Scholarship Descriptions

Bridging Scholarship Japan

Bridging Scholarships offer American undergraduates the opportunity to study in Japan, with stipends of up to $2,500 for a semester or $4,500 for an academic year. Administered by the US-Japan Bridging Foundation and the American Association of Teachers of Japanese (AATJ), the program emphasizes diversity and community. It provides participants access to a supportive network of alums. The application deadline is in early April.

Freeman-ASIA

The Freeman-ASIA Award provides needs-based funding to help the recipient with the cost of any study abroad program and associated expenses (i.e., airfare, basic living costs, etc.). Grant amounts vary from summer awards (up to $3,000), semester/quarter awards (up to $5,000), and academic year awards (up to $7,000). If the student is awarded a Freeman-ASIA and a Freeman Foundation grant simultaneously, only one Freeman-sponsored grant may be accepted per study abroad program.           

Students must be a U.S. citizen, must currently receive need-based financial aid or demonstrate a verifiable need for financial assistance, must be an undergraduate student with a minimum GPA of 2.8 pursuing their first bachelor’s or associate’s degree, must apply through a U.S. home campus and have at least one term of enrollment remaining at that institution, must have used to or have been accepted by a study abroad based program and have interest in selected countries, must have little/no previous experience in the interested region, must submit the online Freeman-ASIA Final Service Report at the end of the term following their return to the U.S., and must not be a previous Freeman-ASIA award recipient.

Internal Deadlines- Summer: Mid March; Fall/Academic Year: Early April

Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship

The Rangel Program is a collaborative effort between Howard University and the U.S. State Department that seeks to attract and prepare outstanding young people for careers as diplomats in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State. The program seeks individuals interested in helping to shape a more accessible, more secure, and prosperous world through formulating, representing, and implementing U.S. foreign policy. The program encourages the application of members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service and those with financial need.

There are two significant components to the Rangel Program: an International Affairs Graduate Fellowship Program that provides support for graduate school, professional development, and entry into the U.S. Foreign Service, and an undergraduate International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program that provides undergraduates with the opportunity to enhance their skills, knowledge and understanding about U.S. foreign policy.

Internal Deadline: Typically December
External Deadline: Early February

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a fully-funded overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. CLS covers approximately one academic year of university-level language coursework throughout an eight to ten-week program. CLS offers instruction in fourteen critical languages: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Swahili, Azerbaijani, Hindi, Bangla, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Turkish, and Urdu.

Except for Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian, most languages offered by CLS do not require applicants to have any experience studying critical languages. The CLS Program seeks participants with diverse interests from various fields of study and career paths. Participants are selected based on their commitment to language learning and plan to apply their language skills to their future academic or professional pursuits. CLS is an intensive group-based language and cultural enrichment program.

Internal Deadline: Meet with Laura Clippard for details.
External Deadline: Mid-Late November

DAAD Rise Award

DAAD RISE Germany offers summer research internships in Germany for undergraduate students from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In their internships, students are carefully matched with doctoral students, who they assist and serve as their mentors. Interns receive a monthly stipend to cover everyday costs. About 300 scholarships are available each year.

The DAAD RISE objective remains to promote student exchange to Germany in natural science, engineering, and life sciences and to motivate undergraduate students to learn more about Germany’s research landscape and study opportunities.

Internal Deadline: Typically December
External Deadline: Mid-Late January

David L. Boren

Boren Scholarships and Fellowships fund U.S. undergraduate and graduate students studying in Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Boren Awards require rigorous language study; most awardees spend a full academic year overseas. The Award stipend/benefit is up to $20,000 for the Boren Scholarship and $30,000 for the Boren Fellowship. In exchange for funding, Boren Award recipients commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

Internal Deadline: Typically December. Contact Education Abroad for more information.
External Deadline: Late January

Fulbright

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or English Teaching Assistant Programs. A candidate will submit a Statement of Grant Purpose defining activities to take place during one academic year in a participating country outside the U.S.

During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with, and learn from the host country’s people, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. Through engagement in the community, the individual will interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.

Grant lengths and dates vary by country. Please have a look at the specific country summary for details.

Internal Deadline: Typically September
External Deadline: Early-Mid October

Gates Cambridge Scholarship

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship is awarded to outstanding applicants pursuing a full-time post-graduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. The selection criteria include exceptional intellectual ability, leadership potential, a commitment to improving the lives of others, and a good fit between the applicant’s qualifications and aspirations and the postgraduate program at Cambridge for which they are applying.

The program provides the following costs: the University Composition Fee, a maintenance allowance for a single student, one economy single airfare at the beginning and end of the course, and inbound visa costs and the cost of the Immigration Health Surcharge. Other benefits may be included at the discretion of the program. You can apply if you are a citizen of any country outside of the United Kingdom and plan to pursue a PhD (three-year research-only degree), MSc or MLitt (two-year research-only degree), or a one-year postgraduate course (e.g., MPhil, LLM, MASt, Diploma, MBA, etc.).

