30+ Fully Funded Masters Scholarships in USA for International Students

Looking for master’s scholarships in the USA? Look no further, we have put together a comprehensive list of scholarships in the USA for master’s international students.

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The USA is home to many of the world’s most prestigious universities (including half of the global top 10), and hosts more international students than any other country – around 1.1 million by the latest count. To join this number of international students in the US to study for your master’s degree, we bring you masters scholarships in USA for international students

Before we get to the list, here…

Some things to Know about applying for Masters Degree in the US

To be eligible for masters study in the US, you should have completed a bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification from an internationally recognized institution. Along with your degree certificate, you will typically need to provide:

• One or more letters of recommendation;
• A graduate admissions test result, if required
  (e.g. GRE/GMAT);
• Proof of proficiency in English (e.g. TOEFL/IELTS) if you are not a native speaker;
• A statement of purpose, outlining your aspirations and demonstrating your suitability for the course.

While some institutions accept applications on an ongoing basis, most colleges offer an early deadline (usually December to January) and a regular deadline (usually March to April). You can apply to as many US universities as you like, but many students select a shortlist of six. US universities often charge an application fee, usually between $50 and $100, though online applications can be cheaper or free.

Apply for a US student visa

International students will need to obtain an F-1 non-immigrant visa. You can only apply for this after securing a place at an SEVP-approved university, and you’ll need to provide proof of sufficient funds for the course duration. You’ll be asked to attend an interview with your application and supporting documents at your local US embassy.

The good news is that there are several masters scholarships in USA for international students. Be sure to check back often, because we will be updating this page from time to time.

1. Fulbright Foreign Scholarships

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. The scholarships are for study towards a Master’s or PhD degree, and can also be awarded for non-degree postgraduate studies. Study and research under this program is for one or more years at U.S. universities or other appropriate institutions.

Application Deadline: varies per country, however on a general note, it is usually from February to May annually of the preceding year you wish to study.

Number of Awards: The number of awards varies per country, but approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year.

Value of the Program: The Fulbright program provides funding for the duration of the study. The grant funds tuition, textbooks, airfare, a living stipend, and health insurance. See the official website for the exact scholarship benefits.

Duration of Scholarship: The whole duration of the study, research or non-degree program – usually one year or more

2. Joint Japan World Bank Group Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) for Students in Developing Countries

The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP) is open to women and men from developing countries with relevant professional experience and a history of supporting their countries’ development efforts who are applying to a master degree program in a development-related topic.

Application Deadline: 12th April

Number of Awards: Several

Value of the Program: Covers the cost of completing a master’s degree or its equivalent:

Duration: A maximum duration of two years.

3. Rotary Peace Fellowship for Masters and Professional Programs

Each year, Rotary selects up to 100 individuals from around the world to receive fully funded academic fellowships at one of its peace centers. These fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship and field-study expenses.

Application Deadline: 31st May

Two types of peace fellowships are available.

Number of Awards: up to 100

Value of the Program: The Rotary Peace Fellowship covers: Tuition and fees, Room and board, Round-trip transportation and Internship/field study expenses.

Duration of Scholarship: 15 to 24 months

4. MasterCard Foundation Scholarships at Michigan State University

The MasterCard Foundation has partnered with Michigan State University USA to provide full tuition scholarships to students from Sub-Saharan Africa. MSU will host the most scholars among the six U.S. partner institutions. Students who have demonstrated academic talent, are economically disadvantaged and have a personal commitment to give back to their countries are invited to apply for these scholarships.

Application Deadline: 1^st February

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of the Program: Full financial, academic and social support.

Duration of Scholarship: For the full period of masters’ study

5. MasterCard Foundation Scholarships at University of California, Berkeley

At University of California Berkeley, the MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program provides holistic support – financial, academic, social, and career counseling – to Masters students from Sub-Saharan Africa from 2012 to 2020. UC Berkeley will receive $30 million in funding over the eight years as part of MFSP.

Application Deadlines: fall between 1st December and 6th January

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of the Program: Fully-funded scholarship

Duration of Scholarship: for the period of study

6. Georgetown University Scholarships for African Students

The Master of Science in Foreign Service (MSFS) at Georgetown University USA is a two-year, full-time graduate degree program in international affairs. Students will take courses in international relations, international trade, international finance, statistics and analytical tools and history. In addition, students choose an area of concentration such as International Relations and Security, International Development or International Business. MSFS offers a full-tuition scholarship for a talented graduate student from sub-Saharan Africa

Application Deadline: January 15

Eligible African Countries: Special consideration will be given to applicants from: Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, and South Africa.

