Scholarships in the USA | 5 amazing options to choose from!

But higher education in these countries, especially the USA can be quite expensive if you don’t plan in advance. There are several ways to fund your higher education, and applying for scholarships in the US is one of them.

Since the USA has several options of scholarships to offer, you may find it difficult to choose one that is best suited to your academic goals and financial status. We have made this process a tad bit easier for you. Here is a list of 5 of the best scholarships that you can apply for in the USA!

Hubert Humphrey Fellowships in the USA for International Students

The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship is an exchange program that provides a year of support to experiences students who come from countries that are currently undergoing development or political transition. It helps them hone their leadership skills, collaborate, and address local and global changes to bring change.

This scholarship also involves an extensive exchange of knowledge across cultures and is one of the best study abroad scholarships for students from developing nations. 

They place candidates who bag this scholarship in a university from a selection of 7 to 15 collaborating institutions. After this, you can choose from a variety of academic disciplines to study, like-

1. Agricultural and Rural Development 
2. Communications/Journalism 
3. Economic Development 
4. Educational Administration, Planning and Policy 
5. Finance and Banking 
6. Higher Education Administration 
7. HIV/AIDS Policy and Prevention 
8. Human Resource Management 
9. Law and Human Rights
10. Natural Resources, Environmental Policy, and Climate Change 
11. Public Health Policy and Management 
12. Public Policy Analysis and Public Administration 
13. Substance Abuse Education, Treatment and Prevention 
14. Teaching of English as a Foreign Language 
15. Technology Policy and Management 
16. Trafficking in Persons Policy and Prevention 
17. Urban and Regional Planning

This scholarship program is offered to 200 international students every year and candidates from African, Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and Pacific regions are most preferred. Since this program is also a fellowship, it has several inclusions like college tuition fees, English language training, accidental health coverage, living allowance, air travel subsidies. 

Eligibility criteria 

1. You will need an undergraduate degree.
2. At least 5 years of professional work experience in any field. 
3. Display reasonable proficiency in English.
4. Eloquent leadership qualities.

Fulbright Foreign Student Program in the USA

Fulbright is one of the most popular graduate scholarships in the USA since it enables students from various disciplines to study courses of their choice. It encompasses a long list of universities and academic institutions and also offers candidates the opportunity to pick from interdisciplinary fields. 

The Fulbright Scholarship is awarded to about 4,000 students every year, making it one of the most availed programs by international students. Moreover, students from over 155 countries worldwide are eligible to apply for this program, provided they gain successful entry into the USA by clearing the visa process. 

This scholarship covers students’ tuition fees, airfare, health insurance, etc., and even provides them with a regular stipend! No wonder this program is one of the most lucrative options for you if you wish to study in the USA and secure a bright future. 

Eligibility criteria 

1. You should be a non-US citizen.
2. Meet the application criteria of the country you’re applying to.

‘YouAreWelcomeHere’ Scholarship

Apart from the two US government scholarships mentioned above, there are several private scholarships that are either provided by universities or other private institutions. The ‘YouAreWelcomeHere’ scholarship is one such program. 

This program is available to all international students willing to move to the USA to fulfill their academic goals. However, the contingency for this program is that the college or university in the USA that you are applying to should be on the list of participating colleges in the ‘YouAreWelcomeHere’ scholarship. 

Eligibility criteria

1. You should be a first-year international applicant.
2. Have interest in promoting intercultural learning and exchange.
3. Meet the application criteria of the university you’re applying to.
4. Draft and complete a convincing essay or a video that talks about your leadership skills.

AAUW International Fellowships in the USA for Women

The American Association of University Women fellowship is an exclusive scholarship program for girls and women who seek to pursue postgraduate, Ph.D., or postdoctoral studies in the USA. It is one of the best options for women seeking to further their academic goals and pursue institution-led research in a discipline of their choice. 

However, this scholarship is only granted to women who are not citizens or permanent residents in the USA. This means it is directed only towards women overseas.  

If you are applying for a professional fellowship or a postgraduate program, then this scholarship grants you $18,000 of financial aid. If you are eligible for a doctorate fellowship, then this program grants you about $20,000 as monetary aid. Furthermore, if you choose to go for a postdoctoral fellowship, then you get the aid of $30,000. 

Eligibility criteria 

1. Postgraduate applicants- a graduation degree in any field.
2. Doctoral applicants- a postgraduate degree in the related field.
3. Postdoctoral applicants- a doctoral degree in the same specialty.

Fully-Funded Rotary Peace Fellowships

The Fully funded rotary peace fellowship is for students who want to engage in a professional development certificate program or master’s degree program in subjects related to peace and international conflict resolution.

Such a course not only enables you to apply for this scholarships but will also get you a job at the UN! In the USA, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are the most prominent institutions that offers this program.

This scholarship is granted to a selected group of 50 students who can prove their merit when it comes to leadership and conflict resolution. For such students, this program also covers all the costs related to living and studying in the USA. 

Eligibility criteria 

1. 3 years of work experience in peace and conflict resolution for the postgraduate degree.
2. 5 years of work experience in peace and conflict for the certificate degree. 

How to get a full scholarship in the USA? 

Despite having all these different funding options, securing such a scholarship often becomes quite complicated. So to make this easy, we are sharing a few steps that can help you find, apply, and win a scholarship-

#1 Look in the right places 

There may be several websites offering vague information about several scholarship programs in the USA. You should ensure to always check the credentials of the website before taking their advice. Sometimes, it is best to resort to the official websites to get more information about scholarships. 

#2 Prepare in advance

Some programs will also require you to attend interviews that screen the candidates. Hence, always be prepared to attend such interviews and give your best. 

#3 Stay motivated 

In some cases, you may not qualify for a scholarship or two. This is no reason to feel disheartened because apart from the top 5 programs mentioned here, there are several others that you can opt for. The goal is to remain motivated and persevere to achieve your dream of studying abroad. 

#4 Work on yourself 

The key to being accepted after your scholarship registration is to continue working on yourself. While doing this, you will be able to better differentiate yourself from other candidates. You will also be capable enough to submit an excellent scholarship essay that increases your chances of being accepted. 

Getting selected for the USA university scholarships may not be too easy. Hence, you need to set your aim in advance and work towards that goal. If you haven’t done that yet, start now! You can still apply for a scholarship in the USA if you are ready to work hard to fulfil your dreams. 

Key takeaways

• Consistently improving oneself is crucial for standing out in scholarship applications.
• Focus on developing unique qualities to distinguish yourself from other candidates.
• Submitting a compelling essay greatly increases your chances of scholarship acceptance.
• Showcase tangible achievements and contributions to highlight your suitability for the scholarship.
• Tailor your application materials, including essays, to align with the values and criteria of the scholarship program.

Hope you enjoyed reading this blog. If you have any doubts about how to start, feel free to contact us or drop a comment below! 

Liked this blog? Read: How to build an impressive scholarship profile.

FAQs 

1. What are some other college scholarships in the USA for international students? 

Ans: Apart from those mentioned here, you can also apply for a scholarship for an MBA in the USA at many community and private colleges.

2. Can international students get full scholarships in the USA? 

Ans: Yes, international students can also avail of the benefits of a fully-funded scholarship in the USA provided they fulfil all the eligibility criteria. 

3. How to get scholarships at USA universities? 

Ans: Most universities in the USA have information regarding several scholarship programs on their official website. So you can directly apply for them from the website of the university of your choice.