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Top Scholarships for Graduate Students

Find a list of current scholarships for grad students. Discover the other methods students use to pay for graduate school and learn the difference between assistantships and fellowships.

Shawna Newman

August 04, 2025

Top Scholarships for Graduate Students
Even after securing a fellowship or assistantship, graduate students can still find a financial gap exists.

Top scholarships for graduate students with upcoming deadlines

Barbara A. Cooley Master's Scholarship

The Barbara A. Cooley Master's Scholarship is available to graduate students who are currently enrolled in a health education program. You must have a minimum 3.0 GPA to be eligible for this award. The recipient of this award will also receive a one - year complimentary student membership in the American Association for Health Education. Deadline: 10/15/25
Award Amount: $1,000

Schwarzman Scholars Program

The Schwarzman Scholars Program is open to graduate students. This a fully funded one - year master's degree program in global studies at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Applicants must be proficient in the English Language and demonstrate extraordinary leadership skills, the ability to anticipate and act on trends and changes in their context, strong intellectual capacity, and exemplary character. Deadline: 9/10/25
Award Amount: Full-Tuition

Overseas Press Club Foundation Scholarship

The Overseas Press Club Foundation Scholarship is available to undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in a career as a foreign correspondent. You must submit a cover letter, a resume, and a 500 - word writing sample to be considered for this award. Deadline: 12/1/25
Award Amount: $3,000 - $4,000

DoD SMART Scholarship Program

The DoD SMART Scholarship Program is available to undergraduate and graduate students. You must be pursuing a technical degree in one of the 21 STEM disciplines, have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and be able to participate in summer internships and willing to accept postgraduate employment at the Department of Defense to be eligible for this award. Recipients of this full - tuition award will also receive an annual stipend of $30,000 to $46,000. Deadline: 12/5/25
Award Amount: Full - Tuition

MdNect Medical Student Scholarship

The MdNect Medical Student Scholarship is open to medical students attending a USA - accredited medical school. Deadline: 12/15/25
Award Amount: $2,500 - $5,000

My Big Audacious (MBA) Dream Giveaway

The My Big Audacious (MBA) Dream Giveaway is open to female students who are planning to pursue an MBA within the next five years. To be considered, you must submit a 250 - word essay explaining what an MBA would mean for you and your career. Deadline: 12/31/25
Award Amount: $1,000

Daniel M. Jobbins Scholarship

The Daniel M. Jobbins Scholarship is available to full - time graduate students. You must be conducting (or recently have completed) research regarding mosquitoes or ticks, their biology, and / or practical control to be eligible for this award. Deadline: 2/13/26
Award Amount: $1,000

Siebel Scholars Program

The Siebel Scholars Program is open to the most talented students at the world's leading graduate schools of business, computer science, bioengineering, and energy science. Deadline: Varies
Award Amount: $35,000
Find more scholarship matches specific to your field of study, grad-school year, and more by creating a free Fastweb profile. Many college graduate students secure fellowships or assistantships as a method of paying for their advanced degree. Grad students apply for an assistantship or fellowship at the program department level, or college level (for instance the College of Science and Technology at XYZ University). Both opportunities help students fund a graduate-level degree while providing practical field experience. Jump to Top Scholarships for Graduate Students

What is a graduate assistantship?

Like work-study programs, an assistantship provides money and/or tuition reimbursement to help grad students pay for college. However, a graduate assistantship program includes work tied directly to your graduate degree or area of interest. A graduate student working an assistantship will, in most cases, be working for the college or university they're attending. Assistantships are considered part-time paid work.

What is a graduate fellowship?

A graduate student fellowship earns a stipend, or payment, and/or a tuition waiver as they work on a grad-level research project related to their field of study. Many grad students select a faculty member to work alongside on the assigned research project; this is often called their faculty adviser. Fellowship funding could be provided by private organizations or through universities. Even after securing a fellowship or assistantship, graduate students still find a financial gap exists as they plan to pay for their master's degree.

I'm a Graduate Student. Is it too late to apply for scholarships?

There are many scholarship opportunities for graduate students. A first-, second-, third- and even, fourth-year grad student has access to scholarships to help them pay for an advanced degree. Some colleges offer graduate school scholarships specific to graduate programs, too.

What's the easiest scholarships grad students can apply for?

Between research, thesis proposals, lectures, and reading, students pursuing a master or doctorate degree are busy! Grad students are in survival mode. Yet these advanced-level college students are searching for ways to pay for graduate school so that funding their degree doesn't feel like a full-time job. Fastweb's Featured Scholarships are some of the easiest scholarships grad students can apply for. In addition to graduate fellowships and assistantships and/or student loans, there are other forms of financial aid available for grad students. Scholarships are a form of financial aid you're not required to pay back!

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Shawna Newman

Managing Editor, Contributing Writer

Shawna Newman covers various topics related to post-secondary education, including trade schools, the military, and college. She details strategies for paying for school, such as scholarships, financial ai...

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