College is a very important milestone for many people. Hence, every year people invest a lot of time into planning for college. Some people find local colleges that suit their needs but there are countless others who prefer to study abroad. The U.S. continues to be a top choice for international students despite the high costs of tertiary education there. Some students are fortunate to afford the high costs of going to college in the U.S. as an international student. However, many others find it impossible to afford at least $25,000 USD annually.
The cost of going to college sure seems steep for a lot of international students. However, all hope is not lost. It is often assumed that international students are not eligible for financial aid for college in the U.S. However, there are quite a number of scholarships specifically for international students to study in the U.S. As a matter of fact, you can find a scholarship to suit your specific situation by doing a search at www.internationalscholarships.com/.
If you are serious about getting a scholarship to go to college in the U.S., you should consider taking the SAT or the ACT. Having good scores in either of these tests will increase your chances of qualifying for a scholarship. The U.S. government, non-governmental organizations, and some colleges and universities provide a variety of scholarships for international students. You can also find specific scholarships for minority groups and for students from specific regions of the world.
You have to do extensive research to find the scholarship that is right for you. To give you a headstart, we’ve combed through a variety of resources to come up with five great scholarships for international students who want to study in the US.
1. The Fullbright Foreign Student Program
The government of the US offers this scholarship to international students who are pursuing a Master’s Degree or Ph.D. program. Students in any field of study can apply but they must come from a country that is among the 155 countries in the target group. The great thing about this scholarship is that it covers tuition, airfare and living expenses for the duration of the study period. It is also good to note that around 4000 international students receive this scholarship every year. So if this scholarship interests you, you can find out more about it at http://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/about/foreign-fulbright.
2. The AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship
The American University in Washington provides this scholarship. It covers full tuition and boarding expenses and is suitable for students pursuing a bachelor’s degree. However, students have to pay their own airfare and other living expenses. Although it is renewable for a period of four years for undergraduate programs, students must maintain a decent average in order to keep this scholarship. This is a very competitive scholarship since it is given to one student per year. However, students can qualify for other partial scholarships. To qualify for this scholarship, students need to maintain a GPA of at least 3.8 out of 4.0 for grades 9 to 12. If you think this scholarship might be a good fit for you, you can find more information at https://www.american.edu/admissions/international/au-egl-scholarship.cfm.
3. Clark Merit Scholarships
Clark University has a variety of scholarships for first-year international students. Students are automatically considered for these scholarships upon admission. Hence, they do not need to submit separate scholarship applications and they do not need to enroll in any specific area of study. Students receive these scholarships based on personal and academic accomplishments. Consequently, a student’s economic background is not important in the decision-making process. Students can qualify for $10,000 USD to $20,000 USD annually based on their academic merits. To find out more about the scholarships available at Clark University, visit their webpage at https://www.clarku.edu/offices/financial-aid/scholarships/.
4. #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship
This non-governmental scholarship is a great option for international students who are just graduating from high school. It is specifically for students of any major who are entering their first year of college and it covers at least 50% of the tuition. Students have to submit a 1000 words essay or a 2-5 minute video expressing their aspirations for projects, research, employment or experiences to enhance their intercultural learning. Before you apply for this scholarship, ensure that you have acceptance from one of the tertiary institutions that offer it. To find out more about this #YouAreWelcomeHere Scholarship, visit their webpage at https://www.youarewelcomehereusa.org/scholarship.
5. The University of Minnesota International Scholarships
Both first-year international students and transfer students can qualify for the Global Excellence Scholarship at the University of Minnesota. Students are automatically considered for this scholarship upon admission solely based on academic merits. However, students must maintain an F1 immigration status in the U.S. to qualify for this award. They can receive $10,000 USD to $25, 000 USD per annum for up to four years through this scholarship.
In addition to this, international students can apply for a needs-based scholarship at this university. The International Student and Scholar Services Scholarships (need-based awards), provides between $1000 USD and $5000 USD to students who demonstrate that they need financial assistance. They have to submit an application and several short essays to qualify for this scholarship. To find out more information about the Global Excellence Scholarship and the International Student and Scholar Services Scholarships (need-based awards), visit the webpage at https://passport.umn.edu/undergrad/costs.
You don’t have to give up on your dream of going to college in the U.S. because of the lack of financial support. There are many scholarships and grants available for international students who wish to study in the U.S. Find out about the scholarships offered by the U.S. government as well as other non-governmental organizations. Additionally, many universities and colleges in the U.S. have scholarships for international students.
For more practical college advice, read our other blogs at College Basics.
