Scholarships in USA For International Students & How to Study For Free 2024-2025

There are several famous universities in the US that compete internationally. This makes it logical to assume that many people would pick an American university if given the option.

However, if preparation is not made early and appropriately, it can be quite challenging to be admitted into a university in the United States. It is imperative to understand that applying to a university does not entail completing and mailing documents. Studying hard and keeping an exceptional academic record in your previous school levels are essential components of preparing for college admission.

If you decide to enroll in a program at an American university, having a great academic record and a command of the English language may open up more alternatives for you. You have a wide selection of colleges to pick from, so you can apply to institutions with reasonable tuition rates.

Even better, scholarships can enable you to study for free in the US. Since you intend to pursue your degree while studying abroad, bear in mind that, in addition to your tuition costs, you will also need to budget for living expenses and other incidentals like health insurance. Getting a scholarship or fellowship can aid in improving your financial management.

There are countless opportunities to experience American culture because it is possible to study for a degree in the US for free. The nation is a terrific destination to accomplish other things as well, like traveling its enormous land area and visiting its many national parks and well-known tourist attractions, in addition to developing your English language skills. If you want to travel the nation in a style that is more colorful, alive, and significant, you should also pay attention to food, movies, music, theaters, and festivals.

Can International Students Study in the USA for Free?

International students can study in the USA for free through various methods. First, you can apply and receive a full-ride scholarship to study at an institution in the United States, and if that method doesn’t work for you, you can try to land a partial scholarship and try to cover up the rest through grants, work-study programs, and part-time jobs.

How to Study in the USA for Free

1. Put Together an Awesome Application

The United States of America is truly an excellent place to achieve higher education. As expected for an aspiring student, your academic records should be competitive and exemplary to stand out among thousands of applicants. Study hard and start establishing your strong academic profile.

Your grades, GPA, test scores, English language proficiency, and other academic performance factors will help you to study in USA for free. Moreover, securing recommendations from reputable persons can help you land a university spot.

Along with your years-long preparation to have an outstanding academic profile, preparing your documents and application requirements is equally crucial. Knowing the application start dates and deadlines can help you plan for your application requirements.

Prepare your application for early submission. After all, the earliest you can prepare and submit your application, the better your chance to get noticed by the university admission team. You must also avoid submitting your application close to the deadline, as some unexpected inconveniences may cause you to miss the deadline.

2. Research Affordable Universities in the USA

With more than 4,000 universities and colleges in the USA, you will have plenty of options for your higher education. Among these are affordable universities that nonetheless offer high-quality education.

Choosing universities with relatively cheaper tuition costs can help you manage your finances. Some of the universities worth considering are California State University, Alcorn State University in Mississippi, and Minot State University in North Dakota.

Coupled with scholarships, you can study in the USA for free. Since you’ll be paying less for your education, you can save up and avoid living the life of a broke college student. After all, living away from your family and solely trying to make things work from thousands of miles away can be very stressful.

Your finances should be the least of your concerns. As you study and live in the USA, your financial freedom can help you chase other endeavors besides your education.

3. Get Scholarships in the USA

You might be thinking of living the American dream as soon as you decided to study in the USA. However, you might also feel some financial burden since you might need to pay significantly higher if you study abroad rather than stay in your home country.

While this idea can be bothersome and may derail your academic dream, keep in mind that the United States also has scholarships for international students.

With the help of scholarships from universities, government, and private institutions, getting your degree in the USA for free is highly possible. Scholarship providers can be very selective to their recipients. Top universities like Harvard, Yale, MIT, Princeton, and others give very generous scholarships to qualified applicants. There are also many government scholarships that you can apply for.

Thus, you should apply for as many scholarships as you can to increase your chances of getting accepted. Make sure to check if you meet the qualifications before sending your application to avoid any inconveniences and disappointments.

Study Undergraduate in USA for Free

There are several universities and educational institutions in the USA that offer scholarships to international students. Among those, New York University lists several scholarship options for international students. Its Nneka Fritz (WAG ’08) Scholarship program provides full-tuition coverage for students from underrepresented groups.

