Every time a prospective international student makes up their mind to go abroad
they all think about studying hard…
Aside from the offer letter
the most desired thing is the scholarship
As we all know, graduate scholarships in the U.S. are complex and diverse
To successfully secure them
is no easy feat!
CheersYou（清柚教育） has specially compiled a U.S. scholarship guide for everyone
hoping to help you realize your study abroad dreams & enjoy life overseas
Types of Scholarships
Undergraduate Scholarships
1. Merit-Based Scholarship
These merit-based scholarships are awarded based on the applicant's academic level, development potential, and other strength factors. They are generally limited in number and not large in amount. This type of scholarship is not limited to U.S. domestic students but is open to most applicants; international students typically receive this kind of scholarship.
2. Need-Based Scholarship
This type of scholarship is awarded based on the student's family financial situation, primarily considering factors such as parental income, family assets, family size, etc. Need-based scholarships are very generous for domestic applicants, but for international students, only a few universities offer them; the vast majority provide little to no Need-based scholarships for international applicants.
3. Need-Blind Scholarship
Schools that implement this scholarship policy are generally well-funded private universities. During admissions, as long as the school believes the applicant meets the admission standards, it will assess the family's income and financial support situation and provide funds for study abroad costs beyond the family's means. Many prestigious private U.S. universities follow such need-blind policies, such as Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, etc.
Graduate Scholarships
1. Non-Service Scholarship
This category includes Fellowship (also known as a full scholarship, highly competitive), Scholarship, Tuition & Fee Waiver (TW, full tuition and fee waiver), and awards (other institutional rewards). Non-service scholarships have the highest application rate and the largest amounts.
Fellowship
The amount is the highest but competition is also the fiercest. Generally, receiving a fellowship from an institution is equivalent to a full scholarship, covering not only tuition, fees, housing, insurance, and books, but also providing a certain amount for personal expenses. Applicants must have competitive TOEFL, GRE or GMAT scores, as well as outstanding academic performance and personal statements, among other things.
Scholarship
A specific sum is awarded as a scholarship to students with excellent academic performance, or it can be a full waiver of tuition or fees. The exact amount varies depending on the institution's tuition and fee levels. Generally, the chance of receiving a Scholarship is higher than that of a Fellowship, but the amount is correspondingly smaller.
Tuition & Fee Waiver
The easiest to apply for among non-service scholarships. Some institutions list it separately, while others treat it as a type of Scholarship. Although tuition is waived, since tuition is only part of the total cost, to secure sufficient funds, one must simultaneously apply for other forms of scholarships. This type of financial aid is the most common type received by Chinese students, especially non-STEM applicants.
2. Service Assistantship
This category includes Teaching Assistantship (TA) and Research Assistantship (RA). These scholarships have wide coverage and are the primary way Chinese international students receive funding. They are generally awarded to graduate and doctoral students; a small number of undergraduate students may receive research assistantships, but the ratio is very low.
Teaching Assistantship (TA)
Requires relatively high spoken English skills. A high score on the speaking section of the TOEFL exam will greatly help the application. Recipients typically work 12-20 hours per week assisting with teaching.
Research Assistantship (RA)
On the basis of no communication issues, the applicant's research background is valued. Recipients typically work 12-20 hours per week assisting with research.
Offers are one or a combination of the following:
1. Fellowship.
2. RA + TW.
3. TA + TW.
How to Win Scholarships
Backdoor deals? Ingratiating yourself with reviewers?
NO!
While scholarships are tempting
the application threshold is naturally high
Schools review applicants for scholarship eligibility
primarily based on three dimensions:
GPA
Standardized test scores
Experience and honors
Generally, applicants who excel in all three have a higher probability of receiving scholarships.
Undergraduate Scholarships
When applying for school scholarships, undergraduates should proactively contact U.S. universities and send an initial inquiry letter. The first letter should generally include: a detailed return mailing address, the degree being pursued and field of study (major), intended enrollment date (semester), a request for the admission application and scholarship application forms, and a brief description of your background and TOEFL scores.
Graduate scholarships generally do not require a separate application
Since they are merit-based, most schools automatically decide whether to award scholarships and how much during the review process, based on the applicant's qualifications. A separate application is rarely needed.
For new applications, full scholarships are essentially only given to doctoral students; master's students find it very difficult to obtain them
Due to the economic crisis, funding at U.S. universities is not what it used to be, so full scholarships for master's students, which were seen in earlier years, have basically disappeared, except for a few specific master's programs (such as TESOL, or some MPA, MPH programs at top schools; a few business master's programs might offer funding close to a full scholarship, but scholarships that fully cover tuition are extremely rare).
Thus, schools and professors now prefer to allocate limited funds to PhD students who can contribute more to the school and the professor. Most master's students can only get some tuition waivers or small scholarships to reduce costs, and then cover some expenses through work-study programs. Therefore, it is generally recommended to have at least one year's worth of funds prepared, so that it is possible to complete the degree (U.S. master's programs are mostly around 2 years).
Different scholarships focus on different criteria
Although full scholarships are basically for PhD students, there are still some distinctions in the actual evaluation process. Fellowship, as the most difficult scholarship, has high requirements for both hard skills (GRE/GMAT, GPA, school background, etc.) and soft skills (academic achievements, research experience, etc.).
For TA and RA, since the funding sources are different, it can be roughly understood as: TA places more emphasis on hard skills, especially language proficiency (TOEFL or IELTS). Some schools explicitly state that an oral proficiency test is required for TA applicants. Moreover, since TAs are often funded by the department, and soft background is hard to quantify, when discussions happen, quantifiable factors like GRE/GMAT, GPA, and number of publications are more easily recognized. For RA, which is funded by the professor directly, the professor values whether the student's background meets their needs, so the soft aspects are more important.
Application Difficulty by Major
The difficulty of obtaining scholarships varies greatly by major; requirements for popular majors are much higher and competition is much fiercer.
Most Competitive
Business Administration, Dentistry, Law, Surgery, Marketing, Finance, Fine and Performing Arts, etc.
Competitive
Computer Science and Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Materials Science, Information Science, Automation, Intelligent Technology, Aerospace Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive Science, Management Engineering, Psychology, Internal Medicine, Clinical Medicine, Market Economics, Food Science, etc.
Less Competitive
Mathematics, Statistics, General Physics, High-Energy Physics, Basic Chemistry, Astronomy, Geography, Geological Engineering, Physiology, Marine Biology, Zoology, Botany, Agricultural Science, Philosophy, Education, European History, Native American History, Anthropology, Archaeology, African History, etc.
