Dear NCDE: How do we find funding for graduate study in the U.S.?

Question: 

I am a person with a disability living outside of the United States. I am interested in graduate study in the U.S., and am looking for scholarships. Can you help me locate funding opportunities? 

Aubrianna’s Response: 

We are so excited to hear that you are interested in coming to the United States to pursue a graduate degree. 

A great resource to start with is EducationUSA, which provides advice about coming to the United States for international exchange. EducationUSA can provide details on applying for school overseas, scholarships, and specific tests you will be required to take. You can contact an advising center closest to you online at https://educationusa.state.gov/find-advising-center. 

MIUSA does not offer programs or scholarships for international exchange and study to the United States; however, many organizations and government programs do. 

Below are some external programs and/or scholarships that you may explore further. Make sure to assess if you meet the eligibility requirements as well as what their application timeline entails. 

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program: Enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from abroad to research and study in the United States for one year or longer at U.S. universities or other appropriate institutions. 
• Rotary Peace Fellowship: Fully-funded master’s degree in a peace studies field at their select centers. Their US-based partners are Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA. 
• Rotary International Scholarships: Local rotary clubs and districts offer scholarships for graduate study. You can locate a Rotary club/district near you, and contact them about possible grants and eligibility requirements. 

There are many other opportunities for master’s degree funding you may be eligible for. Most scholarships are limited to a specific degree focus and/or academic institution. 

We recommend you explore Profellow, an online resource where you can identify fellowship and scholarship opportunities. 

In addition to the resources above, here are some opportunities specifically for women and/or people from developing countries. 

• International Peace Scholarship Fund: Provides scholarships of up to $12,500 for international women to pursue graduate study in the U.S. or Canada.  
• AAUW International Fellowship in USA for Women: The American Association of University Women awards full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not US citizens or permanent residents. The scholarship awards $20,000 for master’s programs. 
• MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program: Scholarships for African students, 35 years old or under, to study at participating universities. US-based participating universities providing masters programs include Arizona State University and University of California, Berkeley. 
• Aga Khan Foundation Scholarship Program: Needs-based graduate scholarships (half-grants and half-loans to be paid back) for students from select countries already enrolled in master’s and PhD level study anywhere in the world. 
• Margaret McNamara Education Grants: Funding available to women above the age of 25 from developing countries who are currently studying in the US. This may be something to save for the future since you apply for it while you are studying rather than before. 

Apart from the options named above, many universities do offer fellowships and funding opportunities for graduate students. Students support their graduate school studies by serving as a teaching assistant, or by supporting a professor’s research. 

The United States is not the only place that offers funding for people from developing countries to attend graduate school. If you are interested, it may be worth looking into on sites like Profellow. Scholars for Dev also lists options in other countries as well. 

Finally, you might find it useful to explore our discussion and resources regarding funding US study on our webpage: https://miusa.org/resource/tip-sheets/fundingtous/

We hope this information is helpful. Wishing you all the best in your search!

Our responses to all inquiries are confidential. While Dear NCDE posts are loosely based on inquiries that we have answered, all personally identifiable information is omitted. If you have a question regarding disability and international exchange, please feel free to contact us at clearinghouse@miusa.org .