Top 23 Scholarships to Study in the US for International Students (2027 Update)

Studying in the United States is expensive, and international students are not eligible for U.S. federal student aid. The scholarships below are some of the most useful ways to fund a degree, from government-backed fellowships to university awards and need-based aid. Each entry covers the eligibility rules, what the award provides, the next deadline and where to apply.

Last updated: October 23, 2026. Deadlines and award amounts were checked against official and published sources for the 2027–28 intake. They change every year, so always confirm on the official page before you apply. Where a round has just closed, we say so and give the expected timing of the next one.

Quick comparison

Scholarship	Level	What it provides	Next deadline
Fulbright Foreign Student Program	Master’s / PhD	Tuition, airfare, stipend, insurance	Varies by country (2027–28 round mostly closed)
AAUW International Fellowships	Master’s / PhD (STEM)	$20,000 (master’s) or $25,000 (doctorate)	Closed Sept 17, 2026; next round expected Aug–Sept 2027
Knight-Hennessy Scholars	Any Stanford graduate degree	Up to 3 years of funding	Closed Oct 6, 2026; next expected early Oct 2027
Humphrey Fellowship	Non-degree (professionals)	Fully funded (non-degree)	Closed (country deadlines Jun–Aug 2026)
East-West Center fellowship	Master’s / PhD	Tuition and fees plus extra support	Dec 1, 2026
Rotary Peace Fellowship	Master’s	Fully funded	2027–28 closed; next reportedly May 15, 2027
Mastercard Foundation Scholars (Berkeley)	Master’s	Full cost of study	Varies by Berkeley program (first round only)
Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD funding	PhD	Tuition, insurance and stipend for 5+ years	Varies by PhD program
American University EGL Scholarship	Undergraduate	Full (2 awards) or partial up to $40,000/yr	Jan 15, 2027
Wien International Scholarship (Brandeis)	Undergraduate	Merit and need-sensitive aid	Brandeis admission deadline
Clark Presidential Scholarship	Undergraduate	Full tuition, room and board	Nov 1, 2026 / Jan 15, 2027 plus essays
Clark Global Scholars	Undergraduate	$15,000–$25,000 per year	Nov 1, 2026 / Jan 15, 2027
Emory Scholar Programs	Undergraduate	Partial to full tuition	Nov 15, 2026
Illinois Wesleyan	Undergraduate	$15,000–$38,000 per year; 2 full-tuition awards	Mar 15, 2027 (preferred)
Concordia College	Undergraduate	$12,000–$18,000 per year; some 50%+ awards	With admission
Dartmouth College	Undergraduate	100% of demonstrated need	ED / RD (early January)
Amherst College	Undergraduate	100% of demonstrated need	RD (typically Jan 1)
Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarship	Undergraduate	Full cost of attendance	Jan 1, 2027
University of Oregon ICSP	Undergraduate and graduate	About half of tuition	Jan 15, 2027 (admission); ICSP mid-Feb (confirm)
Boston University Presidential Scholarship	Undergraduate	Half tuition	Dec 1, 2026
University of Miami Stamps Scholarship	Undergraduate	Full cost of attendance	Nov 1, 2026 (confirm)
Berea College	Undergraduate	Tuition-free; first-year room and board covered	Nov 30, 2026
MPOWER Global Citizen Scholarship	Undergraduate and graduate	$1,000–$8,000	Dec 31, 2026

Graduate and postgraduate scholarships

1. Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Overview: A U.S. Department of State program for master’s and PhD study and research at U.S. institutions. Applications are handled by the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your home country, so the rules differ by country. Roughly 4,000 foreign students receive awards each year.
Eligibility: Varies by country. Most programs require a bachelor’s degree equivalent, English proficiency and residence in your home country during selection. Check your country’s Fulbright page.
Benefits: Typically tuition, airfare, a living stipend and health insurance. Some country programs also list settling-in, book and baggage allowances.
Deadline: Varies by country. For the 2027–28 award year most national deadlines have already passed (examples: Philippines April 30, 2026; Lebanon May 4, 2026; Bosnia and Herzegovina August 6, 2026). Applications for 2028–29 usually open in early 2027.
Official information

