The Best Immigrant Scholarships in 2024

About scholarships for immigrants

In 2022, immigrants made up 17.4% of the United States labor force, and in 2023, they represented a large proportion of workers with jobs requiring college degrees. In fact, immigrants in the United States are even more likely to obtain an undergraduate degree than U.S.-born citizens.

However, for many immigrants who want to pursue an undergraduate degree in a new country, the numerous barriers surrounding higher education can be a major obstacle. Not only must immigrants navigate the complex college application process in what is oftentimes a foreign language, but they also have to maneuver the complicated maze of tuition, financial aid, federal aid, scholarships, and more.

Furthermore, as the student debt epidemic continues to approach 2 trillion dollars, the need for financial support for college students is only growing. Immigrants and undocumented students alike make up a fair portion of student debt as well, and are thus also in need of financial assistance.

The growing presence of student loan debt can not only prevent students from finishing their undergraduate degrees, but it can also deter them from becoming graduate students, purchasing homes, getting married, and establishing post-graduate lives. This in turn can have major social and economic consequences across the nation.

While federal student aid and financial aid can be useful, scholarships are often a much better option for immigrants, whether they are community college students or graduate students. Not only do scholarships not have to be paid back, but there is also no limit to how many scholarships a student can apply for.

Fortunately, there are many scholarships that are available to students of all kinds, including scholarships that are for immigrant students specifically. With immigrant scholarships, all types of immigrant students can look into funding their higher education, be they high school graduates, undocumented students, community college students, first-generation college students, and more.

What is an immigrant scholarship?

Broadly defined, an immigrant is someone who comes to a foreign country in order to establish legal permanent residency. An immigrant scholarship is thus a scholarship made for immigrant students, who have taken up permanent residence in a new country, specifically.

However, this umbrella scholarship type can apply to a variety of categories. Depending on the criteria of the scholarship itself, immigrant scholarships can also be for undocumented students or international students whose immigration status is not yet permanent. Similarly, depending on the scholarship, immigrant scholarships can even be for second-generation immigrants, whose parents emigrated from their country of origin. For example, first generation American students are students who have at least one parent who immigrated to the United States.

Whatever the case, any student looking to fund their higher education journey with immigrant scholarships should be sure to conduct careful research and to thoroughly read the scholarship description before applying.

Can immigrants get scholarships?

Immigrants are indeed eligible to receive scholarships. This includes, but is not limited to, immigrant scholarships.

Unless the scholarship you are interested in explicitly states that it is only for certain students who are not immigrants or are from a specific location, it is most likely open to immigrant students.

Be sure to carefully read a scholarship description before applying. Not only will this prevent you from accidentally applying to scholarships that are not available to immigrants, but it will also keep you from applying to scholarships with other criteria that you may not match.

For instance, if you are an immigrant student pursuing a graduate degree in psychology, you do not want to unintentionally apply to a computer science scholarship for graduating high school seniors.

How to get an immigrant scholarship

Getting an immigrant scholarship is just like getting any other type of scholarship. First, it is important to conduct research on the type of scholarship that is right for you. You may be looking for an immigrant scholarship specific to undocumented students, refugees, or only high school graduates or college students. Whatever the case, be sure to carefully read the eligibility requirements for your scholarship of choice.

After ensuring that you meet those requirements, carefully read through the scholarship application process. The application process between scholarships can vary greatly, so it is important to make sure you read your scholarship's description thoroughly.

That being said, scholarships oftentimes require applicants to write essays in order to apply. In the United States, there are over 40 million immigrants, so you may be asked to write about your unique experiences as an immigrant.

Your chances of winning a scholarship may also be increased if you apply to scholarships with specific, narrow criteria that apply to you. For instance, a scholarship for undocumented students in graduate school studying computer science will have fewer applicants than a general scholarship for immigrant students. Thus, if you apply for a scholarship with specific eligibility requirements that apply to you, you are more likely to find success with your application.

After gathering your materials, be sure to submit them all in a timely fashion by the scholarship deadline to ensure that your application is accepted for review. There is no shortage of scholarships for immigrant students of all kinds, be they undergraduate students, graduate students, high schoolers, and more.

As you go about finding scholarships for immigrants that interest you, make sure you research thoroughly and prepare your application to the best of your abilities.

Best immigrant scholarships

Bold.org has plenty of scholarships for immigrant students with a wide variety of criteria. Some scholarships are for all immigrants, from those just finishing high school to those pursuing a graduate degree, while others may have narrower requirements.

Check out the list below to see exclusive scholarships for immigrant students that can only be found on Bold.org.

Scholarships for immigrant high school students

High school students can benefit from the extra time they have to find and win scholarships. By starting your search early, you'll be able to secure all the funding you need for college.

