Scholarships for international students to study in the US

Even though it’s well known that higher education in the United States is one of the most expensive in the world, you shouldn’t let this stop you from going to school here because there are so many ways to get money to help pay for your studies.

Because you are an international student, you will not be able to get funding that is only for students who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States. On the other hand, because internationalization is important to American colleges, there are now more scholarships for international students to study in the United States. Some colleges in the United States accept international students regardless of their financial situation.

Here is a list of some of the scholarships that foreign students can get in the United States. Some of these scholarships are funded by the U.S. government, some by private organizations, and some by schools. Best of luck to you with your job applications!

Please note that this page is updated yearly, and because the sponsors or institutions that open these scholarships may often change the period in which they accept applications, we may not keep up with these updates due to the volume of scholarships we publish here. Therefore, this page is basically intended to show you the endless opportunities you have to get a scholarship to study anywhere in the world. Simply click on the link to the scholarship you want to check the deadline for on the official website. Or click here to access our list of current scholarships. 

Government-funded US scholarships for international students

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program – Perhaps the most popular government-funded US scholarship for international students, Fulbright offers scholarships for graduate students, young professionals, and artists to study in the US for one year or more. Open to international students in all fields excluding medicine.
• Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program – This is a non-degree scholarship program for international, experienced professionals wishing to undertake 10 months of academic study in the US. Although the funding doesn’t support degree qualifications, students can study and develop their knowledge at academic institutions across the nation.

Non-governmental US scholarships for international students

• #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship – International scholarships aimed at all overseas students studying any subject at a participating college or university in the US (of which there are 57). You should submit an essay or video demonstrating your interest and initiative in promoting intercultural learning and exchange.
• Civil Society Leadership Awards – Fully-funded scholarships are available for students from eligible countries to study in the US or another host country at the master’s level.
• David P. Shapiro Autism Scholarship – A scholarship worth US$1,000 open to current or prospective students in the US diagnosed with autism.
• Preply Scholarship – Three winners will receive an award of up to $2,000. Open to all students (domestic and international, and at any study level) aged between 16 and 35. To enter, you’ll need to submit a 500-word essay related to online education, multilingualism, and professional development.
• Surfshark Privacy and Security Scholarship – A $2,000 prize is available to a student currently enrolled in the US or another study destination as a high school, undergraduate, or graduate student. You will need to submit an essay to apply and the scholarship is open to all nationalities.
• Tortuga Backpacks Study Abroad Scholarship – Awarded twice a year to passionate international students wishing to study in the US. Worth US$1,000.

For Asian students:

• East-West Center Scholarships and Fellowships – Scholarships to study in the US within selected institutions, aimed at international students from the Asia-Pacific region.
• Japan-United States Friendship Commission – An initiative run by Japan and the US, this commission offers grant programs to Japanese students wishing to study in the US (and vice versa).
• Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarship Program – Scholarships for 11 exceptional Asian students to study in the US at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Covers the full cost of tuition and student fees.

For Australian students:

• Fulbright Program – The Australian-American Fulbright Commission offers scholarships to Australian citizens across all career stages. Awardees take part in an academic and cultural exchange, pursuing research or study at a U.S. institution, experiencing life abroad, and bringing back their knowledge and experience to share with their communities in Australia.

For female students: 

• AAUW International Fellowships – Fellowships offered by the American Association of University Women for female international students to study in the US.
• Bat and Ball Game Women’s Sports Scholarship – A scholarship offering $1,000 to a woman currently studying a sports-related degree at any US university.
• MIT-Zaragoza Women in Logistics and SCM Scholarship – US scholarships for female students of any age, ethnicity, or nationality, to study at the Zaragoza Logistics Center at MIT.

For graduate students:

• Rotary Peace Fellowships – Scholarships to study in the US awarded to master’s degree students studying within one of Rotary’s Peace Centers (such as at Duke University or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill).

For students from developing countries:

• Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme – Scholarships for postgraduate international students hailing from countries in Africa.
• MasterCard Foundation Scholarships – Scholarships for African students to study in the US and Africa.
• For more scholarships for students from developing regions, visit this listing.

University-specific US scholarships for international students

• American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship – Undergraduate scholarships to study in the US at American University in Washington DC. Aimed at international students who are showing leadership potential.
• Brandeis University Wien International Scholarship Program – Funding opportunity for high-achieving students with an interest in student community contribution.
• Clark University Global Scholars Program – Scholarships of no less than US$10,000 as well as a guaranteed $2,500 taxable stipend for a paid internship are available for first-year international applicants.
• Emory University Needs-Based Scholarship Program – Funding opportunities for international students at Emory University. Students must demonstrate financial need.
• Harvard University Scholarships – Harvard offers a range of (very competitive) international scholarships for students from all over the globe.
• Illinois State University International Awards – Illinois State offers tuition waivers, merit awards, and graduate assistantships to incoming international students.
• Iowa State University International Merit Scholarships – Merit-based scholarship program for high-achieving international students.
• Michigan State University International Scholarships – Various grants and scholarships for international students to study in the US at MSU.
• New York University Wagner International Scholarships – US scholarships to study at NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.
• the University of Arkansas International Scholarships – Funding opportunities for international students of varying backgrounds and nationalities.
• the University of Iowa Scholarships for International First-Year Students – Various scholarships for international students starting their first year in the Autumn of 2017.
• the University of Minnesota International Scholarships – Offers a Global Excellence Scholarship and the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship, a renewable scholarship offering $15,000 per year.
• University of Oregon International Scholarships – US scholarships to study at the University of Oregon, aimed at international students from around the world.
• the University of Wisconsin Superior Non-resident Tuition Waiver Program – Tuition waiver for international students demonstrating financial need at the University of Wisconsin.

You could talk to the public affairs department at the US embassy in the capital city of your home country for more help and funding options. Often, an educational advisor will be on hand to provide you with funding resources and further scholarship information.