Let’s get one thing straight before we start: “fully funded” gets thrown around way too loosely on scholarship websites, and half of what shows up in a Google search is either partial funding dressed up in fancy language or a program that quietly expects you to cover your own flights. I’ve dug through the actual programs that pay for tuition, housing, health insurance, and sometimes even your plane ticket home for the holidays. These 20 are real, they’re currently active, and international students genuinely win them every year.
What “fully funded” actually means (and why it matters)
A truly fully funded scholarship covers your tuition and fees, plus living costs like housing and food, plus health insurance, and often a travel allowance to get you to the US and back. Some go further and throw in a laptop stipend or conference travel money. Anything less than that combo is a “partial scholarship,” which is fine, but it’s not what we’re talking about here.
I mention this because a lot of “top scholarship” lists online mix in tuition-only awards and call it a day. That’s not helpful when you’re trying to figure out if you can actually afford to move to another country for four years. Every entry below covers, at minimum, tuition and living expenses. Some cover literally everything down to your winter coat.
The quick comparison: 10 of the biggest names
Before the full list, here’s a snapshot of the heavy hitters, the ones you’ve probably already heard of if you’ve spent five minutes researching study-in-the-USA options.
| Scholarship | Level | What it covers | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fulbright Foreign Student Program | Master’s / PhD | Tuition, airfare, monthly stipend, health insurance | Students from 160+ countries, nominated through local Fulbright commissions |
| Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship | Non-degree, 1 year | Tuition, stipend, health insurance, professional development funds | Mid-career professionals in public service fields |
| Harvard University financial aid | Undergraduate | 100% of demonstrated need, no loans | Admitted students regardless of nationality |
| Yale University financial aid | Undergraduate | Full need-based aid, need-blind admissions | International applicants starting with the class entering fall 2025 |
| Princeton University financial aid | Undergraduate | Full need met, grants instead of loans | All admitted students, including international |
| MIT financial aid | Undergraduate | Full demonstrated need covered | Admitted international students (admission itself is need-aware) |
| Clark University Global Scholars Program | Undergraduate | Full tuition, room, and board | Top applicants from select partner countries |
| Berea College | Undergraduate | 100% tuition, no-loan policy for all students | Students with strong academics and financial need, US and international |
| Rotary Peace Fellowships | Master’s / Certificate | Tuition, travel, room and board, internship funding | Professionals in peace and conflict resolution fields |
| AAUW International Fellowships | Master’s / PhD / Postdoc | Tuition, living stipend | Women pursuing graduate study in the US |
The full list of 20
Now the complete rundown. I’ve grouped these loosely by type so you can find your lane faster, whether that’s a government-run program, a specific university’s aid policy, or a niche fellowship built for a particular kind of student.
- Fulbright Foreign Student Program. Run by the US Department of State and administered locally through Fulbright commissions or the nearest US Embassy. Covers tuition, a monthly living stipend, round-trip airfare, and health insurance for a master’s or PhD program. Deadlines vary wildly by country, so check your local commission’s site, not the generic US one.
- Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship. A one-year, non-degree program for experienced professionals (think government workers, journalists, NGO staff) in fields like public health, law, or natural resource management. Covers tuition, a stipend, health coverage, and even funding for a professional affiliation visit.
- Harvard University need-based aid. Harvard doesn’t have a separate “international scholarship” you apply to. Instead, financial aid is baked into admissions, and it meets 100% of demonstrated need with grants, not loans, reg