Internal Deadline: Mid-October (First Round); Early December/January (Second Round)

Gilman International

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad. The eligibility requirements for the Gilman include the following:

• The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will receive the Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of study.
• The applicant is applying to or has been accepted into a study abroad program or internship eligible for credit by the student’s accredited institution.
• The applicant is studying or interning abroad in any approved MTSU Study-Abroad. No length required.
• The applicant is studying or interning abroad in any country except those on the U.S. Department of State’s current Travel Warning list.

Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need, with the average award being up to $5,000 for any program. In addition, applicants studying a critical need language while abroad in a country where the language is predominantly spoken will automatically be considered for the Critical Need Language Award, for a total award of $8,000. All awarded scholarship money must be used to defray the cost of studying/interning abroad. There is an additional $1,000 available for STEM research.

Internal Deadline: Contact Education Abroad office. Laura Clippard is available for proofreading of applications.
External Deadline:

• Spring Programs: Early October
• Summer Programs: Early October
• Fall and Academic Year Programs: Early March

Goldwater

The purpose of the Goldwater Foundation is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers by awarding scholarships to college students who intend to pursue research careers in these fields. The Scholarship—the most prestigious undergraduate award in the sciences—is awarded to about 300 college sophomores and juniors nationwide. A maximum of $7500 per academic year is granted. The scholarship is awarded based on merit, and the actual amount is based on financial need. In awarding scholarships, the Foundation Board of Trustees considers the nominee’s field of study and career objectives and the extent to which that individual has the commitment and potential to contribute to their field significantly. This is judged by letters of reference, essays written by the student, and prior research experience.

Internal Deadline: Typically late October
External Deadline: Late January 

Japan Exchange and Teaching Program

JET, or Japan Exchange and Teaching Program, was founded in 1987; JET has sent more than 66,000 participants from around the globe (including nearly 34,000 Americans) to work in schools, boards of education, and government offices throughout Japan. What makes JET unique is that it is the only teaching exchange program managed by the government of Japan. With more than 40 countries worldwide participating in JET, this program offers a unique cultural exchange opportunity to meet people from all around the world, living and working in Japan. Becoming a JET puts you in an elite network of incredible individuals.

Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program

Each year, up to 100 high-achieving students worldwide receive total funding through the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program to pursue any graduate degree at Stanford University. Knight-Hennessy Scholars is the largest fully endowed scholars program in the world. The program funds up to the first three years of your graduate degree. If your program exceeds three years, then your Stanford home department(s) will fund the remainder of your education consistent with the standard funding commitment for that program.  Scholars receive full tuition coverage, a stipend for living and academic expenses, and an economy-class ticket for one annual trip to and from Stanford. Knight-Hennessy Scholars may also receive supplemental funding to support their educational endeavors.

Internal Deadline: Mid-September

Humanity in Action Fellowship

Humanity sponsors the Humanity in Action Fellowship in Action, a non-profit and non-partisan organization. Students and recent graduates from the United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and Ukraine can receive this award. Students from other nationalities are also eligible if they have enrolled in or recently graduated from an institution in one of these countries. The program addresses the destructive common roots of prejudice, discrimination, and dehumanization and facilitates a collective exploration of discrimination’s social and political roots. HIA Fellows are instilled with the responsibility to recognize and address the need to protect minorities and promote human rights in their communities and worldwide. Program dates are usually in June.

Harold Love Community Award

The Harold Love Community award is $1,000 cash prize awarded to five students and five faculty/staff members who have shown outstanding community service. In order to be eligible for the award, each participant must be recommended to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission.

Internal Deadline: Typically February
External Deadline: Mid-March

Marshall Scholarship

The Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the United Kingdom. Up to forty scholars are selected each year to study at the graduate level at a UK institution in any field of study.

Open only to United States citizens who (at the time they take up their scholarship) hold a first degree from an accredited four-year college or university in the United States with a minimum GPA of 3.7. To qualify for the awards tenable from October 2016, candidates must have graduated from their undergraduate college or university after April 2013. Up to 40 Scholarships are awarded annually. Each Scholarship covers fees, cost of living expenses, annual book grant, thesis grant, research and daily travel grants, fares to and from the United States, and, where applicable, a contribution towards the support of a dependent spouse.

Internal Deadline: Typically August
External Deadline: Early-October of year preceding tenure

National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship

The National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) is a highly competitive, portable fellowship that is awarded to U.S. citizens and nationals who intend to pursue a doctoral degree in one of fifteen supported areas including, but not limited to, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, Biosciences, Civil Engineering, Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Oceanography, and Physics. This is a three-year program and confers high honors upon its recipients. The fellowship includes full tuition coverage at any U.S. institution the recipient chooses, a monthly stipend starting at $30,000 per year, and up to $1,000 in medical insurance. To qualify, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national, have interests that fall within the supported academic disciplines, must have received or be on track to receive their bachelor’s degree by summer, and must be enrolled full-time and be pursuing graduate study at a U.S. institution once accepted into the program.

