The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at EARTH University is a fully funded bachelor's scholarship at a small, private, nonprofit university in Costa Rica that teaches sustainable agriculture, natural resource management and social entrepreneurship. It has run since 2011 and is part of the wider Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, which works with partner universities in Africa and the Americas. You can see the full scholarship details on our scholarship page before reading on.
Before anything else, a Pakistani reader needs one fact up front. The eligible regions listed for this program are Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. Pakistan sits in none of them. If you are a Pakistani national living in Pakistan, check eligibility for your nationality directly with EARTH University and the Mastercard Foundation before you spend time on documents. This guide is still useful if you hold another nationality, were raised in one of those regions, or simply want to understand how a need-based undergraduate award like this one is judged.
The short version in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded (tuition, housing, meals, medical insurance) |
| Level | Bachelor's, four-year program |
| Fields | Agriculture, environmental sciences, sustainable development, natural resource management |
| Deadline | January 31 (annual) |
| Country | Costa Rica |
| Provider | Mastercard Foundation, in partnership with EARTH University |
| Official site | earth.ac.cr |
A farm-based degree, not a lecture-hall degree
Most students who apply to scholarships picture a campus with large lecture rooms and exams at the end of each term. EARTH University works differently. Its model mixes classroom teaching with hands-on farm work, service-learning projects and entrepreneurship training. You will spend real time in the field. Applicants who treat this as just another free bachelor's degree tend to write weak statements, because the selection panel is looking for people who actually want this kind of education and plan to use it back home.
The cohort is also unusual. Roughly two-thirds of scholars at EARTH come from Latin America and the Caribbean, and the rest come from Sub-Saharan Africa. So you would be studying in a cross-continental group on one campus in Central America. Instruction combines English and Spanish depending on the track, which matters if you only speak one of the two.
What full funding means here
The scholarship pays full tuition for the four-year undergraduate program. The total institutional cost is currently valued at roughly USD 36,800 per year, and the scholarship covers that cost rather than handing you a cash sum. On top of tuition, you get:
- On-campus housing and meals for the full length of study
- Comprehensive medical insurance while enrolled
- Mentorship, leadership training and career counseling throughout the degree
- Service-learning placements and internship opportunities built into the curriculum
- Dedicated support pathways for students with disabilities and for refugees or displaced persons
The source material does not list a separate monthly cash stipend, airfare or visa fee coverage. Do not assume those are included. If travel costs would stop you from accepting an offer, ask EARTH University's international student services about them early.
The kind of applicant the panel wants
This is a need-based award first. Strong grades help, but the program is explicitly aimed at academically capable young people who would otherwise be unable to afford university. Selection weighs academic merit together with leadership potential and a demonstrated commitment to giving back to your community. The listed requirements are:
- You come from a socioeconomically disadvantaged background in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America or the Caribbean
- You have completed secondary education with strong academic performance
- You can show leadership potential and commitment to community development
- Your financial need is verified through the program's application and vetting process
- You are willing to commit to a four-year, largely residential program focused on agriculture and sustainability
- Your English or Spanish is good enough for coursework
Candidates with disabilities and refugees or displaced persons are specifically encouraged to apply and receive dedicated support during selection. If either applies to you, say so clearly. It is a recognised pathway in this program, not something to hide.
Who should skip it? A student from a comfortable financial background with top grades will struggle, because need is a core criterion. So will someone who wants a pure science or engineering degree with no field work. And, as covered above, anyone whose nationality falls outside the eligible regions should confirm eligibility before applying.
The paperwork you will gather
The document list is short, but each item carries weight in a need-based review:
- The completed EARTH University/Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program application
- Secondary school transcripts and your completion certificate
- A personal statement addressing leadership and community impact
- Proof of financial need
- Letters of recommendation
- A valid passport or national identification
Proof of financial need is where many applications go wrong. Be specific and honest about your family's circumstances. Vague claims are hard to verify, and the program does run a vetting process. For a general sense of how to organise school records and supporting papers, our documents checklist for international scholarships is a reasonable starting point, though the EARTH application itself sets the final requirements.
Applying through the EARTH admissions portal
- Read the eligibility criteria on the Mastercard Foundation page for EARTH University and on EARTH's admissions pages.
- Complete the online application through the EARTH University admissions portal, selecting the Mastercard Foundation Scholars track.
- Submit transcripts, your personal statement, financial-need documents and recommendation letters before January 31.
- Take part in any interviews or additional assessments you are invited to.
- Wait for the selection decision, which typically comes in the months after the deadline.
- If selected, complete visa, travel and onboarding steps with guidance from EARTH University's international student services.
Why you apply a full year before you start
The timing catches people off guard. The portal typically opens in September-October for the following academic year's intake, and the deadline is January 31. Shortlisted candidates are assessed further between February and April. Offers usually go out mid-year, and the program starts in January of the following year, since EARTH's academic year typically begins in January.
In practice, that means you apply roughly a year before you would arrive on campus. If you are finishing secondary school, plan around that gap. Treat these months as typical rather than fixed, and confirm the current cycle's dates on the official portal before you start.
Where strong applications pull ahead
The personal statement carries more weight here than in many merit scholarships. Write about leadership and community involvement you have actually done, rather than leaning on grades alone. Concrete examples of things you started or led beat general ambitions.
Show interest in agriculture, sustainability or rural development, even informal experience. Prior agriculture experience is not required, but a demonstrated interest strengthens your case. Read about EARTH's teaching model before you write, so your statement shows you understand the farm-based approach and want it.
Start early. Collecting transcripts, financial records and recommendation letters takes longer than most students expect, and you need room for interviews. Leaving everything to the last week of January is the most common avoidable mistake.
Frequently asked questions
Can Pakistani students apply for this scholarship?
The eligible regions listed are Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, which do not include Pakistan. Check eligibility for your nationality with EARTH University and the Mastercard Foundation before applying.
Is the scholarship fully funded?
Yes. It covers full tuition, housing, meals and medical insurance for the whole four-year undergraduate program.
What subjects can I study?
EARTH University's programs focus on agricultural sciences, natural resource management, sustainable development and related fields such as environmental sciences.
Do I need prior farming experience?
No. A demonstrated interest in agriculture, sustainability or community development does strengthen your application, and informal experience counts.
What language is the program taught in?
Instruction combines English and Spanish depending on the track, so you need proficiency in at least one of them that is good enough for coursework.
Does the program support students with disabilities or refugee status?
Yes. The program has dedicated pathways and actively encourages applications from students with disabilities and from refugees or displaced persons.
For the latest requirements and dates, check the official EARTH University website, and see the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at EARTH University scholarship page for a summary of the key details.