Scholarships for International Students

An International Student’s Guide for College Funding

In a recent survey of 559 U.S. higher education institutions, 65 percent reported an increase in applications for admission from international students for the 2022-23 academic year. However, many international students struggle to find the funding they need.  

In this article, we share some insight as to where international students can find the funds for their higher education efforts in the United States. There is actually is a lot of funding for international students — they just need to know where to look.

University Scholarships for International Students

First, students should look at the universities themselves for funding. The top universities in the United States compete to get the brightest minds from all around the world into their classrooms. What this means is that they will often be eager to fund a student’s educational journey through various scholarships.

All of the Ivy League schools and most of the top 50 schools offer financial aid of some sort to international students. For example in 2021, Columbia, Yale, Stanford, Duke, Skidmore and Haverford College each gave an average financial aid package of $65,000 or more to international students.

Students should look at each school’s financial aid website to see what is offered to international students. In many cases, the scholarships are based in part on a student’s financial need. But this is not always the case. For example, the Presidential LEEP Scholarship offered by Clark University, which covers full tuition, room and board for all four years, is offered entirely on merit without regard to financial need.

Most of the top-tier schools in California, New York and Texas offer financial aid to international students. It is no surprise that those states are the home to the largest numbers of international students.

Also, many of the top universities in Massachusetts, Illinois, Arizona and Indiana also offer financial aid to international students.

Private Scholarships for International Students

In addition to the scholarships offered by schools, here are 24 private scholarships for international students.

Rolex Scholarship

Amount: $30,000 (North America), £25,000 (Europe), Aus$40,000 (Australasia). About: Swiss luxury watch brand Rolex runs…

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In addition to the scholarships listed above, international students should also look at these other Scholarships for International Students.

Featured Scholarships

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