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program

https://www.nsfgrfp.org

The National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions. Two thousand fellowships are awarded annually, each consisting of three years of support during a five-year fellowship period. Students will receive a stipend of $34,000 and a cost-of-education allowance of $12,000 to the graduate degree-granting institution. To apply, applicants must complete a graduate research plan statement, submit three reference letters and academic transcripts, select a primary field of study, and complete the Personal, Relevant Background and Future Goals and Graduate Research Statement.

Internal Deadline: Late October

Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK)

Omicron Delta Kappa (ΟΔΚ), known as The Circle and ODK, is a national leadership honor society. It was founded on December 3, 1914, at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, by 15 student and faculty leaders. Chapters, known as circles, are located on more than 300 college campuses. Membership in the Omicron Delta Kappa Society is regarded as one of the highest collegiate honors that can be awarded to an individual, along with Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa. To be selected as a member of ΟDΚ, one must be in the top thirty-five percent of students on their respective campuses and hold a leadership role in one of the five phases of campus life.

Every year, the ODK Foundation awards scholarships to more than 20 collegiate members to continue their educations through graduate and professional study. Scholarship awards range from $1,000 to $2,000 and generally help defray the cost of graduate and professional school expenses. Eligible applicants must be an inducted member of ODK; plan to, or be currently enrolled in an accredited graduate/professional program; and have earned a GPA of 3.5 on all academic work.

Internal Deadline: Typically February
External Deadline: Late March

Phi Kappa Phi (PKP)

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (or simply Phi Kappa Phi or ΦΚΦ) is an honor society established in 1897 to recognize and encourage superior scholarship without restriction as to the area of study and to promote the “unity and democracy of education.”  It is the third academic society in the United States to be organized around recognizing academic excellence and is the oldest all-discipline honor society. Membership is by invitation only, by an established campus chapter. It is restricted to students with integrity and high ethical standards and ranked scholastically at the top of their class, regardless of field of study: the top 7.5 percent of second-semester university juniors and the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students.

PKP offers various and sundry grants and awards, both national and local. Specific details for each award are available on their website. Basic eligibility requirements include active membership in PKP and general academic excellence.

Internal Deadline: Typically January
External Deadline: varies depending on grant/award

Princeton in Asia, Africa, and Latin America Fellowship Programs

Princeton in Asia, Africa, and Latin America acts as a mediator for students looking to study, intern, or teach abroad on one of those continents. It arranges fellowships and internships with host organizations that advertise a particular need. Those needs include teaching ESL, journalism internships, international development, health services, or other service projects. You’ll notice from the Princeton website that each program has its specific web page. If you are interested, you’ll need to visit a particular website to learn more about the current internships and fellowships in each country. Applicants, however, cannot apply for a specific fellowship post or host organization. Instead, they must apply to the Princeton program they are interested in (Africa, Asia, or Latin America) to be considered for all available fellowship opportunities in a given year.

Internal Deadlines: Typically October
External Deadlines: Early-Mid November

Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA)

The Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA) is a not-for-profit organization that has within its program the Junior Summer Institutes. The Junior Summer Institutes are intense seven-week summer programs that focus on preparing students for graduate programs in the fields of public policy and international affairs, as well as careers as policy professionals, public administrators and other leadership roles in public service. 

Students can expect to take courses in economics, statistics, domestic/international policy issues, and leadership topics and participate in extra-curricular activities. Students will receive full tuition, a stipend of up to $1,500, university housing with a meal plan, books, and related course material, a minimum of a one-time $5,000 scholarship at a PPIA graduate school if admitted for a Master’s degree, and a fee waiver when applying to schools who are a part of the PPIA Graduate School Consortium. Each JSI may offer additional benefits, such as GRE preparation, at their discretion.

Eligibility requires, but is not limited to:

• U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residence
• Check website for graduation dates requirements
• Must not currently have a Bachelor’s Degree before the start of the JSI
• Must plan to achieve a Master’s in public and/or international affairs at one of the PPIA Consortium graduate school
• Economic need is also considered during the review of applications

Internal Deadline: Early November

Rangel Graduate Fellowship

The Rangel Graduate Fellowship is awarded to 30 students who plan to work in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State, where they can help formulate, represent, and implement U.S. foreign policy. Fellowships of up to $37,500 are awarded annually for two years for tuition, room and board, books, and mandatory fees for completion of two-year master’s degrees. This includes up to $21,500 per year for tuition and required fees and an academic year stipend of $16,000. The student is expected to graduate in international affairs or another area of relevance to the work of the Foreign Service at a graduate or professional school approved by the Rangel Program. To be eligible, the student must hold and maintain a minimum 3.2 GPA throughout their study period, be a U.S. citizen, and be seeking to enter graduate school for the Fall semester.