Value of the Program: Full tuition scholarship

Duration of Scholarship: For the duration of the program

7.     Oregon State University International Cultural Service Program (ICSP) Scholarships

Oregon State University is offering scholarships to international students in exchange for cultural service to OSU, academic colleges, and the surrounding communities. The goal of the ICSP program is to increase cultural awareness and understanding throughout the local region and the state of Oregon.

Application Deadline: 15th January

Value of the Program: $7,500 – $30,000

Number of Awardees: 10-20

8. Margaret McNamara Educational Grants Scholarships for Women from Developing Countries in US & Canada

This Margaret McNamara Educational Grants (MMEG) scholarship open for female students from Developing Countries to assist women pursue their education with the aim of improving the lives of these women and children. Grants will be used in schools in the USA and Canada.

Application Deadline: 15th January

Number of Scholarships: Not Specified

Scholarship benefits: Approximately $15,000 per scholarship recipient

Duration: The grant is a onetime award to last for the duration of study

9. Margaret McNamara Educational Grants (MMEG)/Trinity Washington University Scholarships for Women in Developing Countries

In 2016, MMEG initiated a partnership with Trinity Washington University in Washington DC to award grants for up to two women students studying at Trinity Washington University, USA.

Application Deadline: 15th January

Number of Awardees: 2

Value of Scholarship: The grant is awarded to last for the duration of study

10. Eastern Illinois University International Student Scholarship

The International Student Scholarship was established by the Board of Trustees to assist students from other countries to attend Eastern Illinois University. Awards are competitive and designed to promote cultural exchange and diversity. Awards may be granted on the basis of one or both of the following factors: financial need and academic excellence.

Application Deadlines:

• 1st March for Fall semester scholarships
• 1st October for Spring semester scholarships

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of the Program: The scholarship pays partial tuition for minimum full-time enrollment in EIU courses.

Duration of Scholarship: Duration of course

11. East Tennessee State University Academic Merit Scholarship

The International Students Academic Merit Scholarship is open to new international students seeking a graduate or undergraduate degree. The scholarship covers 50 percent of the total of in and out-of-state tuition and maintenance fees only.

Application Deadline: 15th October

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of the Program: The scholarship covers 50 percent of the total of in and out-of-state tuition and maintenance fees only.

12. Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Scholarship Research Program for Students in Developing Countries

The MSC Scholarship Research Program is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students studying problems and solutions in fisheries science and management and the integrity of the seafood supply chain. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) runs an exciting and ambitious program, working with partners to transform the world’s seafood markets and promote sustainable fishing practices. Undergraduate and postgraduate students of environmental and fisheries science are able to further their studies through the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) scholarship research program.

Application Deadline: 16th March.

Number of Awards: A maximum of five

Value of Award: The MSC awards travel and study scholarships, up to the value of £4,000 to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate students worldwide.

Duration of Program: The project must be completed within 12 months of the start date stated on the application form, and the final project report must be submitted within 15 months of the start date.

13. Virginia International University (VIU) Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarships for International Students

Virginia International University (VIU) offers a unique opportunity to acquire an excellent, multi-disciplinary education at an affordable cost by offering students access to scholarships. VIU has been attracting individuals who take their VIU experiences into their own cultures, share their knowledge with future generations, and launch successful careers. Thus, there are several different types of scholarships available based on exemplary personal skills, academic achievement, extracurricular participation, on-campus work, and residency.

Application Deadlines: Varies (see link below)

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Program: Scholarship awards are given as a credit towards semester tuition only.

14. Global Health Corps Fellowship for Young Professionals in Africa

Global Health Corps is building the next generation of diverse health leaders. The program offers a range of paid fellowship positions with health organizations in Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, the United States, and Zambia and the opportunity to develop as a transformative leader in the health equity movement. Everyone has a role to play in the health equity movement.

Application Deadline: 7th January

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of the Program: Yearlong paid placements within partner organizations

• Engagement in a comprehensive leadership
  training curriculum to build effective, empathetic, and innovative leaders of
  tomorrow. 
• Fellow receive additional logistical and
  financial support during the year, including:
  • Monthly
    living and utilities stipend, Housing, Health insurance, Professional
    development grant of $600 and completion award of $1500, Travel coverage to and
    from placement site, all trainings, and retreats

Duration of Program: One year

15. ACI Foundation International Fellowship

The ACI Foundation offers several Fellowship and undergraduate Scholarship opportunities for students and E-Members. ACI Foundation Fellowships and Scholarships are awarded annually to help students with an interest in concrete achieve their educational and career goals. The student must be considered a full-time undergraduate or graduate student as defined by the college or university during the award year. Applications will be accepted from anywhere in the world but study must take place in the United States or Canada during the award year.

