Scholarships for International Students Studying in the U.S.

Scholarships for International Students Studying in the United States

Updated on March 5, 2025

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International students applying for a U.S. study visa must meet specific financial requirements. For an F-1 visa, you need to prove you can cover at least your first year of college expenses. J-1 and M-1 visa applicants must show they can fund their entire stay in the U.S. Additionally, some colleges may ask F-1 applicants to verify they have resources to support their entire education. Demonstrating financial readiness is a crucial step in securing your student visa and planning for your studies.

International students should be aware that working opportunities to earn money while in the U.S. are limited and restricted. Certain visas prohibit international students from working, while others only permit part-time employment. Some international students may be restricted to on-campus jobs.

Most colleges and universities in the United States do not award scholarships to international students. Only about 150 colleges and universities have any significant amount of scholarship money for international students. According to the Open Doors Data initiative of the Institute of International Education (IIE), 19% of international students in the U.S. receive scholarship money from the college or university they are attending, compared with 65% relying primarily on friends and family to pay for school in the U.S.

Instead, international students rely on their own resources, support from friends and family, aid from their country’s government, international organizations and aid from private organizations. This may not seem very friendly, but U.S. students have a similar experience when seeking support for study outside the U.S.

International organizations that may have funds available include the United Nations, Organization of American States, Soros Foundation. Graduate students may be able to obtain a Fulbright scholarship and should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate or EducationUSA. Limited funding may be available from the U.S. government for students from particular countries through the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Agency for International Development (AID).

International students can also search for scholarships through free scholarship matching services. These scholarship search sites include some scholarships that do not require U.S. citizenship. The Institute of International Education (IIE) provides a specialized database of scholarships and grants for international students to study in the U.S. through Funding for U.S. Study Online. Other resources include InternationalScholarships.com, Scholars4dev.com and EduPASS.org. International students may be able to obtain a private student loan from a U.S. lender if they can get a creditworthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident to cosign the loan.