Which US universities offer full scholarships to international students

Many US universities do offer full scholarships to international students, but only a small group covers the entire cost without loans. These are mostly highly selective schools with large endowments. Below are the ones known for offering full need-based funding or fully funded merit scholarships.

US universities that can fully fund international students

The universities below are known for giving scholarships that can cover full tuition and, when based on financial need, also living costs such as housing, meals, and insurance.

• Harvard University: Need-based aid. If a student is admitted and shows financial need, Harvard covers it fully.
• Yale University: Need-based aid covering tuition, housing, meals, health insurance.
• Princeton University: One of the most generous. No loans, full need covered.
• MIT: Need-based aid only. Full costs possible if the family has low income.
• Amherst College: Meets full demonstrated need for all admitted students.
• Dartmouth College: Full need-based funding; can include travel support.
• Brown University: Need-based aid; international students treated like US students in assessment.
• Stanford University: Need-based aid that can cover full cost for low-income families.
• University of Chicago: Combination of need-based and competitive merit aid.
• Duke University: Offers the full Meredith or Robertson scholarships for exceptional talent.
• Vanderbilt University: Full-tuition merit scholarships like Ingram and Cornelius Vanderbilt.
• University of Southern California: Offers a full-tuition merit award (Trustee Scholarship).

How the funding works in simple terms

• Need-based aid: The school checks family income and assets. If the family cannot afford the cost, the university covers the gap. No need to be poor, but income must justify support.
• Merit scholarships: Given for exceptional academic results, leadership, or talent. Very competitive and limited in number.
• What “full scholarship” usually covers: Tuition, housing, meal plan, student fees, and sometimes health insurance and travel.
• What it does not cover: Visa costs, personal expenses, and sometimes books. Students usually pay those from savings or campus work.
• Admission difficulty: These schools are extremely selective. Strong grades, English scores, activities, and essays matter.

Practical next steps

• Check each university’s “International Financial Aid” page; rules change yearly.
• Prepare early: standardized tests, recommendation letters, essays, financial documents.
• Apply broadly: mix need-based and merit-awarding universities.
• Track deadlines: many scholarship applications are due earlier than general admission.