
Top 10 Fully Funded Scholarships in the USA 2026 for International Students
Written by Zain Aqdas, Founder and lead researcher, Scholarships AtlasPublished 20 August 2026
The United States is one of the most expensive study destinations in the world, which makes fully funded scholarships especially valuable. These are ten fully funded awards available in the USA for 2026.
1. Knight-Hennessy Scholars at Stanford University. The graduate scholarship at Stanford covers tuition, a living stipend, travel and academic expenses for any graduate degree.
2. Fulbright Foreign Student Program. The US government's exchange scholarship funds graduate study and research at American universities with tuition support, a monthly stipend and travel.
3. Rhodes Scholarships (U.S.). One of the oldest postgraduate awards in the world, funding study at Oxford University through the US constituency.
4. Gates Millennium Scholarship Program. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's award for high-achieving students with significant financial need covers the full cost of study.
5. Karsh International Scholarship Program. A full-ride scholarship at Duke University covering tuition, room and board for high-achieving international undergraduates.
6. Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP). Funds graduate study in development-related fields at selected universities in the USA and around the world.
7. Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program. Supports graduate study for students from marginalized communities, with full funding for master's and doctoral degrees.
8. Goldwater Scholarship. A national award for undergraduates pursuing research careers in STEM, providing up to $7,500 per year.
9. Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation. A competitive national award for students committed to public service leadership, worth up to $30,000 for graduate study.
Every award above has different eligibility rules, so read the full listing before applying. Most US deadlines fall 8 to 12 months before the academic year starts. Start early and verify every detail on the official provider website.
Zain Aqdas
Founder and lead researcher, Scholarships Atlas
Zain Aqdas founded Scholarships Atlas and built its catalogue from official university, government and agency sources. He writes the guides on this site and checks funding details against each programme's published materials before they go out.