Every year several MIT graduate students win distinguished international grants to study and conduct research abroad in a wide variety of fields. This page lists some opportunities for study outside the United States. The level of support ranges widely. Also, for additional information on funding opportunities for students with international study topics, note the databases of the Center for International Studies.
The following grants have an internal MIT process which occurs prior and in addition to the national application process. Please see the MIT Scholarships and Fellowships page for details.
- Fulbright Grants
Tenable in many countries - Harry S. Truman Scholarships
Tenable in many countries - Rhodes Scholarships
Tenable in the United Kingdom - British Marshall Scholarships
Tenable in the United Kingdom - Winston Churchill Foundation Scholarships
Tenable in the United Kingdom - DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service Award)
Tenable in the Federal Republic of Germany
Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships
Tenable in many countries
Fellowships are awarded annually for study abroad in any country in which there are Rotary Clubs. Three types of scholarships are currently available: academic-year scholarships, multi-year scholarships, and cultural scholarships (three or six months). Candidates must apply through the Rotary Club nearest their permanent residence, or through clubs in the district in which they are studying. The expenses covered vary with type of scholarship. Applicants should make inquiries at their local Rotary Clubs before March of the year they intend to apply. For further information, contact the Rotary Foundation, One Rotary Center, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Evanston, IL 60201, (847) 866-3000. Applications are due between March and July of the year before you wish to study abroad, depending on the chapter.
SIT Study Abroad Scholarships
Tenable in many countries
About one-third of those who seek scholarships from SIT Study Abroad receive financial assistance to participate in our programs. Awards generally range from $500 to $4,000. Awards are made on consideration of both merit and need. In addition, scholarship funds are used to ensure that a diverse group of students can participate from all regions in the US – and abroad – and from a variety of colleges and universities.
Carroll L. Wilson Awards
Tenable in many countries
A grant for up to $7,000 awarded to graduate students in any MIT department who wish to pursue exciting and challenging research opportunities abroad. The aim of the Wilson awards is to provide opportunities for MIT graduate students to explore a program of research and/or study of an important societal problem with international dimensions. The award enables students to spend around 6 weeks in a foreign country, pursuing a project that would have excited the interest and enthusiasm of Carroll L. Wilson (’32) in honor of his career achievements and long-standing legacy. Applications are due in early January.
IDRF Fellowship Program
Tenable in many countries
This fellowship supports scholars in the humanities and social sciences pursuing research that advances knowledge about non-US cultures and societies for nine to twelve months. IDRF accepts applications for research that is situated in a specific discipline and geographical region and is informed by interdisciplinary and cross-regional perspectives, as well as research on multiple countries and/or multiple world regions. While proposals may cover all periods in history, they must demonstrate relevance to contemporary issues and debates. Applicants must complete all PhD requirements except on-site research by the time of the award. Applications are due early November.
NSF East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes
Tenable in Asia and Pacific regions
The National Science Foundation (NSF) East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI) are hosted by foreign counterparts committed to increasing opportunities for young U.S. researchers to work in research facilities and with host mentors abroad. Fellows are supported to participate in eight-week research experiences at host laboratories in Australia, China, Japan (10 weeks), Korea, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan from June to August. The program provides a summer stipend, round-trip airfare to the host location, living expenses abroad, and an introduction to the society, culture, language, and research environment of the host location. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must be enrolled in a research-oriented master’s or PhD program and be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents by the application deadline date. Students in combined bachelor/master degree programs must have matriculated from the undergraduate degree program by the application deadline date. Contact the EAPSI Help Desk by email at eapsi@nsfsi.org or by phone at 1-866-501-2922. Applications are due early November.
Japanese Government (Monbusho) Scholarship
Tenable in Asia
These awards are for research students with a BA degree in the humanities, social sciences, or natural sciences. Tenure for the award is 18-24 months. Applicants must be willing to study the Japanese language. A monthly stipend and round trip airfare are available. For information, contact the MIT Japan Program, Room E38-756, (617) 253-2839, or the Consulate General of Japan, Federal Reserve Plaza, 14th Floor, 600 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02210, (617) 973-9772. Applications are due in August.
American Friends of the London School of Economics
Tenable in the United Kingdom
This grant provides two to four full tuition awards for one year (non-renewable) of graduate study at LSE. Students who have previously studied at LSE during the academic year are not eligible. For further information, contact AFLSE, Scholarship Office, 733 15th Street, N.W., Suite 700, Washington, DC 20005, (202) 347-3232.
Overseas Research Students Awards
Tenable in the United Kingdom
Based on merit and research potential, these grants, usable in most universities and colleges in the United Kingdom, reduce tuition fees for overseas students to the amount charged to domestic students. Awards are available in any field and are renewable for a second or third year. Applications for Oxford University may be obtained from the Advisor to Overseas Students, Graduate Admissions Office, Wellington Square, Oxford OX1 2JD; for other universities, write the Registrar at the same address.
Doris Russell Scholarship
Tenable in the United Kingdom
This scholarship may be used to study English, either as a research student or for a BA degree, at Girton College, University of Cambridge. The stipend of 3,200 pounds is renewable. It is usually possible to augment this award, in cases of financial need, to receive funding to meet the difference between fees for domestic students and overseas students. For further information, contact University of Cambridge directly at Girton College, Huntingdon Road, Cambridge CB3 0DG.
