International Student Scholarships: Which Universities Offer Them?

what universities offer scholarships to international students

The cost of studying in the US can be prohibitively high, especially for international students who are not eligible for federal or state aid. However, many colleges and universities offer scholarships, grants, and loans to international students to help cover these costs. These scholarships are often merit-based, rewarding students with impressive academic and extracurricular achievements, but they can also be needs-based, aimed at students who can demonstrate financial need. Some scholarships are also targeted at students from specific regions, such as Asia or Africa, or at minority groups, such as women. While full scholarships are rare, many universities offer substantial financial aid packages to international students, with some providing full tuition fee waivers.

Characteristics Values
Number of scholarships offered 2
Scholarship name #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship
Eligibility criteria Different for each institution
Application requirements Short essay or multimedia project
Scholarship amount Covers minimum of 50% tuition
Number of recipients 2 per year
Institution examples Centre College, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Other scholarship names Wildcat Award, New American University (NAMU) Scholarship, etc.
Scholarship type Merit-based, need-based, departmental, external
Student type Freshman, graduate, international, etc.
Scholarship coverage Tuition, room and board, travel expenses, etc.
Availability Annual, renewable, one-time
Considerations Academic achievement, leadership potential, extracurricular activities

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Merit-based scholarships

Many universities around the world offer merit-based scholarships to international students. These scholarships are typically awarded based on a student's academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, leadership skills, and potential contributions to the university community. Here is an overview of some of the top universities that offer merit-based scholarships for international students:

University of Toronto, Canada:

The University of Toronto, consistently ranked among the top universities in the world, offers a range of scholarships for international students. One notable scholarship is the Lester B. Pearson International Scholarship, which covers tuition, books, incidental fees, and full residence support for four years of undergraduate study. International students with exceptional academic achievement and creativity who are recognized as leaders within their school are considered for this scholarship.

University of British Columbia, Canada:

The University of British Columbia, ranked highly across various university rankings, provides several merit-based scholarships for international students. The International Leader of Tomorrow Award is a prestigious scholarship that recognizes international students who demonstrate superior academic achievement, leadership skills, and a dedication to community involvement. This award covers tuition, fees, and living costs for undergraduate studies.

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Departmental scholarships

Many universities in the United States offer departmental scholarships to international students. Here are some examples:

University of Nevada, Reno

The University of Nevada, Reno offers departmental scholarships to current international undergraduate students through its New and Continuing International Student Awards program.

Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University offers departmental scholarships for continuing students as well as graduate assistantships for international students.

University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

The University of North Texas provides the Texas Public Education Grant, which offers limited financial assistance to international students on F and J visas.

University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee

The University of Memphis offers the International Merit Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship for international students on a J-1 or F-1 visa taking classes on campus.

University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama

The University of Alabama provides departmental scholarships for international students, in addition to freshmen scholarships.

Washington State University, Pullman, Washington

Washington State University offers the International Academic Award, which includes merit-based departmental scholarships for international students.

University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

The University of Arizona offers the Wildcat Award, a merit-based scholarship available to on-campus, online, and hybrid mode of learning students.

Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University provides a merit-based tuition waiver for undergraduate and graduate international students.

Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University offers merit-based scholarships and region-based scholarships for international students.

University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida

The University of South Florida provides merit-based scholarships for freshman or transfer students admitted in the fall semester.

Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri

Saint Louis University offers merit-based scholarships and competitive scholarships for international students.

University of Arkansas

The University of Arkansas offers nearly 100 different scholarships to international students, including the International Distinction in Education Award (IDEA) for incoming first-year international students who will graduate from a high school outside the U.S.

Emory University

Emory University offers needs-based funding opportunities for international students who can demonstrate financial need.

Illinois State University

Illinois State University provides tuition waivers, merit awards, and graduate assistantships to incoming international students.

Iowa State University

Iowa State University offers the International Merit Scholarships, a merit-based scholarship program for high-achieving international students.

University of Wisconsin, Madison

The University of Wisconsin offers the King-Morgridge Scholars Program, an opportunity for enterprising and creative young adults dedicated to applying their talents toward poverty alleviation.

Vanderbilt University, Tennessee

Vanderbilt University allows its international freshman applicants to apply for all of its merit-based scholarships.

University of Oregon

The University of Oregon offers scholarships aimed at international students from around the world.

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota offers the Global Excellence Scholarship, as well as the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship, which offers $15,000 per year and is renewable.

University of Iowa

The University of Iowa offers various scholarships for international students starting their first year.

Wesleyan University, Connecticut

Wesleyan University offers the Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships for 11 exceptional Asian students to cover the full cost of tuition and student fees.

