Scholarships in the USA for International Students 2026

80 fully funded scholarships and fellowships for studying in the United States, ranked by what each one pays for. In the US most money comes from the universities themselves, not the government, so the award usually depends on getting the admission first. 30 of these say they are open to every nationality.

Study levels: Fellowship · 24 Masters · 20 Bachelor · 20 PhD · 18 Undergraduate · 10 Non-Degree · 5
U USA Tomorrow’s Leaders Program Undergraduate Scholarships TuitionLiving stipendTravelHealth insuranceHousingVisa or arrival U USA · Fellowship Herbert Scoville Peace Fellowship Living stipendTravelHealth insuranceHousingResearch costsVisa or arrival U USA · Masters, PhD, Bachelor Fulbright Living stipendTravelHealth insuranceHousingLanguage courseVisa or arrival U USA · Fellowship, Non-Degree Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program 2028, USA (Fully Funded Non-Degree Fellowship) TuitionLiving stipendTravelHealth insuranceResearch costsVisa or arrival U USA · Masters, PhD Full Bright Scholarship for Pakistani Students TuitionLiving stipendTravelHealth insuranceVisa or arrival U USA · Masters, PhD, Bachelor ACI Foundation Fellowships and Scholarships TuitionLiving stipendTravelHousingResearch costs $10,000 USD educational stipend
U USA · Fellowship United Nations Nippon Foundation Fellowship in USA Living stipendTravelHealth insuranceHousingVisa or arrival Book allowance of $100 per month U USA · Masters Arizona State University Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program TuitionTravelHealth insuranceHousingVisa or arrival U USA RIPS Summer Internship Program Living stipendTravelHousingResearch costs U USA · Masters, PhD, Bachelor Yale University Scholarships TuitionLiving stipendHealth insuranceHousing U USA · Bachelor University of Miami Bachelors Scholarship TuitionHealth insuranceHousingResearch costs U USA · Masters, PhD Stanford University Knight-Hennessy Scholarships 2027, USA TuitionLiving stipendTravelHousing
U USA · Masters, PhD Stanford University Scholarship Program TuitionLiving stipendTravelResearch costs U USA · Fellowship Fox International Fellowships - Yale MacMillan Center USA Living stipendTravelHealth insuranceHousing U USA · Bachelor, Undergraduate University of Miami Stamps Scholarship TuitionHealth insuranceHousingResearch costs U USA · Fellowship Hurford Youth Fellowship in USA Living stipendTravelHealth insuranceVisa or arrival U USA · Masters, Bachelor Onsi Sawiris Scholarship TuitionLiving stipendTravelHealth insurance U USA · Masters, PhD, Non-Degree Fulbright Scholarship TuitionLiving stipendTravelVisa or arrival Deadline Application deadlines vary by country and may fall in different months of the year. Applicants should therefore check the official Fulbright office or U.S. Embassy in their country for the 2
U USA · Non-Degree Hansen Leadership Institute TuitionTravelHousingVisa or arrival Deadline 15 January 2027 U USA · Fellowship PPIA Junior Summer Institute TuitionLiving stipendTravelHousing Deadline 6 November 2026 U USA · Non-Degree Yale University Yale Young Global Scholarship (YYGS) TuitionTravelHousing U USA · Undergraduate QuestBridge Scholarships TuitionTravelHousing U USA · Bachelor Simmons University Kotzen Scholarship TuitionHealth insuranceHousing U USA Berkeley Law School Scholarships and Fellowships in USA TuitionTravelHousing Deadline Open
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Where the money comes from in the USA

The US government does not run one national scholarship that international students apply to directly, the way the DAAD does in Germany. The money comes from three places: the universities, which fund their own students; private foundations; and the State Department's exchange programmes such as Fulbright, which are run country by country.

That changes how you apply. For a university award you usually apply for admission and are considered for the scholarship at the same time, sometimes without a separate form, as the Seattle University and Augustana University pages say. For an exchange programme you apply in your own country, through the US embassy or the national Fulbright commission.