Application Deadline: 3rd November.

16. BHW Group Women in STEM Academic Scholarship

The BHW Group offers Women in STEM academic scholarship. Women who are pursuing an undergraduate or master’s degree and are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics during the school year.

Application Deadline: 15th April

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of the Program: $3000

17. Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Imomoh Scholarship for African Students

The Imomoh Scholarship was endowed to the SPE Foundation by Egbert Imomoh to support excellence in education for students from the Africa Region. The recipients will be awarded a single payment of USD 2,000.

Application Deadline: 15th April

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of the Program: USD 2,000

Duration of Scholarship: single payment

18. Grenada: School of Medicine Scholarships for International Students at St. George’s University

#SGUperspective scholarships are available to new students who enroll in the January class. Students can apply by creating a 30-60 second video highlighting the aspects of medicine that inspire them, sharing it on social media with the hashtag #SGUperspective, and submitting it here for evaluation by the University’s admissions committee.

Application Deadline: 31st December

Eligibility: In order to be eligible for the grant, participants must be 18 years of age or older, have posted a video, submitted the direct link, and completed an application. Your profile and/or video post must be public in order for your video to be viewed and considered for this grant. By submitting a video, SGU reserves the right to share, repost, and use it on the SGU website and social media pages.

Number of Awards: 30 Students

Value of the Program: St. George’s will award scholarships of up to $10,000

19. Open Society Disability Rights Scholarship (LL.M) Program

The Open Society Disability Rights Scholarship Program provides awards for master’s degree study to disability rights advocates, lawyers, and educators to develop new legislation, jurisprudence, policy, research, and scholarship to harness the innovations and opportunities offered by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

Application Deadline: 1st December

Eligible African Countries: Ghana, Mozambique, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda

Value of the Program: The fellowship provides:

• tuition and mandatory university fees;
• monthly stipend for room, board, and other living expenses;
• program-related travel;
• accident and health insurance during the program;
• funds for educational materials and professional development;
• all costs associated with pre-academic summer program and annual conference;
• support for students with disabilities to obtain reasonable accommodations necessary for participating in the program of study.

Duration of Scholarship: 1 year

20. Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program at Stanford University

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program annually identify a group of 100 high-achieving students from around the world with demonstrated leadership and civic commitment to receive full funding to pursue a wide-ranging graduate education at Stanford, with the goal of developing a new generation of global leaders. The Knight-Hennessy Scholars is the largest fully endowed scholars program in the world.

Application Deadline: 27th September

Number of Awards: up to 100

Value of Program:

• Full funding includes tuition, stipend, graduate program and related academic expenses, with additional financial support
  available.
• Pursue any graduate degree at Stanford, from PhDs in arts, education, engineering, humanities, or social sciences to
  professional degrees in business, law, or medicine.
• Build skills in leadership and communication that will empower you to work across disciplines and to scale creative
  solutions for complex challenges.

Duration of Program: The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program funds up to the first three years of your graduate education

21. University of Washington’s Barer Institute Law Fellowship

The Barer Institute selects annually three to four mid-career leaders from lower to middle income countries to enroll in the Sustainable International Development LL.M. Program and serve as change makers in their home countries upon graduation.

Application Deadline: Ongoing

Number of Awards: Not specified

22. OPEC/OFID Scholarships for Students Developing Countries

The OPEC Fund for International Development – OFID Scholarship Award open for qualified applicants who have obtained or are on the verge of completing their undergraduate degree and who wish to study for a Master’s degree. Applicants must be from a developing country (except OFID Member Countries), and he/she must first obtain admission to pursue a Master’s degree studies in a relevant field of development, from any recognized university/college in the world. Through its scholarship scheme, OFID aims to help highly motivated, highly driven individuals overcome one of the biggest challenges to their careers – the cost of graduate studies.

Application Deadline: 4th May

Number of Scholarship: Four

Duration of Scholarship: one year masters degree programme

Value of Scholarship: The winners of the OFID Scholarship Award will receive a full tuition scholarship of up to US$50,000. The funds will be spread over a maximum of one year, toward the completion of a Master’s degree, or its equivalent, at an accredited educational institution.