2. AAUW International Fellowships

Overview: Fellowships from the American Association of University Women for women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. For 2027–28 the program is limited to STEM master’s degrees and academic or professional doctorates. Separate postdoctoral fellowships exist.
Eligibility: Women who are neither U.S. citizens nor permanent residents, admitted to or enrolled in an eligible full-time STEM program at an accredited U.S. institution. Past AAUW international fellows cannot reapply.
Benefits: A one-time stipend paid to the fellow: $20,000 for a master’s degree and $25,000 for a doctorate (2027–28 amounts). It does not cover full costs.
Deadline: The 2027–28 round closed on September 17, 2026, and decisions are due in March 2027. The next round is expected to open around mid-August 2027, but AAUW has not confirmed dates.
Official information

3. Knight-Hennessy Scholars (Stanford University)

Overview: A multidisciplinary leadership program that funds graduate study at Stanford in any field, including law, business and medicine. Applicants submit two separate applications: one to Knight-Hennessy and one to their Stanford degree program.
Eligibility: Open to citizens of all countries. For the 2027 cohort, applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in January 2020 or later and must apply to a full-time Stanford graduate program.
Benefits: Funding for up to three years of graduate study, depending on degree length, plus leadership programming. Summer research funding is available.
Deadline: The deadline for the 2027 cohort was October 6, 2026 (1:00 p.m. Pacific), and the Stanford program application was due by December 1, 2026 at the latest. The next cohort’s deadline is expected in early October 2027; check the official dates page.
Official information

4. Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program

Overview: A ten-month, non-degree fellowship for mid-career professionals with leadership potential and a commitment to public service. Fellows take non-degree academic work and do professional activities at a U.S. host university that they cannot choose. It is not a degree scholarship.
Eligibility: Mid-career professionals from eligible countries, usually with several years of professional experience. U.S. citizens and permanent residents are not eligible, and the program does not fund dependents.
Benefits: Fully funded, including program costs, a living allowance, travel and health insurance.
Deadline: Deadlines are set by country. For the 2027–28 program they fell between late June and August 2026, so the round is closed. Awards are announced in spring 2027. Check your local Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy for the next call.
Official information

5. East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship (University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa)

Overview: A fellowship for master’s and doctoral study at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, combined with the East-West Center’s residential community and leadership programs.
Eligibility: Citizens or permanent residents of eligible countries in Asia and the Pacific, plus the United States. You must also be admitted to a UH Mānoa graduate program and meet its English requirements.
Benefits: Covers general tuition and fees at UH Mānoa, with additional support under the fellowship’s terms (such as health insurance). It does not automatically cover every cost.
Deadline: December 1, 2026 (11:59 p.m. Hawai‘i time) for both the East-West Center application and the UH Mānoa graduate application. Supporting documents are due January 10, 2027.
Official information

6. Rotary Peace Fellowship (Duke–UNC Rotary Peace Center)

Overview: Fully funded fellowships from The Rotary Foundation for people working in peace and development. The only master’s option in the United States is the joint Duke University and UNC Chapel Hill center. Fellowships are not available for doctoral study.
Eligibility: A bachelor’s degree, English proficiency and at least three years of relevant full-time experience. Master’s fellows cannot study at a Rotary Peace Center in their own country. Active Rotary members and employees of Rotary entities are excluded.
Benefits: Full funding for the master’s program (the Duke–UNC program runs 21 months), including tuition, fees, living costs, travel and a field experience.
Deadline: The 2027–28 round closed on May 15, 2026. Rotary says applications for 2028–29 will open online in February 2027, and a May 15, 2027 deadline has been reported. Confirm the date on Rotary’s site.
Official information

7. Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at UC Berkeley

Overview: A scholarship program for academically talented students from Sub-Saharan Africa with financial need who want to return home as leaders. At Berkeley it now supports master’s students only; it is not open to undergraduates or PhD students.
Eligibility: Citizens of eligible Sub-Saharan African countries (refugees and stateless people may also qualify) who are admitted to an eligible Berkeley master’s program. Dual citizens and permanent residents of the U.S., Canada, UK or EU are generally not eligible.
Benefits: A comprehensive scholarship covering tuition, Berkeley fees, travel, visa and SEVIS fees, housing, food and living expenses, plus leadership programming.
Deadline: There is no single deadline. Apply to your Berkeley master’s program first (if it has several rounds, only first-round applicants are considered), then the program invites eligible admits to apply. Berkeley says it will recruit scholars through fall 2028.
Official information

8. Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD Funding (Harvard University)

Overview: Harvard’s Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences gives every admitted PhD student a funding package. It is not a separate scholarship, and you apply only by applying to a PhD program.
Eligibility: Admission to a Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD program. Support continues while you remain enrolled and make satisfactory progress.
Benefits: Tuition, health insurance fees and basic living expenses for at least five years, through a mix of grants, stipends, traineeships and academic appointments. Details differ by program.
Deadline: Deadlines are set by each PhD program, so check your program’s page. Harvard’s international-student policies have been the subject of legal and policy changes, so confirm current conditions with the university.
Official information

Undergraduate scholarships and need-based aid

9. American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship

Overview: American University’s flagship scholarship for first-year international students who are committed to civic and social change in their home communities.
Eligibility: Applicants who will need a student visa, are still in secondary school and graduate by June of the entry year, and have not begun university study. AU lists a minimum 3.8 GPA equivalent (or top 10% of the class). English test scores must be sent directly by the testing agency.
Benefits: In its most recent published round, AU offered two full scholarships covering all billable expenses plus up to eight partial scholarships worth up to $40,000 per year. Non-finalists can still receive partial merit awards.
Deadline: January 15, 2027 for the Common Application and the EGL essays (fall 2027 entry). Finalists and winners are notified by April 1, 2027.
Official information

10. Wien International Scholarship Program (Brandeis University)

Overview: Brandeis’s long-running merit scholarship for international undergraduates, awarded since 1958 to students with strong academics and community involvement.
Eligibility: International first-year applicants to Brandeis. There is no separate scholarship application; apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application, and submit your financial aid application before you are admitted (aid cannot be requested afterwards).
Benefits: Brandeis describes its international scholarships as need-sensitive. Amounts depend on your profile and financial need.
Deadline: Same as your Brandeis admission application. Check Brandeis’s admissions pages for the current dates.
Official information

11. Clark University Presidential Scholarship (LEEP)

Overview: Clark’s top merit award for first-year students, given to about five students a year whose academics and leadership place them at the top of the applicant pool.
Eligibility: First-year applicants to Clark, including international students, who indicate interest on the Common Application or Coalition Application. A small group of finalists is interviewed. International students must still document the ability to cover costs not met by aid.
Benefits: Full tuition plus on-campus room and board for four years.
Deadline: Clark’s admission deadlines are November 1, 2026 (Early Decision/Early Action) and January 15, 2027 (Regular Decision). The scholarship needs separate essays; confirm the essay deadline on Clark’s site (historically February 1 for Regular Decision).
Official information

12. Clark University Global Scholars Program

Overview: A renewable merit scholarship for international first-year students with leadership potential, with a funded summer internship or research opportunity.
Eligibility: First-year (not transfer) applicants who have attended school overseas for at least four years; international citizens in U.S. schools are also considered. Check the Global Scholars box on the Common Application.
Benefits: $15,000 to $25,000 per year for four years, renewable with good academic standing. Students with greater need may receive up to $5,000 more in need-based aid.
Deadline: Clark’s admission deadlines: November 1, 2026 (Early Decision/Early Action) and January 15, 2027 (Regular Decision).
Official information

