Fundacion Guatefuturo - GUATEFUTURO Scholarship

What the GUATEFUTURO Scholarship gives you

You will receive a loan-based scholarship of up to US$25,000 per year (about 23,000 EUR) for up to two years. Over the entire period, the total amount will be approximately 46,000 EUR. This will fund a Master’s degree or a three-year PhD at University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom. The funding covers your flights, settling-in costs, tuition fees, health insurance, living costs and study materials such as books and a computer.

It starts as a loan, but up to 50% it is converted into a grant that you will never have to repay if you complete your studies and subsequently live in Guatemala for a period equal to twice the duration of your funding period plus one year. For courses in public administration or an MBA, the waiver amounts to 25%. You can receive a further reduction of 10% if you spend a year teaching, conducting research, working in the public sector or working outside Guatemala City. UCL will also grant you a discount of 10% on your tuition fees. The scholarship is administered jointly by ‘Fundación Guatefuturo’, a Guatemalan charity, and UCL.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a Guatemalan citizen.
• Degree level: You are starting a Master’s degree or a three-year PhD at UCL. The Foundation also supports medical specialisations, but exclusively within the healthcare sector.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Enrolment: You are studying full-time on campus. Part-time and distance-learning courses are not eligible for funding.
• Admission: You have been offered a place at UCL or are currently applying for one.
• Selection: Guatefuturo selects you based on the quality of your degree programme and your university, your undergraduate results, and a personal profile that you present through an essay and an audio recording.

How to apply

You are applying for two places at the same time. Apply to UCL for a place on a degree programme and to the Fundación Guatefuturo as part of its annual call for applications (Convocatoria PCB). The call for applications opens in the first quarter of each year, and the results are announced in July. If Guatefuturo selects you and UCL offers you a place, the 10% discount on UCL fees will be applied automatically.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is awarded on a highly selective basis. You must be a Guatemalan national, have been offered a place at a specific top-tier university, and be selected by the foundation. This keeps the pool of applicants small. The selection process is anonymous and merit-based; therefore, good undergraduate results, a clear and well-reasoned essay, and a convincing audio recording are crucial. If you meet these requirements and can demonstrate academic excellence, your chances are good. In the year 2024, the foundation selected 38 new scholarship holders across all its partnerships.