20 Great PhD Scholarships for International Students

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Image of international students for our ranking of best PhD scholarships for international students

Getting your PhD can be expensive, especially for international students. Scholarships specific to international PhD students can help ease the financial burden. The United States is home to many top-notch colleges and universities. This makes the U.S. a popular choice for those seeking to earn a PhD. However, education in the U.S. is not cheap. And it tends to be even more expensive for international students. There are many ways to mitigate the costs, however. Third-party PhD scholarships are one of those ways.

The PhD is the highest possible degree you can achieve, known as a terminal degree. Graduates are recognized as experts in their field. PhD students can expect careers in:

  • administration
  • supervision
  • research
  • higher education

Since doctoral studies are rigorous, it’s difficult to work full-time and earn a salary. International students also have the challenge of currency changes and traveling expenses. Scholarships, grants, and fellowships provide free aid to make a doctorate more attainable. If you’re studying in the United States, consider these 20 great PhD scholarships for international students.

PhD Scholarships in USA for International Students

1. AAUW International Fellowships

Deadline: December 1st

The American Association of University Women international fellowships are available to female graduate students. The $18,000-$30,000 fellowships can go a long way to paying for an expensive PhD program. The fellowships have been awarded to students from over 140 different nations. To be eligible, women must have a bachelor’s degree. They may not hold U.S. citizenship. They must be engaged in full-time study or research. They must also be proficient in English and have an outstanding academic record. Finally, candidates must intend to return to their home countries after they finish their studies.

Contact

AAUW International Fellowships
1111 Sixteenth Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 785-7700
aauw@applyists.com
Scholarship Link

2. Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarships

Deadline: March 31st

The Aga Khan Foundation provides scholarships to international students from:

  • Asia
  • the Middle East
  • Africa

Not all countries in all those regions are included, though. Check the website for details. Applicants must be under 30 years old. They must demonstrate financial need. And they must be admitted into a reputable program of study. A history of academic excellence is also a must.

Contact

Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarships
1825 K Street NW Suite 901
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 293-2537
info.akfusa@akdn.org
Scholarship Link

3. American-Scandinavian Foundation Fellowships

Deadline: February 15th

The American-Scandinavian Foundation grants one-year fellowships for up to $23,000 to Scandinavians. Students must be Scandinavian citizens undertaking master’s or PhD programs in the United States. Qualified candidates must legally reside in:

  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • Norway
  • Sweden
  • Iceland

The also must have at least basic proficiency in the English language. For consideration, applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. Also required are:

  • undergraduate transcripts
  • a CV or resume
  • a biographical essay
Contact

American-Scandinavian Foundation Fellowships
58 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
(212) 779-3587
info@amscan.org
Scholarship Link

4. Asian Cultural Council Fellowship Program

Deadline: November 1st

The Asian Cultural Council Fellowship Program provides financial support to Asian graduate students. Most Asian countries are included. Check the website for more details. Eligible recipients must be pursuing a master’s or PhD in the visual arts or humanities. Submitting a professional portfolio of at least 15 work samples is required.

Contact

Asian Cultural Council Fellowship Program
6 West 48th Street 12th Floor
New York, NY 10036
(212) 843-0403
application@accny.org
Scholarship Link

5. Campbell Fellowships for Transformative Research

Deadline: November 7th

The Campbell Fellowships for Transformative Research offer a $4,500 per month stipend for selected candidates. These scholarships go to women who are researching the circumstances of women in global developing nations. The most commonly awarded areas of study are:

  • anthropology
  • geography
  • political science

Also among preferred fields are:

  • psychology
  • sociology
  • law
  • history
  • economics 

The scholarship is available to any female international PhD student enrolled in a U.S. graduate school. English Fluency is required.

Contact

Campbell Fellowships for Transformative Research
660 Garcia Street
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 954-7200
info@sarsf.org
Scholarship Link

6. East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship

Deadline: November 1st

The East-West Center’s Graduate Degree Fellowship provides 24 months of full tuition funding. This is available to advanced students from Asia and the Pacific. This includes Russia. Students must be earning a master’s or PhD degree at the University of Hawaii. Eligible applicants must:

  • be enrolling at UH full-time
  • pass the TOEFL or IELTS exam
  • fulfill the J-1 visa requirements
  • submit two letters of reference

Chosen fellows are expected to complete at least 90 hours of community service and file monthly reports.

