Related Information

This page has been copied from Immigrants Rising Applying for Scholarships and Fellowships page

 

"Scholarships and fellowships are a great way to pay for college tuition and other expenses. You might wonder, what’s the difference between scholarships and fellowships?

 

Scholarships are generally funds for students attending educational institutions for the purpose of study at the undergraduate or graduate level. They can be awarded based on merit, financial need, grades, community service, major, class level, city or county of residence, and more.

 

Fellowships are generally funds for students (or non-students) for the purpose of professional or career development. They can support a variety of things, including study in a specific field, research to advance work on a particular issue, development of a new community-based organization or initiative, training to support a fellow’s growth, opportunities to further explore a particular field of work, and more. 

 

INVEST IN YOURSELF

Scholarships are free money to pay for school! If a scholarship is worth $1,000 and you spend 10 hours writing an essay and submitting your scholarship application, it can result in $100 per hour invested!

 

Fellowships can provide you with leadership and professional development, as well as financial compensation for your work. Think of them as excellent opportunities to explore career fields, while developing your skills and building networks to support your academic and professional goals.

 

Most scholarships and fellowships have similar prompts, so you can rework the same essay for each application you submit. Use (Immigrants Rising's) Scholarship or Fellowship Essay Worksheet to improve your essays and ability to receive multiple awards.

 

GETTING STARTED

There are many scholarships and fellowships that do not require proof of citizenship. Use Immigrants Rising’s List of Scholarships and Fellowships along with additional databases to identify those that you are eligible to apply for. Our up-to-date and searchable list have about 500 scholarships and 100 fellowships open to undocumented folks, so there’s something out there for you!

 

Use our (Immigrants Rising's) Scholarship & Fellowship Search Chart to list the ones you are eligible for—including deadlines—and create an action plan today.

 

ADDITIONAL DATABASES

Check out these additional databases of scholarships and fellowships available for undocumented...people:

EXPAND ACCESS

Have you found other scholarships and fellowships that do require proof of citizenship or residency? Let scholarship and fellowship providers know that they are not required to ask applicants for proof of citizenship, residency, SSN, or work authorization. You can find more information in Immigrants Rising’s Overview of Grants to Individuals.