St. Andrew’s Society Scholarship
Tenable in the United Kingdom
The Scholarship Program of the Saint Andrew’s Society of the State of New York offers graduate scholarships to American students of Scottish descent to promote cultural exchange between Scotland and the US. Only one application will be considered from any individual college or university. Each scholarship provides funds up to a total of $12,000. For application forms, write to St. Andrew’s Society, 3 West 51st Street, New York, NY 10019-6909, (212) 397-4849. Applications are due in late November.
Trinity College Junior Research Fellowships
Tenable in the United Kingdom
The purpose of Junior Research Fellowships is to offer men and women of exceptional intellectual calibre, for whom the fellowship would be their first substantial paid academic or research appointment, an opportunity to pursue research for up to four years. The Fellowships are available in all branches of University studies. A Junior Research Fellow receives a stipend from the College of £23,935 per annum (reviewable in line with academic stipends), less any emolument received from a source outside College. However, a Fellow who is still registered for a degree course will receive a lower payment until this study is completed. There are also various additional benefits. Fellows are entitled to rooms in College (if available and subject to certain conditions) and may take meals at High Table free of charge. Further particulars may be obtained from the College website, http://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/jrf or from the Senior Tutor’s Clerk, Junior Research Fellowship Competition, Trinity College, Cambridge, CB2 1TQ, UK (e-mail: jrf@trin.cam.ac.uk). Applications are due September 1.
Janet Watson Bursary
Tenable in the United Kingdom
Study at Somerville College of Oxford University is available to American women. The maximum stipend is 1,500 pounds for each of two years of study. Information about applications and admission to the college can be obtained from the Tutor for Admissions, Somerville College, Oxford OX2 6HD, UK.
American-Scandinavian Foundation Fellowships
Tenable in Scandinavia
Fellowships are awarded for graduate study in Scandinavia (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden). The foundation also administers 10 to 20 Marshall Fellowships for study in Denmark. Funding varies from $3,000 to $18,000 depending on the length of stay. For application forms write: American-Scandinavian Foundation, 58 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016, (212) 879-9779. Applications are due late October or early November of the year before you wish to apply.
Swedish Institute
Tenable in Scandinavia
The Institute administers awards for study at any university of research anywhere in Sweden for three months to three academic years. Studies should be in areas available only in Sweden, and which cannot be equally well studied in the applicant’s own country. The award is 2,040 crowns per month. Knowledge of the Swedish language is important. Requests for applications, including a 100-word description of your purpose, should be addressed to: Swedish Institute, P.O. Box 7434, S-103, Stockholm, Sweden before December 1.
Robert Bosch Fellowship
Tenable in the Federal Republic of Germany
This nine-month work/study fellowship program enables outstanding young American professionals to acquire a quality, in-depth understanding of the political, economic, and cultural environment of the European Union and Germany. From September until May, the Fellows complete two government internships, the first at the executive level in federal or regional government institutions, and the second with private industry. The internships are supplemented by a variety of seminars in Bonn, Paris, Brussels, and Poland with top-level elected officials, as well as leading representatives from industry and academia. Requirements include a graduate degree and professional experience in one of the following fields: business administration, economics, journalism/mass communications, law, political science, or public affairs/public policy, or urban studies and planning. Candidates lacking a graduate degree are nevertheless encouraged to apply, provided they possess extensive professional experience in the aforementioned fields. Requirements also include an ability to communicate well in German. If candidates lack that ability, the Robert Bosch Foundation will fund language training. For more information, please contact Sigrid Berka at (617) 253-6982, or sberka@mit.edu. Applications are due October 15 of the year before you wish to become a fellow.
Cambridge Canadian Trust
Available to citizens of Commonwealth countries
The trust offers scholarships for Canadian citizens to study at Cambridge University. The Tidmarsh Scholarship is tenable for three years at Trinity College, Cambridge, in a course leading to a PhD. For further information, contact the Executive Director, Cambridge University Trust, c/o Lloyds Bank, 130 Adelaide Street West, 2nd Floor, Toronto, Ontario, MSH 3R2.
Commonwealth Scholarships
Available to citizens of Commonwealth countries
Scholarships are available for Commonwealth citizens to study in other Commonwealth countries. They are tenable for up to three years in any field of study. For further information, contact the Association of Commonwealth Universities, 36 Gordon Square, London, UK.
Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851
Available to citizens of Commonwealth countries
Scholarships are available for Commonwealth citizens to study science, engineering, and mathematics in the United Kingdom for up to three years. For further information, contact the Association of Commonwealth Universities, 36 Gordon Square, London, UK.
References
For additional information, check the following publications and others available at the MIT Libraries and public libraries.
Annual Register of Grant Support, National Register Publishing Co.
The Grants Register, St. Martin’s Press
Foundation Grants to Individuals, Foundation Center
Directory of Financial Aids for Women, Schlachter
The National Directory of Grants and Aid to Individuals in the Arts, Millsaps
Grants and Awards Available to American Writers, PEN American Center
Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans, Gale Group
The Grant Seeker’s Resource Guide, SEK Publications
