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.
Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship
Amount: $5,000. About: Administered by Zonta International, the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship…
Thermo Fisher Scientific Antibody Scholarship
Amount: $10,000 (1 Award), $5,000 (5 Awards). About: The Thermo Fisher Scientific Antibody Scholarship is…
PEO International Peace Scholarships
Amount: $12,500. About: PEO International Peace Scholarships are for women from countries other than the…
Rolex Scholarship
Amount: $30,000 (North America), £25,000 (Europe), Aus$40,000 (Australasia). About: Swiss luxury watch brand Rolex runs…
Walter Byers Graduate Scholarship
Amount: $24,000 per year (renewable for a second year). About: Each year, through the Walter…
MPOWER Refugee Scholarship
Amount: Up to $3,000. About: Offered by MPOWER Financing, which provides private student loans to…
MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship
Amount: Up to $6,000. About: Offered by MPOWER Financing, which provides private student loans to…
MPOWER Global Citizen Scholarship
Amount: Up to $10,000. About: Offered by MPOWER Financing, which provides private student loans to…
MPOWER MBA Scholarship
Amount: Up to $10,000. About: Offered by MPOWER Financing, which provides private student loans to…
MPOWER Monthly Scholarships for International Students
Amount: Up to $2,000. About: Offered by MPOWER Financing, which provides private student loans to…
Morehead-Cain Scholarship
Amount: Full tuition, room and board. About: Established in 1945 and inspired by the Rhodes…
ISA Educational Foundation Scholarships
Amount: $5,000. About: International Society of Automation (ISA) scholarships are offered to students pursuing careers…
ISC2 Undergraduate/Associate Cybersecurity Scholarship
Amount: $1,000-$5,000. About: The ISC2 Undergraduate/Associate Scholarship is awarded to high school seniors and current…
ISC2 Graduate Scholarship
Amount: $1,000-$5,000. About: The ISC2 Graduate Scholarship is awarded to graduate and doctoral who are…
ISC2 Women’s Scholarship
Amount: $1,000-$5,000. About: The ISC2 Women’s Scholarship is annually awarded to female students pursuing careers…
ISC Graduate Cybersecurity Scholarship
Amount: $1,000-$5,000. About: The ISC Graduate Cybersecurity Scholarship is annually awarded to graduate students pursuing…
ExpressVPN Future of Privacy Scholarship
Amount: $5,000. About: The ExpressVPN Future of Privacy Scholarship was created to raise awareness around…
Cargill Global Scholars Program
Amount: $5,000. About: Cargill, a major American food corporation based in Minnesota, runs the Cargill…
American Atheists Student Activist Scholarships
Amount: $500-$1,000. About: American Atheists, an American atheist activist organization, offers several scholarships in the…
Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering
Amount: $5,000. About: The Vicki and George Muellner Scholarship for Aerospace Engineering is an annual…
AAUW International Project Grants
Amount: $5,000-$7,000. About: The American Association of University Women (AAUW) offers grants to alumni of…
AAUW International Fellowships
Amount: $18,000-$30,000. About: The AAUW International Fellowships provides support for women pursuing full-time graduate and…
SMART Scholarship for Service Program
Amount: $25,000-$38,000. About: Funded by the Department of Defense, the Science, Mathematics, and Research for…
NEWH Diversity in Hospitality Scholarship
Amount: Varies. About: The Diversity in Hospitality Scholarship is open to both domestic and international…
In addition to the scholarships listed above, international students should also look at these other Scholarships for International Students.