13. Emory University Scholar Programs

Overview: Emory’s merit scholarships for incoming first-year students, including the flagship Woodruff Scholars Program. International students are eligible regardless of citizenship, and there is no separate international application.
Eligibility: Incoming first-year applicants who answer “yes” to the Scholar Programs question on the application and meet the early materials deadline. Finalists attend a campus visit program.
Benefits: Partial to full merit scholarships. The Woodruff Scholarship covers full tuition for eight semesters, renewable with continued academic excellence. “Full” does not necessarily include flights, insurance or personal costs.
Deadline: November 15, 2026 for Scholar Program materials (Early Decision I applicants should meet the November 1 admission deadline).
Official information

14. Illinois Wesleyan University International Scholarships

Overview: Automatic merit scholarships for international first-year students, plus two full-tuition President’s Scholarships. IWU uses a need-sensitive process for international admission.
Eligibility: International first-year applicants with strong grades and entrance-exam results. Applying for admission automatically considers you for merit awards. Applicants must document the family funds required for an I-20.
Benefits: Merit awards of $15,000 to $38,000 per year, renewable for up to four years. The President’s Scholarship covers full tuition. Additional need-based aid is possible if you submit the CSS Profile.
Deadline: The preferred international application deadline is March 15 (March 15, 2027 for fall 2027). The preferred CSS Profile date is March 1.
Official information

15. Concordia College (Moorhead, Minnesota) International Scholarships

Overview: Concordia gives automatic merit scholarships to admitted international students, plus a small number of larger awards.
Eligibility: International first-year or transfer students admitted to Concordia. The #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship has a separate application that opens after admission.
Benefits: The International Excellence Scholarship was $12,000 to $18,000 per year for 2025–26, based on academic record. Two #YouAreWelcomeHere awards a year cover at least 50% of tuition.
Deadline: Awarded with admission; check Concordia’s international admissions page for application dates.
Official information

16. Dartmouth College Financial Aid

Overview: Dartmouth is need-blind for all applicants, including international citizens (since the Class of 2026), and meets 100% of demonstrated need for admitted undergraduates. All of its aid is need-based.
Eligibility: International students admitted to Dartmouth who apply for aid. If the CSS Profile fee is a serious hardship, submit the International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA) instead.
Benefits: Dartmouth Scholarships (grants, not loans) to meet full demonstrated need, including an allowance for travel to the U.S. Aid recipients have a student work expectation of about $1,500 a year after the first year.
Deadline: Follow Dartmouth’s Early Decision and Regular Decision dates; the Regular Decision deadline falls in early January. Confirm exact dates on the admissions site.
Official information

17. Amherst College Financial Aid

Overview: Amherst is reported to be need-blind for international applicants and to meet 100% of demonstrated need for admitted students who apply for aid.
Eligibility: International students admitted to Amherst who apply for need-based aid and submit the required international aid forms.
Benefits: A need-based aid package that meets demonstrated need.
Deadline: Typically January 1 for Regular Decision. Confirm on Amherst’s admission and financial aid pages.
Official information

18. Wesleyan University Freeman Asian Scholarship

Overview: A full scholarship for up to 11 students a year from specific Asian countries, based on academic strength and demonstrated financial need.
Eligibility: Citizens or permanent residents of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand or Vietnam (not dual U.S. citizens or permanent residents). Applicants must apply for need-based aid, have demonstrated need, and not have previously enrolled full-time in college. Transfers are not eligible.
Benefits: The full cost of attendance for four years (tuition, fees, room and board, supplies and travel), which Wesleyan values at more than $90,000 a year.
Deadline: January 1, 2027, the same as the Wesleyan application deadline. Eligible applicants are considered automatically.
Official information