Harvard University

Harvard University offers a wide variety of competitive scholarships for international graduate students from around the world.

Michigan State University

Michigan State University provides various grants and scholarships for international students to study at MSU.

New York University

New York University offers scholarships for international students to study at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service.

St. Lawrence University, Kenya Scholarship Program

St. Lawrence University has a long-standing relationship with Kenya and offers two full scholarships to qualifying Kenyan students annually. The scholarship covers tuition, fees, room, and board, but not transportation to/from the US, books, or personal expenses.

Davidson College, Belk Scholarship

Davidson College invites high schools abroad to nominate outstanding students with extraordinary potential to compete for the John M. Belk Scholarship. The scholarship provides full funding plus special study stipends to allow students flexibility in exploring on and off-campus opportunities.

Indiana University, Bloomington: Wells Scholars Program

Indiana University offers the Wells Scholars Program, a full-time merit-based scholarship awarded to between 18 and 22 students each year.

University of Wisconsin Superior

The University of Wisconsin Superior offers a non-resident tuition waiver program for international students demonstrating financial need.

American University

American University offers the Emerging Global Leader Scholarship, which covers full tuition, room, and board for up to four years for one international student requiring a visa to study in the US.

Clark University

Clark University offers a range of Clark merit scholarships to international students, including the International Scholar Award for non-US citizens with outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements.

George Washington University

George Washington University offers the Presidential Academic Scholarship, the International Baccalaureate Scholarship, and the You Are Welcome Here Scholarship to international students.

University of Chicago

The University of Chicago offers a variety of merit scholarships for international students.

University of California, Berkeley

UC Berkeley offers the International House Berkeley Fellowship to international students who demonstrate strong leadership potential, intellectual curiosity, and participation in extracurricular activities.

University of California, Los Angeles

UCLA offers the UCLA Graduate Division Fellowship to international students who demonstrate academic excellence and financial need.

University of California, Irvine

UC Irvine offers the Anteater International Fellowship to incoming international students who demonstrate academic merit and financial need.

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Scholarships for continuing students

Scholarships for continuing international students are available at various universities. Here are some examples:

Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas

Wichita State University offers department-wise scholarships for continuing students and graduate assistantships for international students.

University of North Texas, Denton, Texas

The Texas Public Education Grant at the University of North Texas provides limited financial assistance to international students on F and J visas.

Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas

Texas State University offers scholarships for freshmen, transfer, and continuing international students.

Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana

Montana State University provides graduate fellowships and undergraduate scholarships for international students.

University of Oregon

The University of Oregon offers US scholarships to international students from around the world.

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota provides the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship, a renewable scholarship of $15,000 per year, as well as the Global Excellence Scholarship.

Arizona State University

Although the average financial aid amount is lower at Arizona State University, the university offered aid to 2,985 international students, the most of any public or private institution that provided data.

University of Massachusetts Lowell, Massachusetts

The University of Massachusetts Lowell provides merit-based scholarships to first-time international students.

American University, Washington, D.C.

American University has two endowed partial scholarships: one for an international student from Turkey and one for an international student from anywhere in Cyprus. These scholarships are available every few years.

University of Arkansas

The University of Arkansas offers several scholarships to undergraduate international students, including the New Arkansan Non-Resident Tuition Award Scholarship, which provides an annual award of $9,500 to $17,000 based on 30 hours of enrollment. They also offer scholarships to currently enrolled students who have excelled academically or demonstrated financial need.

Clark University, Massachusetts

Clark University offers the Presidential Scholarship, which is available to both domestic and international students and covers full tuition and on-campus room and board for all four years, regardless of financial need.

Yale University, USA

Yale University offers a need-based scholarship of over $50,000 on average, as well as a fully funded scholarship for international students.

University of Wisconsin Superior

The University of Wisconsin Superior offers a tuition waiver for international students who can demonstrate financial need.

Oxford University, UK

Oxford University offers a fully funded scholarship for international students.

Cambridge University, UK

Cambridge University provides the Gates Cambridge Scholarship, which includes a £17,500 stipend per year, health insurance, academic development funding, and a family allowance.

Stanford University, USA

Stanford University offers a fully funded scholarship for international students pursuing Master's or PhD studies. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel allowance, living allowance, and academic expenses.

Monash University, Australia

Monash University provides a fully funded scholarship for international doctoral research students, which includes a living allowance, relocation allowance, and research allowance.

KAIST University, South Korea

KAIST University offers a fully funded undergraduate scholarship for international master's students, covering tuition fees, a monthly allowance, travel expenses, language training, and medical insurance.