Internal Deadline: Late September

REU and Science Awards

National Science Foundation (NSF) funds many research opportunities for undergraduate students through its Research Experiences for Undergraduates Sites (REU) program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the host institution’s research programs. Each student is associated with a specific research project, working closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel. An REU site may be at either a US or foreign location.

Students participating in an REU outside of their home university (i.e. international) are generally provided with a modest stipend ($4,000 to $6,000 for ten weeks of work), housing, transportation to and from the site, and often arrangements for food. REU’s located at a student’s home university pay at about the same pay rate as off-site REU’s but does not include housing, transportation, or food.

Internal Deadline: Varies—contact Laura Clippard for more details
External Deadline: Varies depending on program

Rhodes

The Rhodes Scholarship, named for the British colonialist, mining magnate, and South African politician Cecil John Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for non-British students to study at the University of Oxford. The award is widely considered to be one of the world’s most prestigious scholarships.

Rhodes Scholars may study any full-time postgraduate course the university offers, whether a taught master’s program, a research degree, or a second undergraduate degree (senior status). In the first instance, the scholarship is awarded for two years. However, it may also be held for one year or three years. Applications for a third year are considered during the second year. The Rhodes Trust pays university and college fees. In addition, scholars receive a monthly maintenance stipend to cover accommodation and living expenses. However, all scholars become affiliated with a residential college while at Oxford; they also enjoy access to Rhodes House, an early 20th-century mansion with numerous public rooms, gardens, a library, study areas, and other facilities.

Internal Deadline: Typically July or August
External Deadline: Early October

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI)

The Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program encourages undergraduate students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers by providing research experiences at the Department of Energy (DOE) laboratories. Selected students participate as interns appointed at one of 17 participating DOE laboratories/facilities. They perform research on projects supporting the DOE mission under the guidance of laboratory staff scientists or engineers.

Applications for the SULI program are solicited annually for three separate internship terms. Internship appointments are ten weeks in duration for the Summer Term (May-August) or 16 weeks in duration for the fall (August– December) and spring (January – May) terms. Each DOE laboratory/facility offers different research opportunities; not all DOE laboratories/facilities offer internships during the fall and spring terms.

Internal Deadlines: Varies—contact Laura Clippard for more details
External Deadlines:

• Spring Program: Mid-October
• Summer Program: Mid-January
• Fall Program: Late-May

SMART Grant

The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program is an opportunity for students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines to receive a full scholarship and be gainfully employed upon degree completion. Participants in the SMART Scholarship for Service Program receive full tuition and education related fees, stipend paid at a $25,000 – $38,000 depending on degree, and summer internships. The employment obligation to the Department of Defense (DoD) civilian Science and Technology workforce upon graduation is a one-to-one commitment. For each academic year of a Participant’s award, he/she is required to commit to one year (12 months) of civilian employment with the DoD.

Internal Deadline: Typically November
External Deadline: Early December

Schwarzman

The Schwarzman Scholars program is the first scholarship created to respond to the geopolitical landscape of the 21^st Century. Up to 200 students will have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills and professional networks through a one-year Master’s Degree in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing. All classes are taught in English, and students pursue concentrations in Public Policy, Economics and Business, or International Studies. In order to qualify, students must be between the ages of 18-29 as of August, must be English proficient, and possess an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university or its equivalent.

Internal Deadline: September 

Truman

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship is a highly competitive federal scholarship granted to U.S. college juniors for demonstrated leadership potential and a commitment to public service. The scholarship is awarded to approximately 55-65 U.S. college juniors each year based on four criteria: service on campus and in the community, commitment to a career in public service (government, uniformed services, research, education, or public interest/advocacy organizations), communication ability and aptitude to be a “change agent,” and academic talent that would assure acceptance to a first-rate graduate school. More broadly, Truman Scholars possess intellect, leadership skills, and passion that would make them a likely force for the public good in any field. The $30,000 scholarship is to go towards a graduate education.

Internal Deadline: Typically October
External Deadline: Early February

Udall

The Udall Scholarship Program identifies and cultivates future leaders in environmental, Tribal public policy, and healthcare sectors through a highly competitive selection process, including internal school competitions. Recipients must attend a multi-day Scholar Orientation, enhancing their professional networks and skills. Established in honor of Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall, the scholarship commemorates their impactful careers in Native American self-governance, healthcare, and environmental stewardship. The scholarship provides access to the Udall Alumni Network and financial support for eligible academic expenses. The deadline for applications is late February.