Pursuing a master’s degree in the USA is a dream for many students. Besides providing a flexible, world-class education, a US education offers global exposure, better career prospects, student services, and access to advanced lab facilities. However, the decision to pursue a master’s in the US can be very overwhelming for most applicants, given the burden it puts on their family’s finances. The high tuition fees, skyrocketing living expenses, and health insurance costs stand as hurdles to them pursuing their dreams.

However, there are several scholarships that help students pursue their master’s in the USA regardless of their financial situation. They range from partial scholarships that significantly reduce the cost of attendance to fully-funded ones, which cover tuition fees, living expenses and even airfare!

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Overview of Scholarships for Master’s in the USA

Master’s studies in the USA can exceed USD $50,000 per year (tuition plus living costs), which can be substantially reduced when a scholarship is secured. Scholarship options for Indian students include government scholarships (e.g., Fulbright-Nehru, scholarships offered by state governments for the underprivileged), international fellowships (e.g., World Bank/Japan for developing-country nationals), university-wide awards (e.g., Stanford Knight-Hennessy Global Fellowship), and private/NGO grants (e.g., AAUW for women, Rotary Peace, Aga Khan Foundation). Indian-funded programs like the Inlaks Foundation Scholarship or J.N. Tata Endowment offers support to Indians abroad. Graduate assistantships (teaching or research) at U.S. universities are also a key source of funding, often providing tuition waivers and stipends in exchange for 10–20 hours/week of work.

Top Scholarships for Master’s in the USA

Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships (USIEF)

  • The Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowships are fully-funded awards for outstanding Indians to study a two-year master’s in the USA.

  • Eligibility: Indian bachelor’s degree (4-year or equivalent) with at least 55%, a minimum of 3 years of professional work experience, leadership/community service, and a commitment to return to India.

  • Awards cover all tuition/fees, living expenses, round-trip airfare, J-1 visa support, and health insurance.

World Bank/ Japan Scholar Program (JJ/WBGSP)

  • The Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program supports development-focused study for citizens of developing countries (India is eligible).

  • Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree and at least 3 years of work experience in development-related fields.

  • Admitted students can apply for a JJ/WBGSP award to pursue a master’s in US, focusing on development studies or related fields at a participating university.

  • Benefits include full tuition, a monthly stipend, round-trip airfare, health insurance, and travel allowance.

  • The program opens two application windows each year.

Stanford Knight-Hennessy Scholars

  • Stanford University’s Knight-Hennessy Scholars program funds up to three years of any graduate study (master’s or PhD) at Stanford, in any discipline.

  • This merit-based fellowship is open to international applicants, including Indians.

  • Knight-Hennessy covers full tuition, a stipend for living expenses, and even travel grants for the degree duration.

  • Applications usually open about a year before the start date of the program.

  • The program evaluates candidates on leadership, civic mindset, and academic record.

AAUW International Fellowships

  • The American Association of University Women (AAUW) offers International Fellowships for women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

  • These are merit-based awards to support full-time graduate study in the U.S.

  • Topics span all fields, but the emphasis is on empowering women and leadership.

  • AAUW provides a living stipend and tuition grants.

  • Awards are typically up to $20,000 for a master’s candidate (and $25,000 for doctoral studies).

Rotary Peace Fellowships

  • The Rotary Foundation awards about 50 fully-funded Peace Fellowships each year for Master’s programs in peace and conflict resolution.

  • Eligibility: Indian mid-career professionals (3+ years’ experience) committed to peacebuilding are eligible to apply through local Rotary clubs.

  • These fellowships cover tuition, fees, room/board, round-trip travel, and internship costs.

  • Fellowships are for one- to two-year master’s programs at Rotary Peace Centers (e.g., Duke-UNC or International Christian University, Japan).

  • Deadlines are a year before the start date of the course.

Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarships

  • Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation awards prestigious scholarships to Indian students in the arts, humanities, social sciences, law, and related fields.

  • Eligibility: Applicants must have admission (conditional or unconditional) to an eligible master’s program in the US (or UK/Europe) in those fields.

  • The scholarship covers tuition, living expenses, one-way travel and visa/health costs, up to about USD 120,000 (roughly matching a two-year funding need).