ETH Zurich, Switzerland

ETH Zurich offers the Excellence Master's Scholarship, a fully funded scholarship covering living and study expenses, as well as a tuition fee waiver.

Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam

Ton Duc Thang University provides fully funded graduate scholarships for international master's and doctoral students, covering tuition and accommodation fees.

Government-Funded Scholarships

Many governments offer scholarships for international students, such as the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, which is one of the most popular scholarship programs for graduate students, young professionals, and artists wishing to study in the US. The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program is another US-funded non-degree scholarship for international professionals to study in the country for 10 months.

Private Organization Scholarships

Private organizations also fund scholarships for international students, such as the Tortuga Backpacks Study Abroad Scholarship, which is awarded twice a year to international students wishing to study in the US.

Country-Specific Scholarships

Some scholarships are specific to students from certain countries, such as the Japan-United States Friendship Commission, which offers grants to Japanese students studying in the US, and the Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship, which provides scholarships to students from select developing countries for graduate studies.

To find scholarships for continuing students at a specific university, it is recommended to contact the financial aid office and use scholarship search tools. Additionally, international students should not limit themselves to one or two scholarship applications but should maximize their opportunities by applying to multiple scholarships.

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Fellowships

University of Southern California (USC)

The USC Graduate School offers several fellowship opportunities for international students. Some notable ones include:

  • Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF) — Offers 9 to 12 months of support to graduate students in the humanities and humanistic social sciences enrolled in PhD programs in the US and conducting dissertation research on non-US topics.
  • DeKarman Fellowships — Open to students in any discipline, including international students, enrolled in a US university or college.
  • Spencer Foundation Dissertation Fellowship.

American University (AU)

The AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship Program awards scholarships to high-achieving international students pursuing a Bachelor's degree and dedicated to positive civic and social change. The scholarship covers all expenses, including tuition, room, and board, for one international student needing a visa to study in the US.

Yale University

Yale offers need-based scholarships for international students, which can vary from a few hundred dollars to over $50,000 per year.

Stanford University

Stanford provides a fully-funded scholarship for international students pursuing Master's or PhD studies. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel allowance, living allowance, and academic expenses.

University of Hawai'i

The East-West Center at the University of Hawai'i offers the East West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship, which provides funding for up to 24 months for Master's or Doctoral degree study. The fellowship is open to graduate students from Asia, the Pacific, and the US who participate in the educational, residential, and leadership development programs at the East-West Center.

University of Cambridge

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a fully-funded opportunity for international students pursuing Master's or PhD studies. It provides a £17,500 stipend per year, health insurance, academic development funding, and a family allowance.

Ton Duc Thang University

Ton Duc Thang University offers fully-funded graduate scholarships for international students pursuing Master's or doctoral studies. The scholarship covers full tuition and accommodation fees.

Other Fellowships:

  • The American Association of University Women (AAUW) offers international fellowships for non-American women pursuing graduate or postgraduate studies in the US.
  • The Rotary Peace Fellowships are awarded to Master's degree students studying within one of Rotary's Peace Centers, such as Duke University or the University of North Carolina.
  • The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is a popular option, offering scholarships to graduate students, young professionals, and artists from around the world to study in the US for a year.

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University-specific scholarships

The cost of studying in the US can be high, and international students are not eligible for federal or state aid. However, many universities offer scholarships to international students. These scholarships are often merit-based, but some are also needs-based.

University of Alabama Birmingham

The University of Alabama at Birmingham provides departmental scholarships and freshmen scholarships for international students.

University of Arizona

The University of Arizona Tucson offers the Wildcat Award, a merit-based scholarship available to on-campus, online, and hybrid mode of learning students.

Arizona State University

Arizona State University Phoenix provides the New American University (NAMU) Scholarship for undergraduate students with high academic excellence.

Clark University

Clark University offers a variety of Clark merit scholarships to international students, including the International Scholar Award, which is awarded to non-US citizen students with outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements.

Colorado State University

Colorado State University Fort Collins provides merit-based scholarships for international freshmen seeking admission for the Spring or Fall semester.

Davidson College

Davidson College invites high schools abroad to nominate outstanding students with extraordinary potential to compete for the John M. Belk scholarship. The Belk scholarship provides full funding plus special study stipends to allow students flexibility in the on- and off-campus opportunities they choose to explore.

Emory University

Emory University offers funding opportunities for international students who can demonstrate financial need.

George Washington University

George Washington University offers the Presidential Academic Scholarship, the International Baccalaureate Scholarship, and the You Are Welcome Here Scholarship to international students.

Harvard University

Harvard University offers a wide variety of competitive international scholarships for students from all over the globe.

Illinois State University

Illinois State University offers tuition waivers, merit awards, and graduate assistantships to incoming international students.