Contact

East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellowship
1601 East-West Road
Honolulu, HI 96848
(808) 944-7111
BarkerN@EastWestCenter.org
Scholarship Link

7. Franklin Mosher Baldwin Memorial Fellowship

Deadline: February 15th

The Franklin Mosher Baldwin Memorial Fellowship is sponsored by the Leakey Foundation. The foundation awards $15,000 every year to students from developing countries. These students must have been accepted into accredited MA or PhD programs in the United States. Eligible are students studying:

  • prehistory
  • paleoanthropology
  • primatology
  • related majors

Students must intend to return to their home country upon graduation.

Contact

Franklin Mosher Baldwin Memorial Fellowship
1003B O’Reilly Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94129
(415) 561-4646
grants@leakeyfoundation.org
Scholarship Link

8. Fulbright Foreign Student Program

Deadline: October 15th

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State. The program awards up to 1,800 doctoral scholarships for international students in the U.S. each year. Qualified candidates must possess a first, or upper second, class honors bachelor’s degree. They must:

  • accepted at an accredited graduate school
  • display academic merit
  • pass the GRE or GMAT exam
  • attach a curriculum vitae

Fulbright fellows must return to their home country for at least two years after funding.

Contact

Fulbright Foreign Student Program
530 Bush St. Suite 1000
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 362-6520
iiesf@iie.org
Scholarship Link

9. HHMI International Student Research Fellowships

Deadline: February 11th

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute offers significant fellowships to international students. The $43,000 International Student Research Fellowships are available to international predoctoral students. These students must be studying at an accredited American institution. Eligible candidates must be entering their third, fourth, or fifth year of PhD study. Eligible are students in these majors:

  • biology
  • chemistry
  • physics
  • plant biology
  • biomedical engineering
  • computer science

Nominees must show exceptional talent and innovation in research for the biomedical sciences.

Contact

HHMI International Student Research Fellowships
4000 Jones Bridge Road
Chevy Chase, MD 20815
(301) 215-8977
predoc@hhmi.org
Scholarship Link

10. IBM PhD Fellowship Awards Program

Deadline: October 27th

The IBM PhD Fellowship Awards Program is a competitive program. It attracts exceptional doctoral students from around the globe. Students in these majors are eligible:

  • computer science
  • electrical engineering
  • cyber security
  • data analytics
  • material sciences

Candidates must have completed at least one year of their PhD programs. They must reside in any nation except U.S. embargoed countries. And they must meet visa requirements.

Contact

IBM PhD Fellowship Awards Program
1 New Orchard Road
Armonk, NY 10504
(914) 499-1900
jcalabre@us.ibm.com
Scholarship Link

11. Japan-IMF Scholarship for Advanced Studies

Deadline: January 31st

The Japan-IMF Scholarship for Advanced Studies is funded by the International Monetary Fund. It is a two-year financial aid program offered to Japanese citizens enrolled in a PhD program. Eligible programs include:

  • macroeconomics
  • finance
  • international economics
  • econometrics
  • international trade

Eligible applicants must be entering the first, second, or third year of the PhD program. They must be under 34 years old. Scholars receive full-time tuition coverage at a U.S. university. This also includes:

  • medical insurance
  • textbook allowance
  • paid summer internship.
Contact

Japan-IMF Scholarship for Advanced Studies
700 19th Street NW
Washington, DC 20431
(202) 623-7000
japanimfscholarship@iie.org
Scholarship Link

12. Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust

Deadline: January 31st

The Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust was established in 1954 by her brother. The trust provides $22,000 every year to eight PhD students. These students must be studying at an accredited university in the United States. Students in the humanities are given special consideration. Applicants should submit:

  • letters of recommendation
  • published articles
  • dissertation research
  • transcripts
Contact

Josephine de Karman Fellowship Trust
P.O. Box 3389
San Dimas, CA 91773
(909) 592-0607
info@dekarman.org
Scholarship Link

