UC Berkeley Law Mastercard Foundation Scholarship (LLM)

About Berkeley Law and the programme

UC Berkeley School of Law (Berkeley Law) is the law school of the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States. Its LL.M. is a one-year master's degree in law for lawyers trained outside the US. The traditional track is the full-time, residential option.

The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program supports graduate students from Sub-Saharan African countries who are academically talented and committed to transformative change on the continent. Berkeley Law takes part through its "Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Supplement", listed among its LL.M. traditional track scholarships.

What the scholarship covers

According to Berkeley Law's LL.M. scholarships page, if you are awarded the scholarship:

Details are given to awardees. Berkeley Law also notes that all LL.M. scholarship awards are finalised before the programme starts and no extra financial aid is available after enrolment.

• The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program pays full tuition fees.
• It also covers other expenses such as the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP), books, a laptop, accommodation, flights and visa costs.
• Berkeley Law's Advanced Degree Programs Office pays any tuition not covered by the programme.

Who is eligible

• Citizens of Sub-Saharan African countries who meet the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program's own eligibility criteria (Berkeley Law links to them).
• Applicants admitted to the Berkeley Law LL.M. traditional track. Berkeley Law nominates traditional track admits.
• Applicants who meet Berkeley Law's LL.M. admission requirements, including a first law degree.

Documents needed

Berkeley Law's application section says you apply through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website, where you create an account and submit:

• The application form.
• A personal statement.
• A résumé or CV.
• Transcripts from every college or university you attended.
• Two to three recommendation letters.
• An English-language score (TOEFL or IELTS), or a waiver request made through the application.

How to apply, step by step

1. Read the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program eligibility rules linked from Berkeley Law's scholarships page.
2. Create an LSAC account and start the LL.M. application. Choose the traditional track; the Mastercard nomination is listed under traditional track scholarships.
3. Send transcripts and recommendation letters to LSAC early so they can be processed in time.
4. Take TOEFL or IELTS, or request a waiver in the application.
5. Submit a complete application by the 1 December priority deadline.
6. If Berkeley Law nominates you, the final decision rests with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Deadlines and timeline

Decisions are made on a rolling basis.

• 1 September 2026: LL.M. applications open.
• 1 December 2026: priority deadline. Complete applications by this date get an admissions decision by 15 January, priority consideration for scholarships, and no $80 application fee.
• 1 February 2027: the traditional track application closes.
• March 2027: recipients are told by the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program.

Selection

There is no separate first-stage scholarship application. Berkeley Law nominates admitted traditional track students, and the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program alone makes the final decision. Berkeley Law notes that scholarships are limited and competitive, so an admitted, eligible applicant may not receive an award.

Conditions to know

• Scholarship awards vary by track and cannot be moved from one track to another.
• Cancelling enrolment or withdrawing may affect your award; see Berkeley Law's cancellation and refund policies.
• Plan your finances before enrolling. Berkeley Law warns that no extra aid is available once you arrive and that on-campus jobs are rare and low-paid.

A related option

Berkeley Law's page for African applicants also describes an African Legal Impact Scholarship, a full-tuition award for up to two students from Africa each year on the LL.M. executive track, with its own deadlines. It is a separate award, so check its terms if the executive track suits you better.

Tips from the source

• Aim for 1 December, not 1 February: priority applicants get scholarship priority and a waived fee.
• Start the LSAC credential process early; transcripts from African universities can take time.

Official link

The official pages are Berkeley Law's LL.M. Scholarships page (law.berkeley.edu, under Admissions, Financial Aid, LL.M. Financial Aid, Scholarships) and its LL.M. application pages. If anything here differs from Berkeley Law's site, Berkeley Law's version is right.