23. New York University (NYU) World Journalist Fellowship

The Fellowship provides an opportunity for internationally based journalists to study in the Master of Arts program in Journalism at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. The fellow will pursue the degree in one of our nine concentrations: Business and Economic Reporting; Cultural Reporting and Criticism; Global and Joint Program Studies; Literary Reportage; Magazine Writing; News and Documentary; Reporting the Nation & New York; Science, Health and Environmental Reporting; and Studio 20.

Application Deadline: 15th April

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value and Duration of Award:

• Tuition and fees for two semesters, as well as a stipend for each of the two semesters. Most of the graduate programs require three semesters of study to complete the M.A. degree, with one program requiring four semesters.
• The fellow will also receive a stipend of approximately $13,000 for each of the two semesters of the fellowship.

24. Obama Foundation Scholars Program for Emerging Leaders to Study at University of Chicago

The Obama Foundation Scholars Program is a new program from the Obama Foundation and the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy for rising leaders from around the world who are focused on an issue of global importance, have a track record and commitment to advancing the public good, and want to accelerate their impact. The Obama Foundation Scholars Program seeks to support dynamic, collaborative, rising leaders from around the world in an innovative one-year academic experience.

Application Deadline: 10th April

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of the Program:  

• fully-funded scholarship to study a Master of Arts degree
• Any travel costs for these experiences will also be fully covered.
• Leadership development convenings; program experiences in New York and Washington, DC; speaker series with innovators across a variety of sectors; individual and group service projects; mentorship through the Obama Foundation network; potential internship placements; and action plan development for post-program activities.

Duration of Program: 1 year

25. Harvard Business School Global Opportunity Fellowship (GO: Africa)

The GO: Africa Fellowship will support students who want to make an impact specifically in Africa. The new fellowship will provide generous financial support to students who want to make a difference working on the continent after HBS, by supplementing the salaries they earn on the continent for the first five years after graduation.

Application Deadline: Ongoing

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value and Duration of Award: The fellowship is designed to bridge the gap between a recipient’s annual salary and $100,000 USD. Students will be eligible for the fellowship for up to five years after graduation, with a maximum award of $50,000 per year and cumulative support of $150,000.

26. Stanford Africa MBA Fellowship for African Students (SUSPENDED)

Stanford university awards MBA Fellowships to citizens of African countries who desire to obtain an MBA at Stanford University and afterwards return to contribute to the continent’s development. The program is set annually to assist citizens from Africa study at the university, acquire essential skill sets for the standard duration of two years and return to the continent, to work in vital positions that directly impact and improve Africa.

Application Deadline: 7^th June

Number of Awardees: Eight (8)

Value of the Program: $160,000

Duration of Scholarship: Two years

27. Ezera Research Fellowship for African Students at University of California, Berkeley

An endowment has been established in memory of Emeka Kalu Ezera to support graduate students from African countries at the University of California at Berkeley. The funds from the endowment are assigned to the Center for African Studies to aid student scholars at the graduate level concentrating in African Studies.

Application Deadline: 12th February

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of the Program: Funds may be requested for maintenance, travel, or research costs, as appropriate to enhance pre-dissertation and dissertation research on Africa.

28. AfyaBora Fellowship in Global Health Leadership for African Medical Practitioners

The Core Curriculum for the AfyaBora Fellowship is taught at the African partner institutions and brings together each new cohort of African and U.S. trainees. The Core Curriculum consists of eight one-week didactic modules. The AfyaBora Fellowship in Global Health Leadership works to fill an identified gap in training for African and U.S. health professionals. This innovative 12-month fellowship will prepare African and U.S. health professionals to lead and manage major health programs in African countries.

Application Deadline: 1st December

Eligible African Countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda or the US

Number of Awardees: 20

Value of the Program: 

• Airfare from home to training sites of the AfyaBora Fellowship
• Monthly stipend equivalent to $1500 per month
• Evacuation insurance if stationed outside home country
• Accommodations and per diem up if attending didactic sessions and meetings outside of home country
• Housing allowance of up to $750 per month if placed outside of home country
• Reimbursement for other selected fellowship-specific activities in Africa (i.e. travel to rural sites, visa, etc.)

Duration of Program: 12 months

29. George Washington University Global Leaders Fellowship for International Students

The Global Leaders Fellowship is for incoming graduate students (master’s and doctoral) who have applied to the George Washington University for Fall admission. The fellowship is intended for GW graduate students who will be future leaders in their fields in their home countries, returning to their countries of origin to apply skills learned through their formal education at GW.

Application Deadline: 5th February

Number of Awards: 3

Value of the Program: The Fellowships will cover up to 18 credit hours will be awarded. The grantee is to provide funds from other sources for books, living, and other expenses, and must provide certification of this support.

