If you are an immigrant, or the child of immigrants, there are many scholarships that have been designed with you in mind. Organizations have set aside funds for scholarships for immigrants in any situation. There are scholarships designed for green card holders, DACA recipients, naturalized citizens, and any other citizenship status you could imagine.

We’ve attempted to include a survey of all of these situations in this list, so scroll through to find the best scholarships for immigrants to make your education affordable!

Jump ahead to:

• Top Scholarships for Immigrants
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Summary of Scholarships for Immigrants
• Expired Scholarships

Keep on reading to learn all about the top scholarships for students who are immigrants!

Top Scholarships for Immigrants in 2021

$2,500 Imagine Dragons Origins Scholarship

• Eligibility: Refugee, immigrant, or first-generation American students
• Amount: $2,500 (4 scholarships are awarded)
• Deadline: September 15, 2021

$500 WiseGeek Recent Immigrants Scholarship

• Eligibility: Students who immigrated to the United States on or after January 1, 2010 and plan to live & work in the US
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: September 1, 2021

Esperanza Fund Scholarship

• Eligibility: Recent high school or GED graduates residing in DC, Maryland, or Virginia who were born outside of the US, or two parents born out of the US. Must be enrolling full-time in a public college or university, with a 2020 total family income below $100,000
• Amount: $5,000 to $20,000
• Deadline: April 1, 2021

Jack G Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship

• Eligibility: First-generation American students of Arab heritage who are juniors or above studying  journalism, radio, television, and/or film
• Amount: $2,500
• Deadline: April 12, 2021

Students of Salaam

• Eligibility: Students who immigrated to the United States and are enrolled or planning to enroll in a post-secondary institution in the fall
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: April 20, 2021

Douvas Scholarship

• Eligibility: First-generation American Wyoming residents between 18-22 planning to attend a Wyoming community college or the University of Wyoming
• Amount: $500
• Deadline: April 30, 2021

Mahlagha Jaberi Mental Health Awareness for Immigrants Scholarship

• Eligibility: First or second-generation immigrants in any field of study who write about their experiences as immigrants and their challenges with mental health
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: June 1, 2021

Running of the Bulls® Scholarship for Immigrants

• Eligibility: Immigrants or children of immigrants in the United States with a minimum 3.0 GPA attending a 4-year program or graduate study in the United States
• Amount: $1,000
• Deadline: June 1, 2021

Vipin Agrawal Memorial Scholarship

• Eligibility: California high school graduates attending college or university in California with a 3.0 minimum GPA, household income below $75,000, pursuing an undergraduate degree in computer science, science, technology, engineering, or medicine. Student or their parents must have immigrated to the US.
• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: June 30, 2020 (opens April 15, 2021)

Nargis E. Ragab Scholarship for First Generation Immigrants and the Children of First Generation Immigrants

• Eligibility: High school seniors or college students enrolled in a two or four-year institution in the United States who are first generation immigrants or the children of first generation immigrants
• Amount: $1,500
• Deadline: July 31, 2021

Related: DACA Scholarships

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an immigrant get a scholarship?

There are many scholarships available to immigrants in the United States; the Nargis E. Ragab Scholarship for First Generation Immigrants and the Children of First Generation Immigrants is a great example. All of the scholarships on this list are open to immigrants, and each has different requirements for residency status, meaning there are some open specially for DACA recipients, while others are for green card holders, or for people of any residency status.

Can non-citizens get scholarships?

Many scholarships are open to non citizens, such as the Red Thread Foundation Scholarship, which is open to women of international backgrounds regardless of citizenship status. Many of the other scholarships in this list are available for non citizens; check their eligibility requirements to make sure.

How do undocumented students pay for college?

Undocumented students face many hurdles in the struggle to pay for college. Though there are many scholarships that they are not eligible for, there are also scholarships made specifically to help undocumented students pay for college. Many of these scholarships are listed on this page, such as the Dream.US National Scholarship.

Can green card holders get Pell Grant?

Most green card holders are considered “eligible non-citizens” and therefore can get the Pell Grant. You can look into the details more here. Green card holders are also eligible for most of the scholarships on this list, so if you are a green card holder looking for help paying for college, check out some of our top scholarships for immigrants!

Summary of Scholarships for Immigrants

1. $2,500 Imagine Dragons Origins Scholarship
2. $500 WiseGeek Recent Immigrants Scholarship
3. Esperanza Fund Scholarship
4. Jack G Shaheen Mass Communications Scholarship
5. Students of Salaam
6. Douvas Scholarship
7. Mahlagha Jaberi Mental Health Awareness for Immigrants Scholarship
8. Running of the Bulls® Scholarship for Immigrants
9. Vipin Agrawal Memorial Scholarship
10. Nargis E. Ragab Scholarship for First Generation Immigrants and the Children of First Generation Immigrants

Expired Scholarships

Dream.US Opportunity Scholarship

• Eligibility: DACA or TPS recipients, or anyone who can prove that they came to the US before they turned 16, have lived in the US since then without obtaining lawful status, and are currently in high school or have graduated from high school or obtained a GED. Student must live in a “locked-out state” and never have attended college in the past. See website for more details
• Amount: Up to $20,000 per year
• Deadline: January 28, 2021

Dream Scholarship

• Eligibility: Illinois residents attending high school, college, a vocational program, or university in Illinois, with a minimum 2.5 GPA and a demonstrated history of community service. DACA recipients are eligible to apply
• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: January 31, 2021

American Sociological Association Minority Fellowship Program

• Eligibility: Minority students enrolled in a Sociology Ph.D. program, having completed one year of the application. Applicants can be citizens, non-citizen nationals, or DACA recipients
• Amount: $18,000 anually
• Deadline: January 31, 2021

Ascend Educational Fund Scholarship

• Eligibility: Students graduating from a New York City high school who were born outside the United States or whose parents were born outside the United States, enrolling full-time in a public college or university
• Amount: $2,500 to $20,000
• Deadline: February 5, 2021

Dream.US National Scholarship

• Eligibility: DACA or TPS recipients, or anyone who can prove that they came to the US before they turned 16, have lived in the US since then without obtaining lawful status, and are currently in high school or have graduated from high school or obtained a GED. See website for further details
• Amount: Up to $16,500 for associate’s degrees and $33,000 for bachelor’s degrees, plus additional perks (see website for details)
• Deadline: February 25, 2021

Red Thread Foundation Scholarship

• Eligibility: Women of international backgrounds who are entering a US college or university program in the fall
• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: February 26, 2021

Triangle Community Foundation Scholarship for Refugees and Immigrants of Wake County

• Eligibility: Refugee and immigrant high school graduates who reside in Wake County, North Carolina, hold a minimum 2.5 GPA, and plan to attend college or university in North Carolina
• Amount: Up to $16,000
• Deadline: March 1, 2021