Indiana University Bloomington

Indiana University Bloomington offers the Wells Scholars Program, a full-time merit-based scholarship offered to between 18 and 22 students each year.

Iowa State University

Iowa State University offers the International Merit Scholarships, a merit-based scholarship program for high-achieving international students.

Michigan State University

Michigan State University provides various grants and scholarships for international students to study in the US at MSU.

Northern Arizona University

Northern Arizona University Flagstaff provides merit-based tuition waivers for undergraduate and graduate international students.

New York University

New York University Wagner Graduate School of Public Service offers US scholarships to international students.

Oregon State University

Oregon State University Corvallis provides merit-based scholarships and region-based scholarships for international students.

St. Lawrence University

St. Lawrence University has a long relationship with and commitment to Kenya. It offers two full scholarships to qualifying Kenyan students on an annual basis. The scholarship covers tuition, fees, room, and board but does not cover transportation to/from the US, books, or personal expenses.

University of Arkansas

The University of Arkansas offers nearly 100 different scholarships to international students.

University of Iowa

The University of Iowa offers various scholarships for international students starting their first year in Autumn 2017.

University of Memphis

The University of Memphis provides the International Merit Scholarship, a merit-based scholarship for international students on a J-1 or F-1 visa taking classes on campus.

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota offers the Global Excellence Scholarship and the #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship, a renewable scholarship offering $15,000 per year.

University of Nevada, Reno

The University of Nevada, Reno offers departmental scholarships to current international undergraduate students through the New and Continuing International Student Awards program.

University of North Texas

The University of North Texas Denton provides the Texas Public Education Grant, which offers limited financial assistance to international students on F and J visas.

University of Oregon

The University of Oregon offers US scholarships to international students from around the world.

University of South Florida

The University of South Florida Tampa offers merit-based scholarships to freshman or transfer students admitted in the fall semester.

University of Wisconsin–Madison

The University of Wisconsin–Madison offers the King-Morgridge Scholars Program, an exceptional opportunity for enterprising, creative, dedicated young adults committed to applying their talents toward poverty alleviation.

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University allows its international freshman applicants to apply for all of its merit-based scholarships.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond provides merit-based scholarships during the fall semester only. It covers in-state costs only.

Washington State University

Washington State University Pullman offers the International Academic Award, as well as merit-based and department-based scholarships for international students.

Wichita State University

Wichita State University Wichita offers department-wise scholarships for continuing students and graduate assistantships for international students.

Wisconsin University

Wisconsin University Superior offers a non-resident tuition waiver program, providing tuition waivers for international students demonstrating financial need.

Wright State University

Wright State University Dayton provides scholarships for the fall or spring semester.

Frequently asked questions

Here is a list of some universities in the United States that offer scholarships to international students:

- Harvard University

- Yale University

- Emory University

- University of Iowa

- University of Minnesota

- University of Oregon

- University of Wisconsin Superior

- University of Arizona

- Arizona State University

- Virginia Commonwealth University

- Colorado State University

- University of Nevada Reno

- Northern Arizona University

- Wright State University

- Wichita State University

- University of North Texas

- University of Memphis

- West Virginia University

- Oregon State University

- University of South Florida

- Saint Louis University

- University of Alabama Birmingham

- Washington State University

- University of Arkansas

- University of Chicago

- University of Wisconsin-Madison

- Vanderbilt University

- Wake Forest University

- St. Lawrence University

- Davidson College

- Indiana University Bloomington

- University of Alabama

- Illinois State University

- Iowa State University

- Michigan State University

- New York University

Here is a list of some scholarships that international students can apply for in the United States:

- #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship

- Wildcat Award

- New American University (NAMU) Scholarship

- Rotary Peace Fellowship

- East-West Center Scholarships and Fellowships

- Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarship Program

- Fulbright Program

- AAUW International Fellowships

- Bat and Ball Game Women’s Sports Scholarship

- MIT-Zaragoza Women in Logistics and SCM Scholarship

- Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarship Programme

- Belk Scholarship

- Wells Scholars Program

- King-Morgridge Scholars Program

- Kenya Scholarship Program

- International Scholar Award

- Presidential Academic Scholarship

- International Baccalaureate Scholarship

There are many ways that international students can receive financial aid in the United States. Many colleges offer substantial financial aid packages, grants, scholarships, and loans. Additionally, international students can receive financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the financial aid form for accessing grants, federal student loans, and work-study funds.

The amount of scholarship money an international student receives depends on their academic background, area of study, and the college or university they attend.

Although it is possible for international students to receive full scholarships to attend school in the United States, it is quite rare.

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