Duration of Program: A Fellowship is renewable each year for a cumulative maximum of three years for Master’s candidates and up to five years for doctoral candidates.

30. BHEARD/Michigan State University Agricultural Fellowship for Researchers in Mali

With funding from the U.S. government, the Borlaug Higher Education Agricultural Research and Development (BHEARD) Program is implemented by Michigan State University. The program supports long-term training of agricultural researchers at the master’s and doctoral levels. BHEARD invites applicants from Mali for study in the USA or other selected countries.

Application Deadline: 1st January

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of the Program: The scholarship supports studies in the United States or other English-speaking African countries.

Duration of Program: The training programs will cover up to 2 years of courses for Master’s students, and up to 3 years of courses for PhD students.

31. Short-Term Visiting Scholars Program at Michigan State University

Building on the capacity strengthening component of the project, several short-term graduate student visiting scholar positions for Nigerian students at Masters and PhD level will be offered at Michigan State University (MSU), East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America over the 5 year life of the project. 

Application Deadline: 28th February

Number of Awardees: Five (3 Masters, 2 PhD)

Value of Program: 

• Travel related costs, lodging and meals. Travel related costs are limited to visa fees, visa procurement, and round trip air
  tickets from Nigeria to East Lansing, Michigan USA.
• Monthly stipend of $1,000. Up to 4 months for the Master’s Level, and up to 9 months for the PhD level.
• Medical insurance for the duration of the Project Scholar’s MSU program.
• No support whatsoever is provided for dependents.

32. Future Global Leaders (FGL) Fellowship

The Future Global Leaders Fellowship annually selects the world’s top first-generation university students and, over the course of a 3-year program, primes them for induction into the Fortis Society – the world’s first private network of diverse leaders committed to one another’s success and to a better world.

Application Deadline: 31st January

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of Fellowship: All programme costs are covered by the Future Leaders Foundation.

Duration of Fellowship: The Future Global Leaders Fellowship officially starts in July, when all newly selected FGL Fellows come together for an intensive 20-day leadership training.

33. Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarships for International Students

The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship offers annually by the Zonta International Club for women in different parts of the world. It is one of the top masters scholarships in USA for international students. Because Zonta International believes in gender equality, the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship program helps women pursue undergraduate and master’s degrees in business management and overcome gender barriers from the classroom to the boardroom.

Application Deadline: Varies (see link below)

Eligible African Countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Mongolia, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo. 

Number of Scholarships: Up to 32 scholarships

Value of Scholarship:

• Zonta International awards scholarships of US$2,000 each at the district/region level and six international scholarships
  in the amount of US$8,000 each.
• The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarships are awarded annually and may be used for tuition, books or living
  expenses at any university, college or institution offering accredited business courses and degrees.

34. Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA) Fellowship Program

The LAWA Program helps defray the costs for women’s rights attorneys from Africa who would not otherwise be able to afford a Master of Laws degree focusing on international women’s human rights and the additional leadership training.

The Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA) Fellowship Program was founded in 1993 at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., in order to train women’s human rights lawyers from Africa who are committed to returning home to their countries in order to advance the status of women and girls in their own countries throughout their careers.

Application Deadline: 12th January

Eligible African Countries: Over 80 women’s human rights advocates from Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe have participated in the LAWA Program, and we hope to include Fellows from additional countries in the future.

Value of Fellowship: The LAWA Fellowship provides the tuition for the Foundations of American Law and Legal Education Course (a U.S. $2,200 benefit) and for the LL.M. degree (a U.S. $46,865 benefit) at the Georgetown University Law Center, as well as professional development training.

Duration of Fellowship: The entire LAWA Fellowship Program is approximately 14 months long (from July of the first year through August of the following year), after which the LAWA Fellows return home to continue advocating for women’s rights in their own countries

35. AAUW International Fellowship for Women, Masters & Doctoral program in USA

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) offers International Fellowship for Women to study in USA. AAUW International Fellowships are awarded for full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Both graduate and postgraduate studies at accredited U.S. institutions are supported. Applicants must have earned the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree and must have applied to their proposed institutions of study by the time of the application.

Application Deadline: open August 1 to December 1.

Number of Awards: Up to five fellowships are renewable for a second year.

Value of Awards:

• Master’s/First Professional Degree Fellowship: $18,000
• Doctoral Fellowship: $20,000
• Postdoctoral Fellowship: $30,000

Visit the Scholarship Webpage to apply