1. Mahlagha Jaberi Mental Health Awareness for Immigrants Scholarship: This scholarship recognizes the unique challenges faced by immigrants. Things like xenophobia, inequality, and general cultural hostility can take a major toll on immigrants, particularly with regards to mental health. The Mahlagha Jaberi Mental Health Awareness for Immigrants Scholarship seeks to support a first or second-generation immigrant who has dealt with mental health struggles.
2. To apply, write about your experience as an immigrant, your challenges with mental health, and your hopes for the future.
3. Recent Immigrant Scholarship: This scholarship hopes to uplift immigrant students by recognizing their contributions to their new country. Seeking to support recent immigrants in particular, this scholarship is available to any immigrant high school student who immigrated to the United States in 2010 or later.
4. To apply, write an essay addressing your background and how you ended up in the U.S., why you are optimistic about living and working in the U.S., and how the U.S. compares to your home country.

Scholarships for immigrant college students

There are plenty of scholarships for immigrants who are in college. Whether applicants are citizens or undocumented students, there are many scholarships seeking to help with the costs of a college education.

1. WiseGeek Recent Immigrant Scholarship: This scholarship seeks to erase societal barriers that immigrants face in a new country by providing them with equal opportunity and access to higher education.
2. This scholarship is open to immigrant students of all fields of study who moved to the US in 2010 or later and have plans to continue to live and work here.
3. Amplify Immigrant Students Scholarship: This scholarship acknowledges the unique perspective immigrants can bring to a new country. To help immigrants gain access to higher education, this scholarship is for any first-generation immigrant hoping to pursue higher education.
4. To apply, please write a 500-word essay on how your unique experiences as an immigrant have impacted you, what your future aspirations are, and how this scholarship can help you achieve those aspirations.

Scholarships for students with immigrant parents

Many students aren't immigrants themselves but may come from immigrant families. These students who have immigrant parents can benefit from exclusive scholarship opportunities to help them through their education.

1. Hasanovic American Dream Scholarship: This scholarship will provide financial aid to one first or second-generation immigrant with a passion for learning and creating a better future. Applicants must also be in their senior year of high school.
2. Scholarship applicants should write a short essay about what the American Dream means to them and how a college degree will help them achieve that dream

Frequently asked questions about immigrant scholarships

How to find scholarships for immigrants

Finding scholarships for immigrants is just like finding any other scholarship. However, the sheer number of websites and sources dedicated to scholarships and higher education can be overwhelming, especially when many sources are not very reliable.

A quick Google search may bring up any number of scholarships, but using a credible scholarship search engine like Bold.org will be helpful in finding the right immigrant scholarship for you. Not only can you find scholarships that are exclusive to Bold.org, but you can find scholarships with narrow criteria, whether they are for a specific accredited public university or for a specific gender or area of study.

Finding scholarships with narrow requirements will be beneficial to applicants as there will likely be a smaller applicant pool. For example, a scholarship for community service for first generation American students will have fewer applicants than a scholarship for immigrants attending college.

Finally, you can also find scholarships for immigrants through your institution, be it a graduate program, undergraduate program, or your high school. Be sure to check in with your school's financial aid office or college counselor to see if they can point you in the right direction for immigrant scholarships that can fund your pursuit of a college education.

Furthermore, speaking to a college counselor or financial aid office may give a better idea on how to strengthen your scholarship applications. Bold.org also has a comprehensive guide to scholarship applications that can help you gain the right skills to apply for all kinds of scholarships, from academic scholarships to community involvement scholarships.

When can I start applying?

When it comes to applying for scholarships, the earlier the better. The Federal Student Aid office of the United States even recommends that students begin to apply for scholarships the summer before they become high school seniors.

By applying earlier, not only will you be eligible for scholarships with lower school year requirements, but you will also optimize the number of scholarships you have time to apply for. This way, you can ensure that you have the funds you need while you are attending college.

How do I know if I'm eligible for a scholarship?

Scholarship eligibility will vary between scholarships, and it is important to ensure your eligibility before you begin to apply. Almost all scholarships include their eligibility requirements in the scholarship description, so be sure to read the description thoroughly.

If you fulfill all of the eligibility requirements, then you can begin the application process without any concerns.

What do I have to do to apply?

The application process looks different for each scholarship, so it is important to read all of the application requirements carefully before beginning to apply. For instance, whether you are looking at scholarships for immigrants or any other type of scholarship, there will be requirements like writing essays, getting a letter of recommendation, or submitting artwork. While one scholarship may ask you to write an essay about community service, another may request the submission of an art portfolio.

Whatever the case, be sure to begin the application process early on instead of struggling to get it done right before the deadline. This way, you will have plenty of time to gather all of your necessary documents for submission and to proofread any written work you have to submit. It may even be beneficial to have someone else read over your submission in order to ensure that it is free from any grammatical or writing errors.

Are scholarships counted as income?

In general, scholarships are not counted as income. Consequently, they are usually tax-free. However, there can occasionally be some variation regarding the taxation status of scholarships, so it is important to research your scholarship to know where it falls.

Generally, scholarship money will not be taxed unless it exceeds a student's cost or is used outside of the qualified costs, such as tuition, books, and course fees.

The Internal Revenue Service has a comprehensive page dedicated to informing readers of how their scholarship will be viewed with regard to income and taxation.