13. Kala Singh Memorial Scholarships

Deadline: May 22nd

The Kala Singh Memorial Scholarships were established in memory of 36-year old Kala Singh. Singh died in an attempted plane hijacking in Pakistan. He was an accomplished audiologist. The $5,000 scholarships are administered by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation. Three scholarships are awarded every year. The scholarships go to students in full-time graduate programs in communication sciences & disorders. Applicants should submit:

  • a letter of acceptance
  • transcript
  • essay
  • 3 letters of recommendation
Contact

Kala Singh Memorial Scholarships
2200 Research Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 296-8703
foundationprograms@asha.org
Scholarship Link

14. Kosciuszko Foundation Fellowships for Advanced Study

Deadline: October 15th

Ranging from $7,650 to $25,500, the Kosciuszko Foundation’s Fellowships for Advanced Study are available to Polish citizens. They must be studying at an accredited university in the U.S. in a PhD or post-doctoral program. Eligible applicants must:

  • be permanent residents of Poland
  • already hold a master’s degree
  • be proficient in the English language
  • pass an interview in Warsaw
  • submit three letters of reference 
  • submit a 500-word essay outlining their study plans.
Contact

Kosciuszko Foundation Fellowship for Advanced Study
15 East 65th Street
New York, NY 10065
(212) 734-2130
warsaw@thekf.org
Scholarship Link

15. Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund

Deadline: January 16th

The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund has been maintained by the World Bank Family Network since 1981. The fund awards 24 annual PhD scholarships for students from developing countries. These women will study in one of these:

  • the U.S.
  • Canada
  • South Africa

Applicants must:

  • be a woman
  • exhibit financial need
  • be at least 25 years old
  • enroll at an accredited institution full-time 
  • display satisfactory academic merit

Recipients must be committed to returning to their home country and empowering women and girls.

Contact

Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund
1818 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20433
usc-sc@mmmf-grants.org
Scholarship Link

16. NCITD International Trade Scholarships

Deadline: May 31st

The National Council on International Trade Development awards scholarships to select international students. These $1,000 awards are for PhD students studying subjects related to global trade. Eligible are subjects like:

  • international trade
  • political science
  • international affairs
  • international business
  • international relations
  • economics
  • law

In order to qualify, applicants must:

  • attend a U.S. university
  • be NCITD members
  • have a 3.0 GPA
  • provide two letters of recommendation
  • write a 2,500 word personal narrative
Contact

NCITD International Trade Scholarships
1901 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Suite 804
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 872-9280
mckenzie@ncitd.org
Scholarship Link

17. PEO International Peace Scholarships

Deadline: March 1st

The PEO International Peace Scholarships provide a maximum of $10,000 each year to select women. Candidates must hail from other nations. They must also plan to earn a master’s or doctoral degree in the United States or Canada. Eligibility requires that applicants:

  • be enrolled full-time at an accredited college
  • not hold U.S. citizenship
  • have a full year of coursework remaining
  • exhibit financial need
  • apply before starting their dissertation research

Scholarships can be applied to:

  • tuition
  • textbooks
  • housing
  • living expenses
Contact

PEO International Peace Scholarships
3700 Grand Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50312
(515) 255-3153
glane@peodsm.org
Scholarship Link

18. Robert Gordon Menzies Scholarship

Deadline: February 5th

The Robert Gordon Menzies Scholarship was created to honor the former Prime Minister of Australia. The annual scholarship of $60,000 is awarded to Australian college students pursuing a PhD, EdD, or ScD at Harvard University. Applicants must:

  • possess leadership qualities
  • display high academic achievement
  • demonstrate financial need
  • intend to return to Australia after graduation
Contact

Robert Gordon Menzies Scholarship
48 Quincy Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
(617) 495-1581
philanthropic.scholarships@anu.edu.au
Scholarship Link

19. Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Awards

Deadline: November 13th

Every year, the Schlumberger Foundation selects 155 women from developing countries for the Faculty for the Future Awards. The award is designed to finance their doctoral degree or post-doctoral research in the United States. Eligible female candidates must be admitted at an accredited host university with an approved major. Qualifying majors include:

  • physical sciences
  • chemical engineering
  • technology
  • mechanical engineering
  • STEM

Recipients must commit to teaching at university in their home countries after graduation.

