Top Scholarships in the USA for International Students
Studying in the United States offers access to world-renowned research facilities, flexible academic curricula, and powerful global professional networks. However, higher education costs in the U.S. can present a major financial barrier. This directory consolidates top government-sponsored programs, university-backed merit awards, corporate fellowships, and graduate assistantships available to international students across undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree levels.
Don’t Miss: Top Fully Funded Scholarships for International Students
Funding opportunities in the U.S. range from fully funded awards—covering full tuition waivers, monthly living stipends, health insurance, and airfare—to partial tuition discounts and merit-based bursaries
Also, Check Out: Top Fully Funded Master’s Scholarships in Europe
Top Scholarships in the USA for International Students Summary
| SCHOLARSHIP | HOST INSTITUTION | STUDY LEVEL |
| Miami University Presidential Fellows Scholarship | Miami University | Undergraduate |
| Texas A&M–Kingsville Graduate Scholarship | Texas A&M University–Kingsville | Master’s |
| Karsh International Scholarship | Duke University | Undergraduate |
| Mastercard Foundation Scholarship (Online Graduate Certificate) | Arizona State University | Graduate Certificate |
| Marshall University Scholarship | Marshall University | Master’s |
| University of Florida Graduate Scholarship | University of Florida | PhD |
| University of Tennessee Graduate Scholarship | University of Tennessee | Master’s & PhD |
| USEFP Fulbright Scholarship | U.S. Government / USEFP | Master’s & PhD |
| MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship | MPOWER Financing | Undergrad–PhD |
| Kevin Johnson Presidential Scholarship | African American Mayors Association | Undergrad–PhD |
| EARTH University Undergraduate Degree Scholarships | EARTH University | Undergraduate |
| North Carolina State University Scholarship | North Carolina State University | PhD |
| Illinois Wesleyan University Scholarships | Illinois Wesleyan University | Undergraduate |
| Harvard Boustany MBA Scholarship | Harvard Business School | Master’s (MBA) |
| Northern Michigan University Graduate Scholarship | Northern Michigan University | Master’s |
1. Miami University Presidential Fellows Scholarship
This is genuinely one of the more exclusive scholarships on this list by sheer numbers: Miami selects just 15 top students in the Honors College per year across the entire incoming class, making it far more selective than the general admission process alone suggests.Starting with Fall 2027 admission, Miami University requires applicants to provide self-reported ACT or SAT scores to qualify for Presidential Fellows consideration, even though the university does not generally require standardised test scores for first-year applicants. This exception is important to note before assuming that test scores are optional across all scholarship applications.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Miami University Presidential Fellows Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for Presidential Fellows Scholarship Application Process
2. Texas A&M University–Kingsville Graduate Scholarship
This research-specific opportunity supports a specific MSc research assistantship focused on Texas crayfish species at Texas A&M University–Kingsville, rather than offering a broad graduate scholarship or funding through Texas A&M’s main campus. The $2,000 monthly stipend, fringe benefits, and non-resident tuition waiver make it more comparable to a funded research position than a traditional scholarship, with successful applicants joining a specific research role focused on freshwater ecosystems and quantitative ecology.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Texas A&M–Kingsville Graduate Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for Texas A&M Graduate Scholarship Application Process
3. Karsh International Scholarship
Established in 2010 through a gift from Martha L. and Bruce A. Karsh, this scholarship exists specifically to recognise the contribution international students make to Duke’s campus community, not simply to provide financial aid — the framing matters, since Duke assesses applicants partly on how they’ll contribute to that community, not academic merit in isolation. As a fully funded award at one of the most competitive private universities in the country, Duke’s overall admission selectivity functions as the real bottleneck here; the scholarship itself doesn’t have a separate acceptance rate distinct from Duke’s broader undergraduate admissions competitiveness.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Karsh International Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for Karsh International Scholarship Application Process
4. Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at Arizona State University (Online Graduate Certificate)
This is worth distinguishing clearly from ASU’s other Mastercard Foundation Master’s tracks (covered elsewhere on ScholarWaka) — this specific award funds an online Graduate Certificate rather than a full Master’s degree, making it a shorter, more focused credential aimed specifically at building leadership skills for community-focused African professionals rather than a multi-year residential programme. Because it’s delivered entirely online, there’s no relocation to Arizona required, which is a genuinely different commitment and cost structure than ASU’s on-campus Mastercard Foundation programmes.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Mastercard Foundation Scholarship at ASU (Online Graduate Certificate)
