throughout the DrPH program.
Academic & social support structures: orientation, networking, mentorship, help with adapting to academic expectations in Toronto.
Leadership development: the program emphasizes leadership, public health practice, and preparing scholars to make systems-level changes back in their home countries.
Professional exposure & global health environment: studying in a top public health school, likely opportunities for collaboration, exposure to best practices, research, policy.
✅ Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for this scholarship, applicants must:
Be a citizen of a Sub-Saharan African country and be currently residing there.
Have graduated (or be graduating) from an Africa Health Collaborative partner university (Listed here)
Not yet commenced doctoral (PhD or DrPH) studies.
Demonstrate strong academic excellence throughout undergraduate and master’s studies, plus leadership qualities.
Meet admission requirements of the University of Toronto DrPH program. (These would include whatever the Dalla Lana School requires: typically a master’s degree, relevant public health experience, etc.)
Show a clear commitment to return to their home country for at least the final two years of the program, contributing to economic/social development.
📝 Application Procedure
Here are the steps and what you’ll need:
Review the admission requirements for the DrPH program at University of Toronto (Dalla Lana School of Public Health). Make sure you meet academic and other prerequisites.
Register for and attend one of the three mandatory virtual information sessions. Attendance at one info session is required for scholarship consideration. There's also an optional Q&A session.
Info Session Dates: September 3; September 11; September 25, 2025
Submit the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Application by October 10, 2025, 11:59pm EST (The link to the application form will be shared at the upcoming info sessions)
If shortlisted, apply formally to the University of Toronto’s DrPH program by November 22, 2025. That application will include supplemental documents as required by the DrPH program.
📂 Documents Likely Required
While the full list may be detailed on the DrPH program site or in the scholarship materials, you can expect to prepare:
Academic transcripts (undergraduate + master’s)
Proof of degree(s) or pending degree
Curriculum Vitae (CV), showing academic and leadership experience
Statement of purpose / motivation letter (why DrPH, long-term goals, how you intend to return and contribute)
Letters of recommendation (usually 2-3, from academic or professional supervisors)
Any standardized test scores if required by U of T (e.g. English proficiency)
Possibly a research proposal or description of practice project, depending on program requirements
✨ For the scholarship, you’ll also want to explicitly address: your leadership experience; how you’ve contributed (or plan to) to public health; your plan for returning to your home country; how the scholarship will help you achieve impact.
💡Extra Info & Notes
The duration of the DrPH program is full-time, generally about 4 years.
The DrPH program at U of T is relatively new (first of its kind in Canada), and is designed to span multiple units of the school, engaging public health sciences, health policy, management, governance, etc.
Because the scholarship requires returning home for a period (at least final two years), applicants should plan how they will maintain connections with their home country, and propose how their learning and leadership will translate into impact.
🚀 Conclusion
If you meet the criteria and are driven to make a difference in public health in Africa, this is a strong opportunity to pursue a top-notch DrPH degree, fully funded, with leadership training and a support network. Be sure to review all admission and program requirements carefully, prepare your application documents ahead of time, and attend one of the mandatory info sessions to increase your chances.
