Alternatives to the AAUW International Fellowship for U.S. Graduate Study
AAUW is closed until about August 2027, needs a 3.5 GPA and, this cycle, a STEM field. If one of those rules shuts you out, these programmes fund international students in the U.S. on different terms.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
3 min read
Updated Oct 6, 2026
The AAUW award is a top-up stipend: $20,000–$25,000 for one year, and you must already hold an admission. The programmes below differ on the things that matter most — whether they cover tuition, whether they require you to go home, and when they open.
At a glance
| Programme | Who | What it pays | Next window |
|---|---|---|---|
| AAUW International Fellowship | Women, non-U.S. citizens, STEM, 3.5 GPA, already admitted | $20,000 (master’s) / $25,000 (doctorate) | Expected mid-Aug 2027 |
| Fulbright Foreign Student | Graduates from 160+ countries, via home commission or U.S. embassy | Tuition (sometimes capped), living costs, travel, insurance — varies by country | 2028–29 opens ~Feb 2027 (by country) |
| Knight-Hennessy Scholars | Any nationality, any Stanford graduate degree | Full funding at Stanford | 2027 cohort closed 6 Oct 2026; next expected to open ~Jun 2027 |
| P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship | Women from outside the U.S. and Canada, graduate study in U.S./Canada | Up to $12,500, need-based | Eligibility period 15 Sep – 15 Dec 2026 |
| Mastercard Foundation Scholars | Young Africans with financial need | Varies by partner university | Partner deadlines Nov 2026 – Jan 2027 |
Fulbright Foreign Student Program
Fulbright guide →Fulbright is the closest like-for-like if you have not yet applied to U.S. universities: it funds master’s and PhD study and often handles placement. You apply through your home-country Fulbright commission or U.S. embassy, so deadlines vary by country. Our guide puts the 2028–29 cycle opening around February 2027. Unlike AAUW, Fulbright students usually travel on a J-1 visa that carries a two-year home-residency requirement — a real return obligation. Fulbright is open to all fields, not only STEM.
Knight-Hennessy Scholars
KHS guide →Full funding for any graduate degree at Stanford, any nationality, any field. It is far more selective — 87 scholars from 9,223 applications in 2026, according to our guide — Applications for the 2027 cohort closed on 6 October 2026 at 1:00pm PT. Plan for the 2028 cohort instead, which our guide expects to open around June 2027. Knight-Hennessy has no return requirement and no GPA floor, and you apply to Stanford in parallel.
P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship
Run by P.E.O. International, a U.S. women’s educational organisation. According to the official eligibility page, it supports women from outside the U.S. and Canada seeking a graduate degree in the U.S. or Canada, with a maximum award of $12,500, based on need. Two differences from AAUW: it is open to any field, and applicants must “return to her home country to utilize her education” — a formal return condition. You also need a full year of coursework remaining. The eligibility period runs from 15 September to 15 December each year (15 December 2026 this cycle), and awards are announced in May.
Mastercard Foundation Scholars
Mastercard guide →If you are African and have financial need, the Mastercard Foundation funds study through partner universities, some of them in the U.S. There is no central form: you apply to each partner. Our guide lists international-partner deadlines between November 2026 and January 2027.
Your own university
For many international graduate students the largest funding source is the department itself: PhD funding packages, teaching and research assistantships, and tuition waivers. AAUW’s own financial-plan criterion expects you to list these. Ask your graduate coordinator what is available in your second year — it is often the same time you would apply to AAUW.
A sensible combination
If you are applying for autumn 2027 entry: apply for Fulbright (all fields, home-country route) and, if you are a woman with need, P.E.O. if you meet its enrolment rule. Once enrolled and in STEM, apply for AAUW when the 2028–29 window opens (expected August 2027) for your second year. Each programme has its own rules on holding other awards — declare everything.