Cemex Mexico - Marcelo Zambrano Scholarship

Marcelo Zambrano Scholarship

You will receive up to about 92,000 EUR (up to 2,000,000 Mexican pesos) to cover your tuition fees and living costs whilst studying for your Master’s degree abroad. The funding runs for up to 2 years and corresponds to the duration of your Master’s programme. The amount is sufficient to enable you to study full-time without having to work alongside your studies. The funding is provided by CEMEX, a Mexican building materials company, which awards this architecture scholarship once a year. Only one scholarship is awarded per cycle.

Who can apply

• Nationality: You are a Mexican citizen.
• Degree: You’ve already completed your degree in architecture.
• Where you study: You have been admitted to a Master’s programme at a university outside Mexico.
• Programme length: Your Master’s degree programme lasts no longer than two years.
• Focus: The programme may relate to any architecture-related field, such as design, research, criticism or curation.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the CEMEX registration portal. The deadline for applications for round 2026 was 22 May. A jury of renowned Mexican architects will review each applicant’s portfolio and profile and select a single winner.

How realistic are your chances?

Only one person wins each year, and in the 2026 round, there were 52 candidates; it is therefore a single, highly competitive prize rather than a widely available scholarship. The pool of applicants is, by its very nature, limited: Applicants must already hold a Mexican degree in architecture and be able to provide proof of admission to a foreign university. CEMEX points out that previous winners were often only successful on their second or third attempt; therefore, it is worth putting together a compelling portfolio and reapplying.