Summer might feel like a great time to relax, but did you know some of the most unique scholarship opportunities require summer preparation? Scholarships are available to college students and recent graduates that help fund trips abroad, research projects, leadership development and more. Using summer to figure out your eligibility and the required materials for submission is essential. Even if scholarships list spring deadlines, many campuses require students to meet earlier internal deadlines. Dream big and use your summer wisely. Check out the many competitive scholarships, their requirements and when to start your application prep.
Getting Started
If you are interested in pursuing a unique education opportunity related to research or leadership in the U.S. or abroad, start by reading through descriptions of the opportunities (see below). First, decide what you are interested in, which programs fit your area of study and which ones you are eligible for.
Second, email your advisor and ask for help connecting with the campus advisor for the program if there is one for your selected opportunity. Third, spend some time reading through the website materials. Make notes on requirements, preferences and important aspects of your academic career to highlight when filling out your application. Find the places where your interests intersect with the focus of each organization or program. Finally, get to work on your materials. Set aside dedicated time to draft answers to application questions and to practice for interviews, keeping in touch with your advisor, any professor you might need to work with and the campus contact for the program.
Undergraduate Opportunities
The Boren Scholarships: a travel and language opportunity
This award funds an intensive language and culture abroad experience for American undergraduate in world regions critical to the United States. Eligible applicants can apply for a Regional Flagship Language Initiative or design their own study program. Visit the study abroad office to learn more.
- Award amount: up to $25,000 (up to 1 year)
- Eligibility criteria: Undergraduate-level freshmen, sophomore, junior or senior
- Program website: borenawards.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the study abroad office a year in advance or as soon as possible
- Program deadline: January
The Goldwater Scholarship Program: a science, math and engineering opportunity
One of the oldest and most prestigious national scholarships in natural sciences, engineering and mathematics, this program supports students who show promise of becoming the next generation of research leaders. Students should find and contact the campus advisor for this program during the summer before they begin applying.
- Award amount: up to $7,500 per year (1-2 years)
- Eligibility criteria: sophomore or junior; minimum 3.0 GPA
- Program website: goldwaterscholarship.gov
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor during the summer or fall semester
- Program deadline: January
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation: a public service opportunity
This award is for students who plan to pursue careers in government or elsewhere in public service and is a merit-based scholarship for college students.
- Award amount: up to $30,000
- Eligibility criteria: junior
- Program website: truman.gov
- Program deadline: February
The Udall Scholarship: a Native American culture and environmental opportunity
This foundation is for students committed to leadership, public service and issues related to Native American nations or the environment.
- Award amount: up to $7,000 (1 year)
- Eligibility criteria: sophomore or junior
- Program website: udall.gov/ourprograms/scholarship/scholarship
- Campus deadline: Applications open in October. Contact the campus advisor prior to submission.
- Program deadline: March
Senior or Graduate Opportunities
Within the United States
James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program: a research assistant opportunity
Each year, through the James C. Gaither Junior Fellows program, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace offers approximately 12 one-year fellowships to uniquely qualified graduating seniors and individuals who have graduated during the past academic year. James C. Gaither Junior Fellows work as research assistants to Carnegie’s senior scholars.
- Award amount: $42,000
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: carnegieendowment.org/about/jr-fellows
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: January
The James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation: an opportunity for teachers
The James Madison Graduate Fellowships is for individuals desiring to become outstanding teachers of the American Constitution at the secondary school level (grades 7-12).
- Award amount: up to $12,000 per year (1-2 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: jamesmadison.gov
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: March
The Knight-Hennessy Scholars: an opportunity for emerging leaders
This opportunity cultivates a diverse, multidisciplinary community of emerging leaders from around the world and guides them to collaborate, innovate and communicate as they prepare to address the complex challenges facing society.
- Award amount: full cost of attendance (up to 3 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: knight-hennessy.stanford.edu
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: October
National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship: an opportunity for NSF-supported STEM disciplines
NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions.