Undergraduate scholarships in the USA for international students

The full rides for a first degree are almost all run by single universities and are very competitive. The Stamps Scholarship at the University of Miami covers tuition, fees, housing and a meal plan; Duke's Karsh International Scholarship is only for citizens of countries outside the US; the Jefferson Scholarship at the University of Virginia says US citizenship is not required; and the Richmond Scholars Program and Simmons University's Kotzen Scholarship cover full tuition and housing for four years.

Several other university awards here are partial, a fixed sum off tuition rather than the full cost, such as Clark University's $15,000 to $25,000 a year. Read the benefits line on each award before you count on it.

Master's and PhD scholarships in the USA

For a master's degree the best known fully funded award is Stanford's Knight-Hennessy Scholarship, open to all nationalities and covering tuition, a living stipend and travel; you have to be admitted to a Stanford graduate programme as well. Yale lists full or partial tuition, with stipends mainly for PhD students.

A PhD in the US is usually funded by the department through a research or teaching position rather than a named scholarship. The positions here show what that looks like: Utah State University lists $22,000 a year for MS students and $26,000 for PhD students with tuition and health insurance, and the University of Wyoming and Florida International University fund PhD students in engineering the same way.

Fellowships for professionals and researchers

After a degree, the money is in fellowships. The Humphrey Fellowship is a fully funded year of non-degree study for citizens of eligible countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Eastern Europe and the Pacific, and the World Bank's McNamara Fellowships pay $42,750 for eight months of research, with preference for developing countries. Postdoctoral and research fellowships pay like a salary: $90,000 a year for the Harvard Environmental Fellows, $75,000 for Princeton's Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship and a $78,000 stipend for the Radcliffe Fellowship.

Scholarships in the USA for Pakistani, Indian and Nigerian students

For Pakistani students the main route is the Fulbright programme run by USEFP, which funds master's and PhD study and lists tuition, textbooks, airfare, a living stipend and health insurance; applicants must live in Pakistan during the process and commit to returning. In other countries the same programme is the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, run by each country's own Fulbright commission.

For Nigerian and other African students, the Mandela Washington Fellowship is open to citizens of Sub-Saharan Africa aged 25 to 35, and Arizona State's Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program funds master's degrees for African citizens. No award on this page is reserved for Indian students; the university awards open to all nationalities are the route.

Awards on this list that are not for international students

Some well-known American awards are listed here but are open only to US citizens or permanent residents: The Gates Scholarship, the Hertz Fellowship, the GEM Fellowship and the Cameron Impact Scholarship. The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the opposite direction, for Americans going abroad. Check the eligibility line before you apply; it is the first thing on every award page.

Deadlines coming up

The next dated deadlines among these awards:

Most university awards follow the admission deadline of the university, which is on the award page.

Questions about scholarships in USA

Are there fully funded scholarships in the USA for international students?

Yes, mostly from universities. Stanford's Knight-Hennessy Scholarship for graduate study and full rides such as the Stamps Scholarship at the University of Miami cover tuition and living costs. 30 of the 80 awards here say they are open to every nationality.

Can Pakistani students get a fully funded scholarship in the USA?

Yes. The Fulbright programme run by USEFP funds Pakistani students for master's and PhD study, and the university awards open to all nationalities are open to Pakistani applicants too.

How do international students get a PhD scholarship in the USA?

Usually through the department: a funded PhD place comes with a tuition waiver and a stipend for research or teaching work. The positions on this page list stipends of $22,000 to $26,000 a year with tuition covered.

Is the Gates Scholarship open to international students?

No. The Gates Scholarship is for US citizens and permanent residents finishing high school in the US. The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is a different award, for study at Cambridge in the UK.

Do I need to apply separately for a US university scholarship?

Often not. Many universities consider every admitted international student for merit awards automatically, but the large full rides such as Knight-Hennessy have their own application.

Looking for the degree itself? Browse programmes in USA.