Most scholarship advice is written for high school seniors. If you are heading to graduate school, you have probably noticed that the landscape looks different. Fewer databases list graduate awards. Fewer counselors help you find them. And the programs that do exist are often buried in department websites or professional association pages that you would never stumble across unless someone told you where to look.
This guide covers 15 fellowships and scholarships specifically designed for graduate and professional students. These are not small book stipends. Many of them cover full tuition, provide living stipends, and some even guarantee employment after graduation. If you are applying to or already enrolled in a master's, doctoral, or professional program, these are the awards worth knowing about.
Federal and Government Fellowships
The federal government funds some of the most generous graduate fellowships available. These programs tend to be highly competitive, but they also come with significant financial support and professional credibility that can shape your entire career.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (GRFP)
The NSF GRFP is one of the most prestigious fellowships for STEM graduate students. It provides a $37,000 annual stipend for three years, plus a $16,000 cost-of-education allowance paid directly to your institution. That effectively covers tuition at most public universities and offsets a large chunk at private ones.
Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are early in their graduate careers, typically in their first or second year. The application requires research proposals, personal statements, and strong letters of recommendation. NSF funds fields across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, including social sciences and STEM education.
One thing worth noting: you can apply as an undergraduate senior or during your first two years of grad school, but you only get one shot once enrolled. Plan your application timeline carefully.
SMART Scholarship (Department of Defense)
The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship is a full ride with a twist. It covers full tuition, provides a stipend ranging from $25,000 to $38,000 depending on your degree level, and includes health insurance and a book allowance. In exchange, you commit to working for the Department of Defense after graduation, with one year of service for each year of funding.
This is a strong option if you are studying engineering, physics, cybersecurity, or another STEM field relevant to national defense. The guaranteed employment after graduation removes a lot of the uncertainty that comes with finishing a PhD.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The Fulbright Program funds American graduate students to conduct research or study abroad for one academic year. Awards are fully funded and cover travel, living expenses, health insurance, and sometimes tuition at a foreign institution.
Fulbright is open to students in all fields, not just STEM. If your research has an international dimension or you want to study at a specific university abroad, this is one of the best ways to fund that experience. Competition varies by country, so it pays to research acceptance rates for your target destination.
Boren Fellowships
Boren Fellowships provide up to $30,000 for U.S. graduate students who study languages and regions critical to U.S. national security. Think Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Swahili, and other less commonly taught languages. The fellowship supports study abroad and domestic language programs.
Like the SMART scholarship, Boren comes with a service requirement. Recipients must work for the federal government for at least one year after completing their program. If you are considering a career in intelligence, diplomacy, or international development, this is a natural fit.
Truman Scholarship
The Harry S. Truman Scholarship awards $30,000 toward graduate school for students committed to careers in public service. It is technically open to college juniors, but the funding is designated for graduate study, so it belongs on this list.
Truman Scholars also gain access to a network of public service professionals and priority consideration for federal internships. If you are headed to law school, public policy programs, or graduate programs in public administration, this is a highly respected credential.
Rangel Fellowship
The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship covers up to $47,000 per year for two years of graduate study, plus summer internships, mentoring, and a pathway to becoming a U.S. Foreign Service Officer. The program targets students from underrepresented backgrounds who want careers in diplomacy.
If you are admitted to the Rangel program, you will attend a graduate program in international affairs or a related field, complete internships at Congress and a U.S. embassy, and then enter the Foreign Service after graduation.
Pickering Fellowship
The Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship is similar to the Rangel program. It provides funding for two years of graduate study in international affairs, along with internships at the State Department and overseas. Fellows commit to a minimum of five years of service as Foreign Service Officers.
The Pickering program is slightly broader in its eligibility criteria but shares the same goal: building a diverse pipeline of future diplomats. If you are torn between Rangel and Pickering, you can apply to both.
Foundation Fellowships
Private foundations fund some of the most generous and flexible graduate fellowships. These programs often look beyond GPA and test scores to find students with unique perspectives, research agendas, or life experiences.
Ford Foundation Fellowship
The Ford Foundation Fellowship provides $27,000 per year for up to three years to PhD students who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and scholarship. The program is open to U.S. citizens and nationals in all research-based fields, and it specifically aims to increase diversity among college and university faculty.
Ford Fellows receive their funding through the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The fellowship also includes access to conferences, mentoring, and a community of scholars. If you are a PhD student from an underrepresented background or your research focuses on diversity and inclusion, this is one of the most important fellowships to consider.
Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
The Soros Fellowship awards up to $90,000 over two years to immigrants and children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate study in the United States. The fellowship is open to students in any field and at any accredited graduate program.
What makes this fellowship distinctive is its focus on the immigrant experience. Applicants must be new Americans, defined as naturalized citizens, green card holders, or DACA recipients. The selection process places heavy emphasis on your personal story, creativity, and the potential to make significant contributions to your field.
Hertz Foundation Fellowship
The Hertz Fellowship is one of the most generous awards in graduate education. It provides a stipend of at least $50,000 per year for up to five years, with full tuition coverage, for PhD students in the applied physical, biological, and engineering sciences.
The Hertz Foundation looks for students who plan to use their scientific training to solve real-world problems. The application process includes a technical interview, and the acceptance rate is extremely low, typically around 1 to 2 percent. But for those who receive it, the financial freedom to pursue ambitious research without worrying about funding is transformative.
National GEM Consortium Fellowship
The GEM Fellowship provides full tuition and a living stipend to underrepresented minority students pursuing master's or doctoral degrees in STEM fields. GEM partners with over 100 universities and a network of employer sponsors, and many fellows receive paid summer internships as part of the package.
There are two tracks: the MS Engineering Fellowship and the PhD Science or Engineering Fellowship. Both are designed to increase the number of underrepresented minorities with advanced degrees in technical fields. If you qualify, the combination of tuition coverage, stipend, and industry connections makes this one of the strongest STEM fellowships available.
Scholarships for Women in Graduate School
AAUW Fellowships and Grants
The American Association of University Women offers several fellowship and grant programs for women at different stages of graduate study. Awards range from $2,000 for community action grants to $50,000 for postdoctoral research fellowships.
The most relevant programs for current graduate students include the American Fellowships (for women in the dissertation or postdoctoral stage), International Fellowships (for non-U.S. women studying in the U.S.), and Career Development Grants (for women returning to school to advance their careers). AAUW has been funding women's education since 1888, and their programs cover a wide range of fields.
If you are a woman pursuing a graduate degree, AAUW should be one of the first organizations you check, regardless of your field of study.
Diversity and Minority Graduate Fellowships
Several organizations specifically fund graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds, particularly in fields where diversity remains a persistent challenge.
AERA Minority Dissertation Fellowship in Education Research
The American Educational Research Association provides $25,000 dissertation fellowships to underrepresented minority doctoral students conducting education research. This fellowship is specifically for students who are in the writing stage of their dissertation.
Beyond the financial support, AERA fellows receive mentoring from established researchers and opportunities to present their work at national conferences. If your dissertation focuses on education policy, teaching, learning, or related topics, this is a targeted source of support during the most difficult phase of a PhD program.
Spencer Dissertation Fellowship
The Spencer Foundation awards $27,500 to doctoral students whose dissertations focus on education. Unlike the AERA fellowship, the Spencer is not restricted by race or ethnicity, but it does prioritize research that addresses important questions about education.
The Spencer Fellowship is highly regarded in education research circles, and it signals to future employers and collaborators that your work has been recognized by one of the field's major funders. The application typically opens in the fall for funding the following academic year.
Note that both the Ford Foundation Fellowship and the GEM Consortium Fellowship, discussed above, also prioritize applicants from underrepresented backgrounds. If you qualify for multiple programs, apply to all of them. There is no penalty for holding multiple applications, and many fellowships allow you to decline after receiving an offer.
Professional School Scholarships
If you are heading to medical school, law school, or nursing school, the scholarship landscape has its own set of programs worth exploring. Medical students should look into the National Health Service Corps Scholarship, military health professions scholarships (HPSP), and school-specific merit awards. Law students have access to public interest loan repayment programs, school-funded scholarships, and bar association grants. Nursing students can explore the NURSE Corps Scholarship and state-funded programs.
We cover these in more detail in our guides to medical school scholarships, law school financial aid, and nursing school funding. The fellowships listed in this article are primarily for research-oriented and general graduate programs, but several of them, including Fulbright and the Soros Fellowship, also accept professional school applicants.
How Graduate Scholarships Differ from Undergraduate Awards
If you funded your bachelor's degree with scholarships, you might expect the graduate process to work the same way. It does not.
- Fewer centralized databases. Undergraduate scholarships are cataloged on platforms like Fastweb, Scholarships.com, and your college's financial aid office. Graduate awards are often listed only on department websites, professional association pages, or the fellowship program's own site.