Contact

Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future Awards
300 Schlumberger Drive
Sugar Land, TX 77478
(713) 375-3494
Scholarship Link

20. William and Flora Hewlett Dissertation Fellowship

Deadline: April 1st

The Institute for International Education administers the William and Flora Hewlett Dissertation Fellowship. This fellowship is worth $20,000 over two years. Public health is a major focus of this fellowship. It is available only to students who aren’t U.S. citizens. Candidates are eligible as they begin their dissertation research. Eligible topics include:

  • economics
  • geography
  • epidemiology
  • public health
  • social justice

Applicants should submit:

  • a current CV
  • statement of intent
  • budget plan
  • personal essay
Contact

William and Flora Hewlett Dissertation Fellowship
809 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
(212) 984-5342
popecondissfellows@iie.org
Scholarship Link

Can I get health insurance as an international college student?

Health insurance is a major concern for higher education students in the United States. Most colleges provide some form of health insurance through the university. Some colleges extend employee health insurance to PhD students who teach. Joining the faculty is one of the best ways to get health insurance. If that’s not an option, there should be other ways to acquire affordable health insurance. Research assistantships can also provide insurance.

What colleges have the most international students?

Many elite universities in the United States have a lot of international students. We’ll list some of the colleges with the highest percentages below.
 
Northeastern University: 57%
Carnegie Mellon University: 52%
Columbia University: 46%
University of Texas at Dallas: 43%
University of Southern California: 34%
Boston University: 32%
New York University: 31%
University of Pennsylvania: 30%
University at Buffalo: 27%
Stanford University: 25%
 
As you can see, many of the best institutions of higher education in the United States have a large percentage of students attending from outside the country.

What majors are popular with students of other nationalities?

STEM fields are very popular among international students.
 
Among the most popular engineering disciplines are:
  • chemical engineering
  • aerospace engineering
  • petroleum engineering
  • environmental engineering.
 
Just under engineering are:
  • business
  • computer science
  • social sciences
  • biological sciences
  • data science,
  • fine and applied arts.

Psychology, including clinical psychology, and developmental psychology are also popular.

 
The least popular tend to be agriculture, landscape architecture, law enforcement, humanities, health care, graphic design and education.
 

What is the best way to find financial aid for my degree?

While the scholarships we featured here are outstanding, there are many other scholarships out there. Check with any organizations you’re part of. They include:

  • a religious organization
  • a political organization
  • a company
  • a corporation

Many offer financial aid opportunities. Additionally, if you are already a student, see if there are any programs in the U.S. that have a partnership with your school. With this article we tried to focus on generally available third party scholarships. Many colleges have specific financial aid only for students at their school. You should check with all the colleges you are interested in, especially those with high percentages of foreign students.

Check with your professional organization, if you have one, for scholarships available through your organization. They may also know of very niche scholarships that you might qualify for. The scholarships we featured here are mostly available through U.S. and international organizations. If you live in a developing country, your government may have scholarships designed to help future leaders study abroad. Regardless of your country’s economic development status, you should check with your government if your field is rare or has a shortage. Governments will often use scholarships as incentives to get people to major in sectors short on labor.

Another thing to keep in mind is that PhD fellowships and scholarships can be incredibly granular. Sometimes requirements become so narrow as to specify specific research topics, like artificial intelligence or human origins, to name a couple we’ve seen researching this article. Keep in mind that a great research proposal can go a long way toward securing you grants and fellowships.

Is it feasible for the average person to study abroad?

It’s easier and more common for graduate students to study abroad. This is because graduate students tend to either have more money, or their programs are shorter than those of undergraduate students. Whether or not it’s a good option for you to study abroad will depend on several factors.

First and foremost is money. It’s just more expensive to study abroad than it is at home. Even if you earn full scholarships or fellowships, it can still be financially taxing to study abroad.

You also have to be careful about your visa. Student visas might limit your ability to work and pay for living expenses while studying abroad. While the international scholarships we feature here are incredible, they are the best of the best and competition is fierce.

The ongoing public health crisis isn’t helping people who want to study abroad either.

So there are many challenges if you want to earn your PhD degree in another country. However, if you really feel your best choice is to study abroad, and you can get the aid you need to make it happen, it can be the experience of a lifetime and great for your career.

And here’s a tip. If you want the best weather, pick a California school.

GCD Staff

March 2024

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