International students studying in the U.S. often ask us about fellowships they may be eligible for. Unfortunately, there are few academic fellowship programs in the U.S. open to non-U.S. citizens. However, there are several U.S. universities that offer generous financial aid and full tuition scholarships to admitted international students. In addition to the universities listed in our series of articles on How to Fully Fund Your PhD, a recent thecollegematchmaker.com article provided a list of U.S. universities that offer generous financial aid to international students, including universities offering full tuition merit scholarships and “need blind” universities that meet 100% of admitted students’ financial need.
Full Tuition Merit Scholarship Schools
These universities offer full tuition scholarships to international applicants based on student merit. Students apply for these scholarships at the time of their application.
Carleton College (Northfield, Minnesota): Full Tuition Scholarship: Up to six full scholarships covering Carleton’s comprehensive fee, including tuition, room and board, and up to six partial scholarships with a maximum value of one-half of Carleton’s comprehensive fee. Carleton gave 26 international students aid last year totaling $2,589,268.
Hope College (Holland, Michigan): Full Ride International Scholarship: Hope identifies selected freshman applicants from developing and third world countries to be considered for one full tuition and full ride (tuition, room, board, and activity fee) scholarship each year. Please note, these scholarships are need-based scholarships. Last year, 51 international students were granted aid totaling $607,818.
Rice University (Houston, Texas): Allen International Scholarship: Full tuition scholarships provided to outstanding applicants who are foreign nationals, renewable for four years. Rice gave away $1,828,575 in aid last year to 75 international students.
University of Miami (Coral Gables, Florida): Premier Scholarship: Students considered for an academic scholarship have significant academic achievement. Last year the school gave away $3,318,202 to 118 international students.
Washington and Lee University (Lexington, Virginia): Johnson Scholarship: Winners of the Johnson Scholarship receive awards of at least tuition, room and board to attend Washington and Lee University. Students with financial need higher than this amount will have any additional need met by the scholarship. Washington and Lee gave away $3,640,194 last year to 73 international students.
Need Blind Schools Committed to Meeting 100% of Demonstrated Need
These universities ensure all admitted students have adequate financial aid to meet their full financial need, whether that is through a partial or full tuition scholarship.
Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut)
Princeton University (Princeton, New Jersey)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Dartmouth College (Hanover, New Hampshire)
Amherst College (Northampton, Massachusetts)
Thecollegematchmaker.com also lists 54 universities that give away millions of dollars each year to highly qualified international students. Read more.