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Graduate Certificate
Click Here for ASU Mastercard Foundation Certificate Application Process
5. Marshall University Scholarship
This is a field-research assistantship rather than a general scholarship — Marshall is explicit that it’s designed for candidates ready to commit to a long-term, externally funded research project while completing their MS, meaning applicants need genuine field research experience and readiness for sustained fieldwork, not just strong grades. The reward structure (roughly $18,000 annually plus a tuition waiver, excluding fees) means students still need to budget separately for mandatory fees not covered by the base award.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Marshall University Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for Marshall University Scholarship Application Process
6. University of Florida Graduate Scholarship
This is another narrowly-scoped research assistantship rather than a general PhD scholarship — it’s built specifically around studying changes in marine fishery systems and their effects on fishers and fisheries management, sitting at the intersection of marine science and social science rather than pure biology. At $32,000 a year, it’s a genuinely competitive stipend by U.S. graduate funding standards, reflecting the specialised, applied nature of the research.
Scholarship Name ⇒ University of Florida Graduate Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ PhD
Click Here for University of Florida Graduate Scholarship Application Process
7. University of Tennessee Graduate Scholarship
This assistantship centres on economics, policy, and social science approaches to conservation, distinguishing it from a purely ecological or biological science PhD or Master’s — Tennessee is explicit that it wants students interested in the human and policy dimensions of conservation work, not solely field ecology. At up to $35,328 a year, plus a tuition waiver and health insurance, this is one of the more comprehensive stipend packages among the specific research assistantships on this list.
Scholarship Name ⇒ University of Tennessee Graduate Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Master’s & PhD
Click Here for University of Tennessee Graduate Scholarship Application Process
8. USEFP Fulbright Scholarship
This is a country-specific implementation of the broader Fulbright programme, run through the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan specifically for Pakistani citizens, distinct from Fulbright’s general international application process — the eligibility, selection panel, and application channel all route through USEFP rather than a single global Fulbright portal. Like other Fulbright tracks, it’s explicitly built around a return-and-contribute framework: selection weighs your stated commitment to bringing skills and knowledge back to contribute to Pakistan’s development, not just academic strength in isolation.
Scholarship Name ⇒ USEFP Fulbright Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Master’s & PhD
Click Here for USEFP Fulbright Scholarship Application Process
9. MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship
Unlike most entries on this list, this scholarship isn’t tied to a single institution — it’s run by MPOWER Financing, a private lender specialising in international student loans, and covers eligible universities across both the United States and Canada simultaneously. Importantly, you don’t need to already be an MPOWER borrower to apply, which is worth knowing since some assume financial-company scholarships require an existing customer relationship.
Scholarship Name ⇒ MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States / Canada
Study Level ⇒ Undergrad–PhD
Click Here for MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship Application Process
10. Kevin Johnson Presidential Scholarship
This scholarship comes from an organisation, not a university — the African American Mayors Association — and it’s explicitly built around leadership and community impact rather than purely academic merit, reflecting AAMA’s broader mission around civic leadership. The benefit structure is distinctive too: alongside the $5,000 cash award, recipients receive fully funded conference travel, meaning they’re brought directly into AAMA’s own professional and civic network, not just handed a cheque.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Kevin Johnson Presidential Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Undergrad–PhD
Click Here for Kevin Johnson Presidential Scholarship Application Process
11. EARTH University Undergraduate Degree Scholarships
Despite appearing in a “USA” scholarship list, EARTH University itself is based in Costa Rica, though it’s included here because of its strong U.S. academic partnerships and accreditation pathways — worth clarifying directly if physical U.S. relocation matters to your decision. The programme is built specifically around agricultural science combined with ethics, entrepreneurship, and environmental and social responsibility, reflecting a genuinely distinctive interdisciplinary approach rather than a standard agricultural science degree.