- Award amount: up to $34,000 per year (3 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: nsfgrfp.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: October
The Payne Fellowship: an opportunity for interest in the U.S. Foreign Service Agency
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Donald M. Payne Graduate Fellowship Program seeks to attract outstanding individuals who are interested in pursuing careers in the Foreign Service of USAID.
- Award amount: up to $48,000 per year (2 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior; minimum 3.2 GPA
- Program website: paynefellows.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: October
Pickering Fellowship: an opportunity for interest in foreign service careers
Funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by Howard University, The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program attracts and prepares outstanding young people for Foreign Service careers in the U.S. Department of State.
- Award amount: up to $37,000 per year (2 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior; minimum 3.2 GPA
- Program website: pickeringfellowship.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: September
Rangel Fellowship: an opportunity with the U.S. Department of State of foreign service
The Rangel Graduate Fellowship aims to attract and prepare outstanding young people for careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Department of State in which they can help formulate, represent and implement U.S. foreign policy.
- Award amount: up to $37,500 per year (2 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate; minimum 3.2 GPA
- Program website: rangelprogram.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: September
Soros Fellowships: an opportunity for new Americans that honors immigrant contributions
The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans program honors the contributions of immigrants and children of immigrants to the United States. Each year, the fellowships invest in the graduate education of 30 New Americans — immigrants and children of immigrants — who are poised to make significant contributions to U.S. society, culture or their academic field.
- Award amount: up to $90,000 (2 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: pdsoros.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: October
Outside the United States
The Boren Fellowships: a travel and language opportunity
This award funds research and language proposal for American graduate students in world regions critical to the U.S. Eligible applicants can apply for a Regional Flagship Language Initiative or design their own study program. Visit the study abroad office to learn more.
- Award amount: up to $25,000 (up to 1 year)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: borenawards.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the study abroad office a year in advance or as soon as possible
- Program deadline: January – Students should start a year in advance of the deadline.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program: an opportunity to build unity through service
In partnership with more than 140 countries worldwide, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers opportunities in all academic disciplines to passionate and accomplished graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad.
- Award amount: varies by country
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: us.fulbrightonline.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: Mid-October
The Gates Cambridge Scholarship Programme: an opportunity to study at Cambridge
This program was established in 2000 after the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation donated $210 million to the University of Cambridge to fund an international postgraduate scholarship program for students who are both academically outstanding and show a strong commitment to improving the lives of others.
- Award amount: full cost of attendance (up to 4 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: gatescambridge.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: October
Marshall Scholarships: an opportunity to study abroad in the United Kingdom (UK)
This scholarship finances young Americans of high ability to study for a degree in the UK up to 50 scholars are selected each year to study at the graduate level at a UK institution in any field of study.
- Award amount: full cost of attendance (1-2 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate; minimum 3.7 GPA
- Program website: marshallscholarship.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: September
The George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program: an opportunity in Ireland
The George J. Mitchell Scholarship Program is designed to introduce and connect generations of future American leaders to the island of Ireland while recognizing and fostering intellectual achievement, leadership and a commitment to community and public service.
- Award amount: full cost of attendance (1 year)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: us-irelandalliance.org/mitchellscholarship
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: September
The Rhodes Scholarships: an opportunity for outstanding global students to study at Oxford
The Rhodes Scholarships, the oldest international educational fellowships, were initiated after the death of Cecil Rhodes in 1902, and bring outstanding students from many countries around the world to the University of Oxford.
- Award amount: full cost of attendance (2-3 years)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/office-of-the-american-secretary/
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: October
Schwarzman Scholars: an opportunity to study in Beijing
Schwarzman Scholars is a highly selective, one-year master’s program at Tsinghua University in Beijing that is designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders for the challenges of the future.
- Award amount: full cost of attendance (1 year)
- Eligibility criteria: senior or recent graduate
- Program website: schwarzmanscholars.org
- Campus deadline: Contact the campus advisor
- Program deadline: September