19. University of Oregon International Cultural Service Program (ICSP)

Overview: A renewable partial tuition waiver for new and continuing international students (undergraduate and graduate) who demonstrate financial need and merit and give cultural presentations in the community. Note that this is a University of Oregon program, not Oregon State University.
Eligibility: International students admitted or admissible to the University of Oregon. Recipients complete 66 to 80 hours of cultural service per year.
Benefits: A tuition waiver worth roughly half of tuition, renewable until you finish a UO degree if you meet program requirements.
Deadline: UO’s priority admission and scholarship deadline is January 15, 2027. The separate ICSP application was due February 13 in the 2026 cycle, so expect a mid-February date and confirm with ISSS.
Official information

20. Boston University Presidential Scholarship

Overview: BU’s main merit award for first-year students, open to U.S. and international applicants. BU says international students are not eligible for need-based aid from the university, so merit awards are the main route.
Eligibility: First-year applicants with exceptional academic records and leadership outside the classroom. There is no separate application.
Benefits: Half of tuition each year, renewable for up to eight semesters with a 2.0 GPA. Older descriptions that list full tuition or a flat $25,000 are out of date.
Deadline: December 1, 2026 for admission and scholarship consideration.
Official information

21. University of Miami Stamps Scholarship

Overview: Miami’s most valuable merit award, offered with the Stamps Foundation. Miami says all applicants are considered for merit scholarships regardless of citizenship.
Eligibility: First-year students who apply under Early Decision I or Early Action. Semi-finalists interview with the university in mid-January, and winners are announced in early March.
Benefits: A full-cost award that has included tuition, fees, housing, meals and an enrichment fund of about $12,000. Flights and personal spending are typically not included.
Deadline: Early Decision I / Early Action deadline, normally November 1 (November 1, 2026 for fall 2027). Confirm on Miami’s admissions site.
Official information

22. Berea College Tuition Promise Scholarship

Overview: Berea charges no tuition to any admitted student. It admits students with strong academic promise and limited financial resources, and places for international students are limited.
Eligibility: International first-year applicants with demonstrated financial need. The application doubles as the scholarship application, and an International Financial Questionnaire is required.
Benefits: Full funding for tuition, room, board and fees for all international students in their first year. In later years tuition remains covered, and students are expected to save about $1,000 a year from summer work. All students hold a paid on-campus job.
Deadline: The international application deadline for fall 2027 entry is November 30, 2026, according to current listings. Confirm on Berea’s site; there are no extensions.
Official information

Scholarships not tied to a single university

23. MPOWER Financing Global Citizen Scholarship

Overview: An essay-based scholarship from MPOWER Financing for international, DACA and refugee students at schools MPOWER supports in the U.S. and Canada.
Eligibility: Students accepted to or enrolled in a full-time degree program at an MPOWER-supported U.S. or Canadian school who are legally allowed to study there (for the U.S.: a valid study visa, DACA or permanent residency). The award is not renewable.
Benefits: Three awards: $8,000 for the winner, $2,000 for the first runner-up and $1,000 for the second runner-up. Funds can go toward tuition, books or living costs.
Deadline: December 31, 2026 for the current round, per Times Higher Education’s June 2026 listing. Other sites show different dates, so confirm on MPOWER’s page.
Official information

How to improve your chances

Start early. Many university awards are decided at admission, so your application deadline is your scholarship deadline.
Apply for need-based aid at the same time as admission where required. Several schools do not allow aid requests after you are admitted.
Look beyond the sticker amount. Check whether an award covers housing, meals, insurance and flights, or only tuition.
Apply to several programs. Combine highly competitive awards with universities that give automatic merit aid.

Conclusion

These scholarships give international students real routes to pursue their academic goals in the United States. Each scholarship has its own criteria, benefits and deadlines, so read each program carefully and apply accordingly. Always check the official scholarship page for the latest information. Good luck!