Scholarship Name ⇒ EARTH University Undergraduate Degree Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ United States (partnerships) / Costa Rica (main campus — confirm location directly)
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for EARTH University Scholarships Application Process
12. North Carolina State University Scholarship
This is a genuinely comprehensive PhD funding package — stipend, tuition waiver, health insurance, and travel support together — open broadly to international students across disciplines rather than tied to one narrow research project the way several other entries on this list are. Because NC State runs multiple departments and colleges independently, the actual competitiveness and specific funding terms can vary meaningfully depending on which department and advisor you’re applying under, even though the headline scholarship framing looks uniform.
Scholarship Name ⇒ North Carolina State University Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ PhD
Click Here for NC State Scholarship Application Process
13. Illinois Wesleyan University Scholarships
Illinois Wesleyan runs its international student support through a dedicated International Office that follows students from admission through post-graduate planning, reflecting a smaller liberal arts college’s more personalised approach compared to the larger research universities elsewhere on this list. At up to $38,000 a year, this is a genuinely significant partial scholarship relative to Illinois Wesleyan’s overall cost of attendance, though it’s worth confirming whether the top figure represents a typical award or the absolute maximum available to the strongest applicants only.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Illinois Wesleyan University Scholarships
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Undergraduate
Click Here for Illinois Wesleyan Scholarships Application Process
14. Harvard University Boustany MBA Scholarship
This scholarship is genuinely rare in structure: it’s awarded only once every two years, not annually, so missing this specific cycle means waiting a full two years rather than one for the next opportunity. Funded by the Boustany Foundation, it’s open to students of all nationalities but carries an explicit preference for candidates of Lebanese descent, reflecting the Foundation’s own specific philanthropic focus rather than being a purely merit-neutral award.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Harvard Boustany MBA Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Master’s (MBA)
Click Here for Boustany MBA Scholarship Application Process
15. Northern Michigan University Graduate Scholarship
This scholarship combines hands-on research experience with a monthly income and up to two years of academic support, positioning it closer to a funded graduate assistantship than a pure tuition-only scholarship — a structure several other entries on this list share, reflecting how common this funding model is for U.S. graduate research positions generally. Given the more limited detail publicly available on this specific award compared to others on this list, confirming exact eligibility, stipend figures, and current application status directly with Northern Michigan’s graduate office is particularly worthwhile before investing significant application time.
Scholarship Name ⇒ Northern Michigan University Graduate Scholarship
Host Country ⇒ United States
Study Level ⇒ Master’s
Click Here for Northern Michigan Graduate Scholarship Application Process
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of these are genuinely research assistantship-style funding rather than a traditional scholarship?
Texas A&M–Kingsville, Marshall University, University of Florida, University of Tennessee, and Northern Michigan University all function more like funded research positions tied to specific projects than broad, general scholarships — expect a monthly stipend and defined research responsibilities rather than a lump-sum award.
Which of these carry the narrowest eligibility by nationality?
USEFP Fulbright is restricted to Pakistani citizens specifically, EARTH University is restricted to African and Latin American countries, and Harvard’s Boustany Scholarship carries a preference (not a strict requirement) for candidates of Lebanese descent.
Are any of these fully funded with no remaining cost gap?
Miami University’s Presidential Fellows, NC State’s PhD scholarship, and the Mastercard Foundation certificate at ASU are genuinely comprehensive. Harvard’s Boustany Scholarship specifically leaves a 25% tuition gap, and several research assistantships cover a stipend and tuition waiver but exclude mandatory fees — check each entry’s specific coverage before assuming “fully funded.”
Which scholarship has the most competitive, smallest cohort size?
Miami University’s Presidential Fellows Program selects just 15 students annually across its entire incoming class, making it one of the most numerically selective entries on this list.
Do any of these run on a non-annual cycle?
Yes — Harvard’s Boustany MBA Scholarship is awarded only once every two years, not annually, so the timing gap between opportunities is longer than for every other entry on this list.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from official and closely tracking sources as of August 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on each scholarship’s official page before applying. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with any of the institutions or organisations listed above.
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