1. University of Oregon Scholarships

• Scholarship Amount: Full/Partial Tuition Coverage

Meanwhile, the University of Oregon offers several scholarships through the International Cultural Service Program Tuition Scholarships. It covers partial to full tuition costs, ranging from $9,000 to $30,000 per year. Besides, the university also offers supplement scholarships to assist students in their miscellaneous expenses.

2. Wesleyan University Scholarships

• Scholarship Amount: Full Tuition and Living Stipend

International students from selected Asian countries have a chance to study for free at Wesleyan University through their Freeman Asian Scholars Program. It grants successful applicants financial aid covering their full tuition and fees during their entire four-year bachelor’s study.

3. Brandeis University Full-Ride Scholarship

• Scholarship Amount: Full Tuition, Living Stipend, Travelling Expenses

Lastly, Brandeis University in Massachusetts offers a full scholarship that covers tuition fees, accommodation, and a round-trip air ticket yearly.

With these scholarships, you can study undergraduate degree in the United States for free. There are still more that you can apply for, so check out the best undergraduate scholarships for international students.

Study Master’s in the USA for Free

Besides a bachelor’s degree, you can also study for your master’s degree for free in the United States.

1. New York University Dean’s Scholarship

• Scholarship Link
• Scholarship Amount: Full/Partial Tuition Coverage

New York University also covers graduate degrees through their scholarship programs, one of which is the Dean’s Scholarship. It offers full-tuition scholarships to successful applicants from all degrees and areas of study. Offered to many international applicants, this scholarship program can be renewed depending on your GPA.

2. Northcentral University Scholarship

• Scholarship Link
• Scholarship Amount: $20,000 Award

The Northcentral University in San Diego, California, also provides the New Beginnings Scholarships for returning graduate students. The scholarship covers the full tuition costs of one successful applicant, which is selected based on his/her essay.

3. Harvard University Master’s Scholarship

• Scholarship Amount: Full Tuition, Living Stipend, and More

Students can also choose Harvard University for their Master’s degree. The prestigious school lists a number of scholarship providers students can choose from depending on their home country.

Fortunately for international students, these schools have scholarship programs that allow completing a master’s degree for free in the US. Besides these universities, international students can apply for scholarship programs from government and private institutions such as the Foreign Fulbright Program and the Joint Japan World Bank Graduate Scholarships.

Study Ph.D. in the USA for Free

The United States is a favorite destination for aspiring Ph.D. students for several reasons, such as its yearly availability and funding that is almost always guaranteed so that international students can study for Ph.D. for free in the USA.

1. University of Miami Fellowships

• Scholarship Amount: Prestigious Annual Stipend

The University of Miami lists several fellowships and scholarship programs for Ph.D. students. The most prestigious of their programs is the Dean’s Fellowships, which provides a stipend in the amount of $35,000 to selected applicants. In addition to the Dean’s Fellowships, there are many partial scholarships offered by the University of Miami that are open to international students.

2. Stanford University Ph.D. Scholarship

• Scholarship Amount: Full-Ride Benefits

Meanwhile, Stanford University guarantees funding to all their accepted doctoral candidates. The university covers the cost of attendance, which includes both tuition costs and other living expenses and provides a fellowship stipend and assistantship salary for successful applicants.

3. MIT Ph.D. Scholarship

• Scholarship Amount: Full-Ride Benefits

Another prestigious university in the country that offers fellowship grants to international Ph.D. students is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

As the institute receives donations from individual donors and private institutes, its Office of Graduate Education provides incoming Ph.D. students with sufficient information about the fellowships that can fund their entire postgraduate education. Fellowships cover the student’s tuition and living costs and their research costs for the whole duration of their study.

4. Johns Hopkins University Scholarship

• Scholarship Amount: Tuition Coverage, Monthly Stipend

Lastly, Johns Hopkins University also offers international doctorate candidates funding for their education and research. Its scholarship program covers tuition costs and a stipend. These universities deliver world-class education and ensure that international students will not have to endure extreme financial burdens during their study abroad.

International students benefit from studying in the US in a lot of ways. From getting high-quality education to making deep connections with people in higher places, studies advance their careers in many ways.

Note: If you have questions or corrections regarding this post, kindly use the comment box below.