International Peace Scholarship Fund

Women who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the U.S. or Canada, studying full time at an eligible U.S. or Canadian institution. A separate admission route applies to international students at Cottey College in Missouri.

Women who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the U.S. or Canada may apply; residence for tax purposes alone does not disqualify an applicant. The main route requires admission to full-time graduate study at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university, with admission evidence identifying the degree programme. First-time graduate applicants need a full year of formal coursework remaining and must be enrolled and in residence for the full school year. Dissertation-only doctoral study is excluded for first-time applicants. Online study, standalone research, internships and practical training without formal coursework are excluded. Applicants must sign a commitment to return home or to another location outside the U.S./Canada, depending on visa status, after their degree or Optional Practical Training. Guaranteed return/round-trip travel and a guarantor's travel form are required; the award cannot fund that travel. International Cottey College students use a separate admission route: evidence of Cottey admission and the admission director's recommendation are required. The graduate-admission, return commitment and travel-guarantee requirements above do not apply to that route. All applicants submit an estimated budget and anticipated additional funding because the scholarship does not cover all costs; those additional resources need not be confirmed when the budget is submitted. Eligibility must be established before the full application. Graduate recipients may apply for one renewal, for at most two years' support; a dissertation-only renewal requires full-time enrolment and academic supervision. Cottey recipients may later apply for graduate support, with total IPS support capped at US$25,000.

1. Establish eligibility first using the official IPS Eligibility Form. For the 2027–2028 study year, the form is accepted from 15 September to 15 December 2026. The listing's 15 December deadline is this initial eligibility-form deadline.
2. After eligibility is confirmed, complete the full application with the required admission evidence, budget and route-specific documents. The current calendar sets 1 February 2027 for applicants already enrolled in the intended graduate programme and school, and 15 March 2027 for applicants not yet enrolled and for Cottey applicants.
3. Award notifications are scheduled for May 2027; recipients must accept by 1 June 2027. Check the official application calendar and policy PDF for the requirements of your specific route.