Where to Find Scholarships for International Students

One of the major concerns students have after deciding to study in the USA is where to find scholarships. Luckily, there are many scholarships and other financial aid options for students studying in the USA. Check out some of the resources below: 

 

Which websites can you find scholarships for college? 

 

Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Only for Master's and Ph.D. students, the Fulbright Foreign Student Program helps international students from over 150+ countries through their Fulbright scholarships. Scholarship eligibility depends on several factors, including your country of origin. The scholarship itself doesn’t guarantee tuition coverage (program-dependent), but it can be used to cover living expenses, health insurance, and travel, amongst other things. Learn about the program here.

MPower Financing 

MPower Financing is a top-rated student loan lender, but they don’t stop there — they also offer scholarships and career coaching! With a fully online application and a 96% customer service satisfaction rate, MPower is a reliable lender that meets all your study abroad financing needs. MPower has multiple scholarship options that you can navigate to here

IIE Funding for U.S. Study

IIE is a database of scholarships, grants, and funding that helps college and university-level students fund their education. You can filter scholarship options by region, program name, sponsoring organization, and more. As the scholarships aren’t distributed by IIE themselves, the type and amount of each scholarship vary. Visit them here

EducationUSA

EducationUSA, unlike many of the other financial aid or scholarship-specific resources in this article, isn’t dedicated solely to financial services. Navigate to their financial aid section, and you can find numerous scholarship opportunities, the date you need to apply, and which universities offer them. With over 500 scholarships listed on the site, we highly recommend you take a look

InternationalStudent

You can both research AND apply for scholarships through the InternationalStudent website. Once you research their extensive database of scholarships, you’ll be asked to create an account. Once you’re part of their system, you can submit applications for any potential scholarships. You can find program-specific, region-based scholarships or even some specifically for women. Get started here

InternationalScholarships

International Scholarships is a site that provides a comprehensive list of financial aid, college scholarships, grants, and loan programs to students wishing to study abroad. Using their “Quick Search,” you can find scholarships and financial aid based on the program you are studying and the country you are from. Find scholarships here

 

Where else can you find scholarships?

 

Your Chosen University

Many colleges and universities have school-specific scholarships. These scholarships are afforded to students who gain enrollment into their institution, often with standout grades or for specific athletic or artistic programs. School-specific scholarships can range from a few thousand dollars to a full-ride scholarship. When you consider which school you’d like to attend, seeing which schools offer the most scholarships for your program can be an important consideration. 

Local Community Foundations

More for those who have already made the move to the U.S., local foundations, fire stations, or even libraries offer scholarships to students. These scholarships aren’t super lucrative, but they can help ease the financial burden of textbooks, rent, or other month-to-month expenses. Sometimes all it takes is a small essay or lending a helping hand through community service. Locate your nearest community center for more information! 

Large Organizations

It might come as a surprise, but large companies sometimes fund the studies of their current employees. For example, if you’re planning to pursue your MBA and the company you work for values having you on their team, they can offer to pay for your MBA with the contingency that you return to work for them upon graduation. 

Online Essay Contests

You won’t know until you try. You might think that it’s impossible to win these contests, but oftentimes it just comes down to luck. You don’t have to be a great writer or have an extraordinary story — many contests just want you to share your experience, and at that point it’s a free-for-all. As to where you can find these random contests, Study in the USA has actually hosted our own! Stay in touch with international student pages, university social media accounts, and more — you never know when you’ll come across a new opportunity. 

When looking for scholarships, make sure to verify with the organization providing the scholarship that it is current and active.

Studying in the USA doesn’t have to be expensive with all the scholarship opportunities available to you!

Brianna Burrows is a freelance marketing specialist and alumna of Northeastern University. She specializes in event management, social media management, and content branding. Follow her on Twitter here.