The United States of America has numerous prestigious and globally competitive universities. Because of this fact, it is reasonable to say that many would choose to attend an American university if given a chance. However, getting accepted at a university in the United States can be extremely difficult if not planned early and accordingly. It is crucial to know that applying for a university does not mean filling up paperwork and sending those. Preparation for college admission means studying hard and maintaining an impressive academic profile in your preceding educational levels.

A strong academic profile, as well as English language proficiency, can widen your options if you choose to study in an American university. As there are many schools for you to choose from, you can choose to apply to universities with affordable tuition costs. Better, scholarships can help you study in the United States for free. Since you look to study abroad for the duration of your degree study, keep in mind that beyond tuition costs, you should prepare for living expenses and other miscellaneous expenses such as healthcare insurance. Receiving a scholarship or fellowship can help you manage your finances.

With the possibility of studying for a degree in the United States for free, there are also endless options for experiencing American culture. Aside from improving your English language skills, the country is also a great place to do other things such as exploring its vast land area and visiting its numerous national parks and world-renowned tourist spots. Food, movies, music, theaters, and festivals also call for your attention if you wish to explore the country in a more colorful and lively yet meaningful way.

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.

Read Also: Free Universities in USA for International Students

How to Study in 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 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 the Minot State University in North Dakota.

Coupled with scholarships, you can study in 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.

Check Also: Available Programs for International Students

3. Get Scholarships in 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

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

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

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

New York University also covers graduate degrees through its 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. Harvard University Master’s Scholarship

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. If you want more information, check out the best Master’s Scholarships for International Students!

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 a Ph.D. for free in the USA.

1. University of Miami Fellowships

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

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

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

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.

 

We hope that this article on how to study in the USA for free was helpful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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22 Comments

  1. S.Roosevelt Sando sr. - Reply

    I’m interested of your scholarships

  2. mahmoud - Reply

    I need a university in America, a business administration department. I am Mahmoud from Egypt.

    • Hyun Lee - Reply

      Hi, what degree are you seeking?

  3. Mariama sheriff - Reply

    Am interested in scholarship
    Am from sierra leone

  4. Dan Bekoe Bekson - Reply

    Hi I have a bachelor’s in Theology, and I want a scholarship to do my Masters in Theology

  5. Anonymous - Reply

    Hi, I need a scholarship in the USA. I’m interested in studying nursing next year

  6. Dr EKERE OGHENETEGA E - Reply

    I have MBBS and Masters in Public health. I want to do a Ph.D. in Public health online and possibly free of tution

    • Hyun Lee - Reply

      Hi, I do not know of any online Ph.D. in public health.

  7. Levi Khamala Ngoya - Reply

    What are the minimum requirements for one to merit for these scholarships?

    • Hyun Lee - Reply

      Hello, each scholarship has different criteria, but usually excellent SAT/ACT score, GPA, and extracurriculars are needed.

  8. Evalina Thokozani Chagara - Reply

    May you please givee some information on how I can apply for fully funded scholarships in USA

  9. ETYANG EMMANUEL - Reply

    Hey I am interested in a degree scholarship in UK or USA. I am from Uganda, thanks.

  10. Anonymous - Reply

    I tried to apply for 2025 scholarships intake but scholarship application only works for 2024. Did the deadlines pass already?

    • Hyun Lee - Reply

      Hello, the intakes for 2025 scholarships have not opened at the time of this writing (October 2023). Only intakes for 2024 scholarships are open right now. You can start applying for 2025 intakes in 2024.

  11. Denise Eden Tekitendwa - Reply

    Hello I would like to know how to get a scholarship in any university in the USA for my masters for 2024

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