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A Deep Dive into Scholarships in the United States

Almost all universities in the US offered some sort of scholarships to international students, including Cambodian nationals. This article outlines a brief introduction to the scholarship system in the US, and how to find them. While some specific scholarships are listed below, they are chosen for demonstration purposes only. There are many other scholarship opportunities available elsewhere not mentioned in this article.


Before diving further into the discussion of scholarship, it is important to understand the cost of studying in the US which includes but not limited to:

  1. Tuition: Depending on the level and type of study (undergraduate or graduate), type of institution (community college, public or private university), and location, tuition can vary hugely.This is one of two largest expenses that one needs to be responsible for when studying abroad.
  2. Living expenses: Monthly rents, utilities, food, transportation, and entertainment together add up to another large expense on students’ accounts.
  3. Insurance: International students studying in the US are required to purchase insurance annually to maintain student status.
  4. Other academic expenses might occur depending on the type of degree and classes. Some professors might require students to purchase textbooks or subscripts to online learning platforms.

1. Fully Funded Scholarship

Fully funded scholarships often cover tuition, living stipends, academic expenses, insurance and some might even include round-trip flight tickets, professional training and workshop, and a laptop. Some of the well-known fully funded scholarships are:

  • Fulbright Scholarship
  • She-CAN
  • Knight-Hennessy
  • World Bank
  • Asian Development Bank
  • Obama Scholarship

    • Note that most of the fully funded scholarships are known to be highly competitive, and generally open once a year. Eligilitibites and requirements vary from one to another, to increase the chance of getting this type of scholarship, early preparation is recommended.

    2. Tuition Scholarship

    Tuition scholarships, most often, are private scholarships offered by universities themselves, alumni, foundations, or families affiliated with the universities. Most often, these funds are in the form of tuition credits which can range from 10% to 100%. Assessment varies depending on the type of scholarship, it can be based on merit, need, diversity, leadership, and/or multiple factors combined. To apply for these scholarships, students first need to get admission from the universities. Some may require additional separate applications for funding, while some do not. It is important to check the eligibility and requirements and reach out to the relevant contact person or department to check.


    This type of scholarship can be found on the university's website, often under the scholarship, fellowship, and funding section. For example:

  • Brandeis University
  • Brown University
  • Hult International Business School
  • Northwestern University
  • University of Chicago
  • John Hopkins University

    • While a few scholarships are listed above, almost all universities have their own tuition scholarships, the information often can be found on universities’ funding and scholarship webpages. According to USNews.com, Utah Tech University awarded 96% of incoming students with non-need based scholarships. You may learn about the statistics and estimate the odds of receiving similar scholarships with detailed research.

    3. Private Foundation

    Similar to tuition scholarships, this type of scholarship awards some monetary amount toward either tuition or living expenses. The application process might be handled by their own foundations, and students are allowed to choose universities within their network to pursue academic study. For example:

  • Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
  • American Association of University Women
  • East West Center

    • 4. PhD Research and Teaching Fellowship

    PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in most universities in the US are in fact tuition-free, and some may even offer monthly stipends to support living and other expenses. In return, students might be required to work on campus as a Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant or course instructor. Note that, students can only work up to 20 hours maximum on campus while studying full-time. Usually, students admitted to a PhD program will be offered fellowships, and you may be able to find information about PhD funding in either the funding webpage or Frequently Asked Question (FAQs). For example:

  • Havard University
  • Massachusetts Institute of Management (MIT)
  • Boston College
  • Rochester Institution of Technology

    • Other resources to learn about scholarship opportunities:

  • IDP
  • WeduShare
  • YouAreWelcomeHere

    • Here are some tips from CSAUSA for:

    1. Decide what type of degree and major you want to pursue as early as you can. This can affect your scholarship-hunting methods and strategies.
    2. Decide what type of funding you need - do you need all expenses to be covered or are you willing to bear some expenses? We suggest you factor in the strength of your application, academic records, plans after graduation, opportunities cost, and most importantly, the probabilities of success in deciding what scholarship best fits you.
    3. Do a simple, good search using keywords related to your chosen major, level of study, and type of degree, and try to collect as much information as possible. It may link you to the Top 10 universities in this field or other collective list of universities.
    4. As a starting point, you should scroll through those universities funding webpages to see what scholarships are available for you to apply to.
    5. If you have a special preference for any particular cities or states, focus your search on universities within the city or state you want to move to.