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Top 40 Political Science Scholarships for Students in January 2023
There’s no doubt about it: politics is an exciting field to be in. Whether you are right, left, or center, political science can be a great major to consider if you aspire to work in the political arena. Political science can open up many doors, whether you want to go to law school, run for office, work in media, or conduct research in a think tank. It’s no surprise that political science is a very popular major among students.
If you are a current or prospective political science major, you are probably also thinking about how to pay for your degree! Luckily, there are a number of scholarships to help you fund your political science degree (and if you are a college student looking for law school scholarships, we’ve got them too!)
Jump ahead to:
- Top political science scholarships
- How to win political science scholarships
- Resources for political science students
- Frequently asked questions about political science scholarships
- Explore these other scholarship categories
Keep on reading to learn more about the top political science scholarships to apply for!
The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies: If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!
* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system.
Scholarships360 Exclusive Easy scholarship open to all US-based high school, college, community college and graduate students.
Sponsored Easy scholarship open to all high school, college, community and graduate students. Sponsored Open to high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year. Scholarships360 Exclusive Open to all postsecondary students, regardless of the type of training/education they are pursuing. Scholarships360 Exclusive Open to current undergraduates at four-year universities in the U.S. Offered by The Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity Open to full-time college upperclassmen in the U.S. who write an essay analyzing ethical issues present in today’s complex world. Offered by Daughters of the American Revolution Graduating high school students who will pursue an undergraduate degree in American History or American Government. Offered by Pi Gamma Mu Open to Pi Gammu Mu members who will be attending graduate school to study a social science, social work, or related fields. Offered by James Madison Memorial Fellowship Foundation Open to current or aspiring teachers of American history, government, or civics at the secondary school level who hold a bachelor's degree. Offered by Asian Pacific Fund Current and incoming undergraduates passionate about advocacy who have worked at or whose parents have worked at an Asian restaurant. Sponsored Easy scholarship open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students. Offered by American Foreign Service Association Open to high school students who write an essay on American peacebuilders' foreign and regional partnerships to promote peace. Offered by The American Legion Open to high school students under 20 years of age who write and recite speeches related to the U.S. constitution. Offered by Voya Financial Full-time educators, teachers, principals, paraprofessionals, and other staff working to improve student learning in the U.S. Offered by Legal Defense Fund Open to first- and second-year students attending accredited law schools in the United States and who are committed to racial justice. Offered by Georges Lurcy Charitable and Educational Trust Open to French students enrolled in American universities to pursue degrees or conduct research at the doctoral level. Offered by United States Senate Youth Program Open to rising high school juniors and seniors who hold a leadership role within their school's government or honors society. Offered by Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN) Open to middle and high school students who create a 5-6 minute documentary addressing the year's given theme. This scholarship might not currently be accepting applications. Most scholarship programs only accept applications a few months ahead of their annual deadline. We’ve estimated this deadline based on last year’s deadline in order to help you plan out your scholarship applications. Sponsored Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school students. Sponsored Easy scholarship from Niche open to all high school, college, and graduate students.Top 40 Political Science Scholarships for Students in January 2023
** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements.
***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.
$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship
$2,000 Nitro College Scholarship – No Essay
$25,000 No Essay Scholarship
“Follow Your Own Path” Essay Scholarship
“Outstanding Undergraduate” Essay Scholarship
The Elie Wiesel Foundation Prize In Ethics
Dr. Aura-Lee A. and James Hobbs Pittenger American History Scholarship
Pi Gamma Mu Scholarships
James Madison Graduate Fellowships
Shui Kuen and Allen Chin Scholarship
$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship
American Foreign Service Association High School Essay Contest
American Legion Oratical Contest
Voya Unsung Heroes Awards
Earl Warren Scholarship
Georges Lurcy Fellowships
United States Senate Youth Program Scholarship
StudentCam Scholarship
$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship
Niche $2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
How to win political science scholarships
If you’re on the hunt for political science scholarships, fortunately there are a couple things you can do to boost your chances of receiving a congratulations letter.
Write a strong essay
Writing a knockout essay is one of the best ways to get noticed by scholarship committees. Grades and test scores are important, of course, but essays are an opportunity to demonstrate who you are, what you’re passionate about, and what you aim to achieve. Because scholarship committees go through so many applications, it’s crucial to write an essay that stands out from the crowd. For tips on how to write a great scholarship essay, check out the following resources:
- How to write a 250 word essay
- How to write a 500 word essay
- How to write an essay about yourself
- Overview of common scholarship essay prompts
- How to start a scholarship essay (with examples)
- How to write a winning scholarship essay
- How to end a scholarship essay
Search for local scholarships
Don’t overlook your local community during your scholarship search. While they may take some more digging to discover, local scholarships are great because they’re typically less competitive and easier to win! Check out our guide on how to win local scholarships to learn more.
Resources for political science students
American Political Science Association
This website offers political science majors a wealth of resources, including internships, career advice, publications, and opportunities to connect with other students. Bookmark this one!
International Political Science Association
For students looking to contextualize their view of legal systems within the frame of the larger world, this is a great resource. It’s especially for students interested in international law or politics.
Midwest Political Science Association
For students studying or hoping to focus on the Midwest, this is a great resource. It’ll help familiarize you with research and changes in law in Midwestern states and could help you connect with political scientists in the area. You could find the co-author of your first book through this organization!
Frequently asked questions about political science scholarships
Is political science a good major for law school?
Political science is a great major to prepare you for law school! CUNY cites two reasons why political science helps prepare students for law school. The first is that it helps develop students’ analytical and research abilities in a way that compliments the study of law. The second is that it helps familiarize you with “the context in which law is practiced.”
However, political science is not the only major that you can use to go to law school. Law school is a common grad school destination for students across the social sciences and humanities spectrums. Don’t feel like you have to major in political science to go to law school!
Can I earn political science scholarships if I major in something else?
The answer to this question varies on a scholarship-by-scholarship basis. Generally, political science-oriented scholarships for high schoolers do not require that you go on to major in the field. But oftentimes, political science scholarships for current college students will require that you major or minor in the field.
Ultimately, you should make sure to read the terms and conditions of any scholarship opportunity very carefully before applying. It never hurts to reach out to the organization to be sure that you are eligible. In fact, making this contact with an organization might even help your chances by demonstrating your interest in the scholarship.
What does the political science major entail?
Good question! Political science covers a very wide range of topics, pertaining to the distribution of power, how governments and laws work, and how we function as a society. Our political science major overview can go into more detail about your classwork and future prospects as a political science major.
Do my political views affect my chances of winning a political science scholarship?
Yes and no! There are many political science scholarships out there that do not have an explicit political leaning. They will probably make their choices strictly based on students’ demonstrated analytical and argumentative skills. In this way, they are like any other scholarship.
However, some scholarships, such as those offered by institutes with an explicit political standpoint, might only cater to students who advance specific political beliefs. For example, the libertarian think-tank called the Cato Institute in DC offers a scholarship to “identify and educate the future minds of the liberty movement.” In this case, you will need to have similar views to qualify.
