Overview
American University's Emerging Global Leader Scholarship is a fully funded award designed to expand access to higher education for international students who have overcome significant obstacles and come from diverse, under-represented socioeconomic backgrounds. Based at American University's main campus in Washington, D.C., the scholarship combines academic excellence, leadership development, and global engagement, with an explicit expectation that recipients will use their education to drive positive civic and social change in their home countries after graduation.
Scholarship Details
The Emerging Global Leader Scholarship is a full tuition waiver combined with accommodation coverage, addressing the two largest cost categories for international students studying in the United States. It covers all university billable expenses for the duration of study, though it does not extend to non-billable costs such as mandatory health insurance, textbooks, airline tickets, and other miscellaneous expenses, which are estimated at approximately $4,000 per year. The scholarship is available at the Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD levels, giving it a broader reach across degree levels than many undergraduate-only international scholarships.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be international students who have overcome various obstacles and challenges and who come from diverse or under-represented socioeconomic backgrounds. Academic candidates need a minimum GPA equivalent to 3.8 out of 4.0, or placement among the top 10 percent of their graduating class across grades 9 through 12. Beyond academics, applicants must demonstrate a genuine and sustained commitment to leadership, volunteering, community service, and advancing the needs of people in their home country — this civic dimension is central to the scholarship's identity and is weighted heavily in the selection process. English proficiency must be demonstrated through one of several accepted standardized tests: a TOEFL iBT score of 95 or higher, a paper-based TOEFL sub-score above 24 taken after May 31, 2017, an IELTS score of 7.0 or higher with all subscores at 6.0 or above, a minimum SAT reading score of 33, a minimum ACT English score of 29, a minimum PTE score of 65, or a Duolingo English Test score above 120. Applicants must also need a student visa, typically an F-1 or J-1, to study in the United States.
