Reference Guide for International Students

If you are a non-U.S. citizen looking for financial support to continue your education in the United States, you should first check with the financial aid office of the institution you plan to attend. (For a list of colleges and universities with financial aid offices on the World Wide Web, see FinAid's Financial Aid Offices Web Page). This reference guide will direct you to relevant print and electronic resources in a more general way.

Most foundations do not give grants directly to individuals; however, those that do are profiled in the Foundation Center's Foundation Grants to Individuals, available in print or as a searchable online database. The "International Giving Index" of the print directory includes U.S.-based grantmakers giving exclusively to individuals from countries other than the United States. The grants they award are for a variety of purposes and projects, including educational support.

If you are unfamiliar with the process of grantseeking, you may want to start the process by taking the Foundation Center's interactive e-learning tutorial, Finding Foundation Support for Your Education, which guides students through the process of seeking financial support from foundations to pursue their studies. Here you will learn the basics about such topics as facts about foundations that provide financial aid for individuals, other sources beyond foundations, resources for the scholarship seeker, and how to apply. This fully interactive tutorial also includes several worksheets you can download and complete to assist in your search for funding and a self-test to reinforce what you've learned. Free registration and Macromedia Flash Player are required.

You may also want to visit the Individual Grantseekers area of the Foundation Center's web site. Information on proposal writing for individual grantseekers can be found in our FAQ "Where can I find information on proposal writing for individual grantseekers?". You will also find that many foundations provide application forms and application guidelines, instead of requiring a proposal from individuals seeking funding.

Electronic Resources for International Students

Foundation Grants to Individuals Online (http://gtionline.fdncenter.org)
The Foundation Center's online database of more than 6,500 grantmaker programs that provide support to individuals. Available at a low monthly subscription rate.

Academy for Educational Development (AED) (http://www.aed.org/index.cfm)
AED administers international exchange programs that allow professionals in government, education, science, media and other key fields from the U.S. and other countries to work together to strengthen their expertise. A list of AED sponsored exchange projects can be found in International Exchanges.

eduPASS (http://www.edupass.org)
eduPASS provides financial aid information through FastWeb, a scholarship search engine that prompts users to enter information about themselves (including country or geographic information) and responds with an appropriate list of available scholarships. (Free registration is required in order to use FastWeb.) eduPASS also includes links to information on passports and visas, cultural differences, and more.

Fulbright Foreign Student Program (http://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/)
The Fullbright Foreign Student Program is administered by binational Fulbright Commissions and Foundations or U.S. Embassies and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. The program awards grants to international students for Master’s degree or Ph.D. study at U.S. universities or other appropriate institutions. Check the How to Apply section of this web site for a list of participating countries and other information.

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program (http://www.iie.org/Template.cfm?&Template=/programs/hhh/default.htm)
The Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program is administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE) with support from the U.S. Department of State. The program brings professionals from designated countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Europe, and Eurasia to the United States for a year of study and related professional experiences. Humphrey Fellows are placed at selected U.S. universities. Fellowship information includes the list of eligible countries and fields, application procedures, and selection criteria.

International Scholarships (http://www.internationalscholarships.com)
International Scholarships has a searchable database grants, scholarships, and loans for international students wishing to study abroad. You can search by field of study, location of study, and host institution. Free registration is required.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators (http://www.nafsa.org/students.sec)
NAFSA promotes the exchange of students and scholars to and from the United States. The web site includes information on grants and scholarships and links to other informational sites.

Peterson's U.S. Scholarship Search for International Students (http://www.petersons.com/acuus/code/psector.asp)
This scholarship search tool provided by the publishers of the Peterson's Guides includes International Scholarship Search and International Graduate Scholarship Search. The search engine allows you to enter information about age, gender, ethnicity, residency, and academic record, among other factors to find suitable scholarship programs. Registration is free.

Social Science Research Council (http://www.ssrc.org)
Supports international fellowships and grant programs in the social sciences. The Fellowship section of the web site provides access to information on current funding opportunities and online applications. There is also a useful guide to writing research grant proposals, The Art of Writing Proposals: Some Candid Suggestions for Applicants to Social Science Research Council Competitionsguide, available in full text.

Recommended Books for International Students

Edelson, Phyllis, ed. Foundation Grants to Individuals. 16th ed. New York, NY: The Foundation Center, 2007. Profiles more than 6,500 foundation programs that make grants to individuals for education, arts and culture, general welfare, and more.

Baynes, Louise, ed. The Grants Register: The Complete Guide to Postgraduate Funding Worldwide: 2008. 26th ed. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, Ltd., 2007. Lists scholarships, fellowships, and awards at all levels of graduate study, from regional, national, and international sources; arranged alphabetically by name of organization. Entries provide contact information, subject, eligibility, purpose, type, number of awards offered, frequency, amount of award, length of study, country of study, and application procedure.

Cassidy, Dan. Dan Cassidy's Worldwide College Scholarship Directory. 5th ed. Franklin Lakes, NJ: Career Press, 2000. Lists private sector scholarships available to undergraduates, including the top 10 international scholarships for international students.

Funding for United States Study: A Scholarship Guide for Europeans. New York, NY: Institute of International Education. 2005. Provides information on over 200 fellowships, scholarships, grants, paid internships, and other sources of financial assistance available for European and Eastern European nationals wishing to pursue educational objectives in the United States.

Funding U.S. Studies: Graduate and Post-Graduate Opportunities for Latin Americans. New York, NY: Institute of International Education. 2003. Contains information on graduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral funding, work-study grants, and the Fulbright and Ford fellowship programs. Indexed by field of study and nationality.

International Exchange Locator: A Resource Directory for Educational and Cultural Exchange. Washington, D.C.: Alliance for International Educational and Cultural Exchange. 2005. Profiles organizations involved in international exchanges and industry-specific exchanges, along with research/support organizations, foreign affairs agencies and exchange programs, other federal government exchanges, and key Congressional committees and members of Congress.

Obst, Daniel, ed. Funding for United States Study: A Guide for International Students and Professionals. 2008-2009. New York, NY: Institute of International Education. 2008. Provides information on more than 500 grants, fellowships, and scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study, as well as doctoral and postdoctoral research in the United States. In addition, the guide provides informative articles on financial assistance and university funding options.

Peterson's Scholarships for Study in the USA and Canada. 3rd ed. Princeton, NJ: Peterson's Guides, 1999. Lists foundations, corporations, industry organizations, fraternal and ethnic organizations, and community service, veterans', and religious groups that offer scholarship programs open to international students.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Study Abroad: Etudes a l'etranger. Estudios en el extranjero, 2006-2007. 33rd ed. Paris, France: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. 2005. Profiles some 2,900 post-secondary educational institutions and their programs in all academic and professional fields. Includes information about financial assistance offered by international organizations, governments, foundations, universities and other institutions in more than 151 countries. Entries are presented in English, French, and Spanish.

For other articles and books for international students, check under the subject heading "Scholarships, fellowships and loans--international students--directories" in the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.