Scholarship Opportunities for International Undergrads in the USA?

Exploring my options as an international student hoping to study in the USA. Does anyone have advice on where to find undergraduate scholarships or grants? Any tips on what to prioritize in my applications?

As an international student pursuing an undergraduate degree in the U.S., there are certainly scholarships and grants you may be eligible for. Some of these financial aids are college-specific, designed especially for international students, while others might be external scholarships you can apply to regardless of the school.

Universities often have financial aid programs for international students, and the best place to start is the financial aid page on the website of the universities you're aiming for. For instance, Harvard has a need-blind admissions policy for all students including internationals, and it guarantees to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need.

Moreover, it's worthwhile to check platforms like Appily, which is a robust scholarship search engine. There, you can filter by your status (in your case, international undergraduate) to find a list of scholarships for which you might be eligible.

In terms of application strategy, there are a few things you might want to keep in mind. Firstly, prioritize scholarships for which you stand a good chance. These might be awards related to your intended field of study, your high school achievements, or even your country of origin. Subsequently, also apply for larger, more competitive scholarships - as you never know what might catch an assessor's eye. When you're writing your applications, make sure you tell a compelling story about who you are and why you're an ideal candidate for the scholarship.

Remember to provide all the necessary supporting documentation and submit your applications before their deadlines. And finally, do not be discouraged if you don't win a scholarship on your first try; apply for as many as you can and be persistent. Good luck!