- Larger individual awards. Undergraduate scholarships of $500 or $1,000 are common. Graduate fellowships routinely cover full tuition and provide living stipends of $20,000 to $50,000 per year.
- Research and service expectations. Most graduate fellowships expect you to conduct original research, contribute to your field, or fulfill a service commitment. They are investing in your professional trajectory, not just your grades.
- Faculty involvement matters more. Your advisor's reputation, your research proposal, and your letters of recommendation carry more weight than your GPA or test scores at the graduate level.
- Departmental funding is a major source. Many graduate students are funded through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or department-specific fellowships that never appear in external databases. Always ask your department about internal funding before looking externally.
Tips for Graduate Scholarship Applicants
- Start early. Many graduate fellowships have deadlines in the fall for the following academic year. The NSF GRFP, Ford Foundation, and Hertz Fellowship all require applications months before you might expect.
- Talk to your advisor. Faculty members often know about fellowships specific to your subfield that you will not find through general searches. They can also write stronger recommendation letters if you give them adequate time.
- Tailor your research statement. Generic proposals do not win fellowships. Each application should explain why your research matters, how it connects to the fellowship's mission, and what you plan to accomplish with the funding.
- Apply to multiple programs. There is no rule against submitting applications to several fellowships simultaneously. Cast a wide net and decide later if you receive multiple offers.
- Look at professional associations. Organizations like the American Chemical Society, the American Psychological Association, and IEEE all offer dissertation grants and fellowships. Search within your specific discipline.
- Do not overlook employer-sponsored programs. Many companies offer tuition reimbursement or sponsor employees for graduate study. If you are working full-time, check with your employer before assuming you need to fund everything through external scholarships.
- Check eligibility carefully. Some fellowships are only open to U.S. citizens. Others require you to be in a specific year of your program. Reading the fine print before investing hours in an application will save you time and frustration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get a full ride to graduate school?
Yes. Several fellowships on this list, including the NSF GRFP, Hertz, SMART, and GEM, cover full tuition and provide living stipends. Many PhD programs in STEM fields also offer full funding through research or teaching assistantships as part of the admissions package. Full funding for master's programs is less common but possible through fellowships like Soros and Boren.
Are graduate scholarships taxable?
It depends. Scholarship money used for tuition and required fees is generally tax-free. Stipend money used for living expenses is typically taxable as income. The IRS provides guidance in Publication 970, and your university's financial aid office can help you understand how your specific fellowship is treated.
Can I apply for graduate fellowships before being admitted?
Many fellowships, including the NSF GRFP and Ford Foundation Fellowship, allow you to apply during your senior year of college or early in your graduate program. Some, like the Soros Fellowship, require that you have not yet started your second year of graduate study. Check each program's eligibility requirements.
What GPA do I need for graduate fellowships?
Most graduate fellowships do not publish a minimum GPA requirement. They evaluate your complete application, including research proposals, personal statements, and recommendation letters. A strong application with a compelling research agenda can succeed even without a perfect GPA. That said, a very low GPA may raise concerns, so address any weaknesses directly in your application.
Can international students apply for these fellowships?
Most of the fellowships listed here are restricted to U.S. citizens or permanent residents. International students studying in the U.S. should look at university-specific fellowships, home country government scholarships, and programs like the AAUW International Fellowship. The Fulbright Program also offers awards for international students through its foreign student program, administered by the student's home country.
How many fellowships should I apply to?
Apply to every fellowship for which you are eligible. There is no limit, and the effort of adapting your materials for multiple applications is worth it when a single award can be worth $30,000 or more per year. Most successful fellows report applying to five to ten programs.
Do I need to apply separately from my graduate school application?
Yes. Graduate fellowships are almost always separate from your university admissions application. You apply to the fellowship organization directly, and if you receive an award, you bring it to the school you attend. A few exceptions exist where universities nominate candidates internally, so check whether your program handles any nominations on your behalf.
What if I already started my graduate program?
Many fellowships accept applications from current graduate students, not just incoming ones. The Ford Foundation, AAUW, AERA, and Spencer fellowships all target students who are already enrolled. The NSF GRFP accepts applications through the second year of a PhD program. Do not assume you have missed your window.
Bottom Line
Graduate school funding requires more legwork than undergraduate financial aid, but the payoff can be significant. A single fellowship can cover two to five years of tuition and living expenses, letting you focus on your research and career development instead of worrying about debt.
Start with the programs listed above, then expand your search to professional associations in your field and your university's graduate funding office. The money is out there. It just takes more effort to find.
-- Sravani at CollegeLens