National Scholarship Office

RISE is a summer internship program for undergraduates (RISE Germany) and graduate students (RISE Professional) from the United States, Canada and the UK in the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences and engineering. It offers unique opportunities to work with research groups at universities and top research institutions across Germany for a period of 2 to 3 months during the summer. RISE interns are matched with doctoral students whom they assist and who serve as their mentors. The working language will be English. All scholarship holders receive stipends from DAAD to help cover living expenses, while partner universities & research institutes provide housing assistance.

The Gates Cambridge Scholarship offers 80 full-cost scholarships to outstanding applicants from countries outside the UK to pursue a full-time postgraduate degree in any subject available at the University of Cambridge. Approximately two-thirds of these awards will be offered to PhD students, with approximately 25 awards available in the U.S. round and 55 available in the International round.

The scholarship was established in 2000 by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to the University of Cambridge. Applicants can be from any discipline. Those who apply must exhibit outstanding intellectual ability and leadership potential. Applicants must also be dedicated to improving the lives of other people and be a good fit to the program they are applying for at Cambridge.

The Schwarzman Scholars Program was created to increase understanding of China’s role in the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century. Scholars participate in a one-year Master’s Degree at Tsinghua University in Beijing to pursue public policy, economics and business, or international studies.

The award covers:

• Tuition fees
• Room and board at a state-of-the-art facility
• Travel to and from Beijing
• An in-country study tour
• Required course books and supplies
• Lenovo laptop and smartphone
• Health insurance
• A personal stipend of $3500

Applicants must be at least 18 but not yet 29 years of age at of the start of August after they apply. Completion of an undergraduate degree is required before the start of the scholarship. All majors may apply, but applicants must make clear how their participation in Schwarzman Scholars will help develop their leadership potential within their field. While applicants of all citizenships may apply, proficiency in the English language must be demonstrated. There is no minimum GPA requirement.

VCU students interested in applying for the Schwarzman Scholars Program should plan on participating in the NSO's campus application process. While the national deadline is usually in late September, the campus deadline will be earlier.

The Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program funds up to three years of graduate education at Stanford University for 100 scholars each year. A multi-disciplinary experience, Knight-Hennessy Scholars in different disciplines collaborate with one another to confront real-world problems and develop global leadership skills. If your graduate program exceeds three years, your home department will provide funding for the remainder of your studies. Scholars receive:

• A fellowship applied directly to cover tuition and associated fees
• A generous stipend comprising on-campus room and board; books, supplies, and instructional materials; health insurance and associated fees; travel to and from Stanford; local transportation; and reasonable personal expenses
• Mentoring opportunities with established leaders in area of interest
• Access to leadership development and experiential learning opportunities with your cohort

Citizens of all countries are encouraged to apply. Applicants may pursue any graduate program offered at Stanford that is at least two years in duration and must apply to that program separately. Undergraduate students may apply as long as a bachelor’s degree is completed before enrollment as a graduate student at Stanford. Eligibility to apply lasts for five years after receiving your undergraduate degree.

VCU students interested in the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program should plan to participate in the NSO's campus application process and be working with the NSO throughout the summer before the national application deadline. While the national deadline usually falls in late September, the campus deadline will be earlier than that.

The Rhodes Scholarship provides students with funding to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
In order to apply, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree before October 1 in the year after acceptance into the program. The applicants must also be 18-23 years old at the application deadline.

The Rhodes Trust awards 32 scholarships each year to American students. The recommended length of study is 2-3 years. In addition to academic funding, scholars will be given a stipend. The application is open to students from all disciplines.
Students of any citizenship with a 3.7 GPA are eligible to apply. The Rhodes Scholarship application requires a campus nomination, so all VCU students interested in applying for this award must participate in the NSO's campus application process. While the application deadline is usually the first Tuesday in October, the campus deadline will be earlier.

The Quad Fellowship sponsors 100 exceptional American, Japanese, Australian, and Indian master’s and doctoral students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to study in the United States. The fellowship will develop a network of science and technology experts committed to advancing innovation and collaboration in the private, public, and academic sectors, in their own nations and among Quad countries.
Applicants must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Be a citizen or permanent resident of Australia, India, Japan, or the U.S., have a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field
• Have a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a STEM field by the start of the program
• Have a demonstrated record of superior academic achievement at the undergraduate level
• If applicants are currently enrolled in a Master's or PhD program in the United States, they may apply if they will be enrolled in a qualified academic program during their time as a Fellow

Application deadline is typically the end of June.

The PEO International Peace Scholarship Fund was established in 1949 to provide scholarships for international women students to pursue graduate study in the U.S. or Canada.
Eligibility:

• An applicant must have a full year of coursework remaining, be enrolled and in residence for the entire school year.
• Doctoral students who have completed coursework and are working only on dissertations are not eligible as first-time applicants.
• A student who is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or Canada is not eligible.

Application deadline is typically the beginning of February.

The AAUW International Women's Scholarship program provides support for women pursuing full-time graduate or postdoctoral study in the United States to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and who intend to return to their home country to pursue a professional career.

Applicants must have earned the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree by the application deadline and must have applied to their proposed institutions of study by the time of the application. Recipients are selected for academic achievement and demonstrated commitment to women and girls.

Award amounts vary by program:

• Master’s/first professional degree: $20,000
• Doctoral: $25,000
• Postdoctoral: $50,000

The application deadline is typically mid-November.

The Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Innovation Fellowship program is designed to support emerging scholars as they pursue bold and innovative research in the humanities and interpretive social sciences. The program is made possible by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.

The program will make awards to doctoral students who show promise of leading their fields in important new directions. The fellowships are designed to intervene at the formative stage of dissertation development, before writing is advanced, and provide time and support for emerging scholars’ innovative approaches to dissertation research – practical, trans- or interdisciplinary, collaborative, critical, or methodological. The program seeks to expand the range of research methodologies, formats, and areas of inquiry traditionally considered suitable for the dissertation, with a particular focus on supporting scholars who can build a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable academy. The award includes a $40,000 stipend for the fellowship year, plus up to $8,000 for project-related research, training, development, and travel costs. The award also includes a $2,000 stipend for external mentorship.

Applicants must:

• Be a PhD student in a humanities or social science department in the United States.
• Be able to take up a full year (9-12 months) of sustained specialized research and training, released from normal coursework, assistantships, and teaching responsibilities.
• Have completed at least two years and all required coursework in the PhD programs in which they are currently enrolled by the start of the fellowship term.
• Have at least two years remaining with their programs to complete the PhD degree.
• Have not previously applied for this fellowship more than once.