  • Inlaks looks for exceptional merit and promise; candidates must be under age 30 and Indian nationals residing in India.

Aga Khan Foundation International Scholarships

  • The Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) offers a competitive scholarship program for students from India and other selected developing countries.

  • These scholarships support postgraduate study at universities worldwide (including the USA) for students who have strong academic records but lack sufficient funding.

  • Awards are 50% grant, 50% low-interest loan, and typically cover full tuition and living expenses. (Applicants need a co-signer for the loan portion.)

  • Preference is often given to development-related fields, and recipients must demonstrate financial need and leadership.

  • The deadline is usually in February/March.

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Indian Loan-Scholarships (Tata Endowment, Narotam Sekhsaria)

In addition to grants, Indian students can apply for loan scholarships to study master’s in US:

  • J.N. Tata Endowment for Higher Education: Established in 1892, this prestigious fund gives need-sensitive loans (₹1–10 lakh) and travel grants to Indian postgraduate students abroad. Awards are based on merit; borrowers repay the loan after graduation (at a very low 2% interest).

  • Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation Scholarships: This is a 100% interest-free loan scholarship for meritorious Indian students under 30 pursuing a master’s or PhD at top universities worldwide. No collateral is required. It covers tuition and living costs, to be repaid over a flexible period after graduation.

Graduate Assistantships

Many Indian students pursuing master’s in USA receive graduate assistantships as partial funding. These are jobs (teaching, research, or graduate assistant roles) offered by academic departments. An assistantship typically waives tuition and provides a stipend (often $15–$30K per year) in exchange for 10–20 hours/week of work. Assistantships are common, especially in STEM and research fields, and selection is usually done at the department level. International students are automatically considered for assistantships upon admission to many universities.

Tips for Scholarship Applications

  • Start early – Time is one of the most important factors that applicants tend not to account for. Many scholarships have deadlines that are as early as a year before the start date of the program. So please begin researching at least a year before your intended term begins.

  • Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – Even the smallest amounts of funding, when combined, add up to a substantial amount. Hence, don’t rely only on one source. Explore scholarships from a variety of sources, assistantships, and loan scholarships (such as Narotam Sekhsaria Scholarship and JN Tata Endowment Loan Scholarship) and stack them.

  • Work on your profile – Build a strong profile and have a plan that you can demonstrate to the scholarship committee. Leadership, research, work experience, and community involvement are given much importance. Ask yourself – What is the X-factor that would help me secure this scholarship? Also, make sure to present your story well, tailoring it well for the specific scholarship.

  • Speak with university representatives and alumni – Reach out to people, and you are sure to find hidden resources. Join online groups where you can find mentorship from alumni. Also, contact university representatives, and they’d be happy to help you find internal scholarships and assistantships.

  • Be mindful of the instructions – Missing one document can disqualify you, so be mindful of it. And more importantly, keep track of the deadlines. Have all the information in one place so it is easy for you to refer to.

FAQs

Most scholarships require students to have a strong academic record, complemented by English proficiency scores, leadership roles, and work experience. It is recommended that you go through the relevant scholarship website for specific details.

Yes! That’s what is recommended because not all scholarships are fully funded, and it is always a good idea to combine multiple sources of funding (if the scholarship allows for it). You can look at government scholarships as well as privately funded ones.

It depends on the scholarship. Some of them that have early application deadlines, usually 8-12 months before the start date of your course, would not expect you to have an admission letter in hand. However, please refer to the prerequisites mentioned on the specific website.

It differs from one scholarship to another. The Inlaks Shivdasani Scholarship, for example, doesn’t require work experience, while the Fulbright-Nehru scholarship does. Nevertheless, having work experience makes your profile stronger.

Students on an F-1 visa are typically allowed to work on campus, though with heavy restrictions. Do make sure to consult your scholarship provider as well as the International Students Office at your university to confirm that you are complying with the rules.

Recent policy changes have made GRE/GMAT optional, and in line with them, some universities, such as New York University, University of Michigan, and Emory University, have revised their scholarship eligibility requirements as well. However, submitting these scores can make your profile stronger.