To short-cut through some of the top scholarships offered by universities and organisations, read on. This listing gives you deadlines, dollar amounts, requirements for winning, plus links you'll need for further research.
This is not a complete list - but it is a pretty thorough starting point.
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- Top scholarships for international students
- Universities with aid packages
- Sample of scholarships from external organisations
- Other lists of scholarships
- Scholarship search engines
International students
Morehead-Cain Scholarship
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Very prestigious scholarship offered by UNC, a top public university.
- Comprises: Full tuition, fees, accommodation and living costs for four years – even books and laptops are included! Scholars also participate in an “Enrichment Program” of educational, professional and traveling opportunities during the four summers starting with the summer before your first year – things like internships, public service, “outdoor leadership” etc.
- Deadline: Usually October 1st.
- How to win: You have to be not just academically brilliant but a strong leader, “physically vigorous” and also demonstrate “moral force of character”. Competition is extremely strong, but many Brits have been successful in the past.
Robertson Scholarship
Very similar to the Morehead-Cain Scholarship, but scholars get full student privileges at both UNC and Duke – two of the most prestigious universities in the South.
- Deadline: Usually December 1st.
Allen International Scholarship
Rice University in Houston – a great uni.
- Comprises: Full tuition for four years.
- How to win: All Rice applicants are automatically considered – you just have to be one of the best!
Jefferson Scholarship
University of Virginia – a scholarship named for its erstwhile founder, Thomas Jefferson.
- Comprises: $50,000 per year, plus an “enrichment program” and foreign travel.
- Deadline: Usually December 1st for international students.
- How to win: The usual – outstanding academics as well as demonstrated leadership and general worthiness, etc.
Presidential International Scholarship
undergraduate.admissions.gwu.edu/scholarships
George Washington University, Washington DC
- Comprises: Up to full tuition.
- How to win: Applicants are automatically considered; priority is given to those whose admissions files are complete by the application deadline”, which is January 10 for regular decision. Students who apply to the School of Engineering (rather than the normal College of Arts and Sciences) are more likely to receive aid.
American University Freshman Merit Scholarships
American University, Washington DC.
A variety of scholarships are available, and applicants are automatically considered for most of them. The biggest scholarship available is the Frederick Douglas Distinguished Scholars Program, which requires a separate application by mid-January and covers full tuition and expenses.
Wake Forest Scholarship Program
Wake Forest University, North Carolina
This program comprises a whole range of scholarships – check the website for details of each one. Most are open to international students, and all Wake Forest applicants are automatically considered if they submit their application by 1st December. A couple require separate applications. Awards range from full tuition and expenses to a few thousand dollars per year.
Richmond Scholars Program
Richmond University, Virginia.
- Comprises: Full tuition and, depending on the award you get, maybe room and board as well.
- How to win: All applicants are automatically considered, as long as they apply by December 1st.
Other universities with aid packages to look into
Unis worth considering for need-based aid
- Williams
- Middlebury
- Swarthmore
- Vassar
- Vanderbuilt
- Reed
- Skidmore
- Brown
- Wesleyan
- Mt Holyoke
- Stanford
- Hampshire
- Bard
- Georgetown
- Kenyon
- Oberlin
- Rice
- Tufts
- University of Chicago
- University of Pennsylvania
- Columbia
Unis worth considering for merit-based aid
- Johns Hopkins
- Rutgers
- University of Kansas
- Notre Dame
- Boston University
- University of Vermont
- University of Florida
- University of Miami
- Pepperdine
- Uni of Southern California
- Sewanee
- Wisconsin-Eau Claire
- University of Oregon
- Truman State University
- Pacific University
- Montana State
- Linfield College
- Iowa State
- Georgia College
- Drury
- Whittier College
A small sample of scholarships from external organisations
BUTEX Scholarships
UK NGO that awards £500 scholarships to students at UK universities who will be studying abroad for a semester or a year. Your study abroad cannot be eligible for ERASMUS funding.
- Deadline: May 31st.
2017 BROKERFISH Scholarships for International Students
www.brokerfish.com/2017-spring-university-scholarship
The BrokerFish $1,000 University Scholarship is available in spring 2017 to students who are currently pursuing any university course. Applicants must be full-time students of any nationality who are pursuing an undergraduate "degree", "diploma" or equivalent program by an accredited institution of higher education.
- Deadline: December 21, 2016.
SPIE student scholarships
Awarded at an undergraduate, masters or PhD level, these scholarships provide about $2,000 - $11,000 for anyone looking to study optics, photonics or something related. Quite a niche one, but worth a look if that's what you're up for.
- Deadline: Usually mid-February.
The Society of Women Engineers
societyofwomenengineers.swe.org
For talented female engineers, fill out an application form and you'll be entered into a range of interesting scholarships with prizes mostly between $1,000 and $15,000. The deadline for applications varies depending on whether you're applying before your freshman year or later years.
Women's Auxiliary Eleanor Allwork Scholarship
Between $7,500 and $10,000 towards your first degree in architecture, as long as you study in the state of New York. You have to be nominated by the head of an architecture department at which you're already studying, so this may work best for graduate studies. You also have to demonstrate financial need.
- Deadline: Usually mid-March.
BAAS Ambassador's Awards
- Comprises: Three competitions with prizes of £500 for undergraduates, £1,000 for postgraduates and £250 for school students. There are also awards for short term travel to the US, of up to £750.
- Deadline: January or February.
- How to win: Essay competition – see website for details.
IB Scholarships
blogs.ibo.org/blog/2014/05/06/scholarships/
A significant number of universities in the US, Canada, Australia, France and Germany offer scholarships based purely on your IB score. The amount awarded, the deadlines and criteria vary – click the link to see the list of universities to look into.
Other lists of scholarships
The FSO (Fellowships and Scholarships Office) of Carnegie Mellon University (produced in 2011, but still posted on their website so we are assuming it's up to date)
College Confidential- useful for the forum discussions
Scholarship-positions.com is a fast-growing website with valuable, wide-ranging info on scholarships and universities...yes, written in non-native English, but with alot of sound, albeit oddly phrased, information. It's time consuming, but worth trawling through the incredibly extensive list of scholarships...some for top tier universities (eg Cambridge, University of Chicago).Some scholarships are aimed at international students wishing to study anywhere, some are scholarships for studying in the US, and some are scholarships aimed at students from underdeveloped countries.
Scholarship search engines
Download the pdf: How to pay for Uni in the USA