Northwestern University (NU) Scholarships 2026: Amount and Eligibility

Northwestern University (NU) Scholarships 2026: Amount and Eligibility

Evanston, IllinoisLocation
UniversitySchool type
Estd1851established year
20611enrollment
Private (Not for Profit)
8.0/10
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Shreyashi Pathak

Study Abroad Expert | Updated 3+ months ago

Northwestern University provides scholarships based on academic achievement and financial need to both international and domestic students. In the past few years, the university has awarded more than $200 million to undergraduate students. To apply for these scholarships, students must first be admitted to the university. Scholarships start at $1,000 and help reduce the overall cost of education. The main scholarships offered by Northwestern University include the following:

  • Northwestern Endowed Scholarships
  • Northwestern University Scholarship
  • Quest Bridge National College Match Scholarship
  • Native American and Indigenous Studies Scholarship
  • Canning Scholarship

Also Check: Popular Scholarships to Study in USA


Northwestern University Scholarships for UG Courses

Northwestern University Scholarship for international students helps them afford to study in the US. Being an international student, you will be able to get different types of scholarships based on their eligibility criteria. Even though, you can consider the following scholarships that are provided to both international and domestic students.

Scholarship / Aid Program Eligibility Coverage Application Process Notes
Need-Based Financial Aid First-year international applicants demonstrating financial need Up to 100% of demonstrated need (tuition, room & board, fees, insurance, books, personal expenses, travel) Indicate on admission application; submit CSS Profile or ISAFAprovide translated financial documents Only available to first-year applicants at time of admission; loan-free and work-free packages
Northwestern University Scholarship All undergraduates with institutional financial need Varies based on demonstrated need Automatically considered upon applying for aid; no separate application Funded by the university; over 50% of students receive this
Northwestern Endowed Scholarships Students eligible for need-based aid and meeting specific donor criteria Varies; replaces equivalent amount of Northwestern Scholarship No separate application; automatic consideration with aid application Does not increase aid amount; matches donor-funded criteria
QuestBridge National College Match Scholarship High-achieving, low-income students applying through QuestBridge Full tuition and fees Apply via QuestBridge National Match process Northwestern is a QuestBridge partner institution
GLO Scholarships (for Study Abroad) Undergraduates participating in approved study abroad; priority to financial aid recipients Varies by program; may include tuition, room, board, and airfare Automatically considered after completing GLO study abroad application Includes several funds (e.g., Daniels GESI Scholars Fund, Buffett Scholarship); amounts vary

Northwestern University Scholarships graduate are also provided in the form of funding. You can refer to the financial support provided by the university to enable your graduate journey. The minimum annual stipend rate for PhD students in 2025–26 is $45,000.


Northwestern University Scholarships for Graduate Courses

Tabulated below is a summary of the key scholarships, fellowships, and financial aid opportunities available to international graduate students at Northwestern University.

Program / Scholarship Eligibility Coverage Application Process Notes
Graduate Assistantships (Teaching & Research) Master's and Ph.D. students across various departments Tuition waiver, monthly stipend, and health insurance Automatically considered during program application; assignments depend on departmental needs Common in Ph.D. programs; availability varies for Master's programs; contact specific departments for details
Graduate Fellowships Master's and Ph.D. students demonstrating exceptional academic performance Tuition coverage and monthly stipend Application through The Graduate School or specific departments Includes internal and external fellowships; competitive selection process
Global Impacts Graduate Fellowship Ph.D. students in their 3rd–7th years engaged in global studies research Enhanced stipend and tuition coverage for one academic year Online application with statement of interest, CV, and research abstract; departmental approval required Focus on dissertation support and professional development in global studies fields
MSES Scholars Fund International students enrolled in the Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability (MSES) program Merit- and need-based scholarships; amounts vary Application through the MSES program's financial aid page Encouraged to consult the Office of Fellowships for additional funding opportunities
Medill Scholarships International students admitted to Medill's graduate programs in journalism and integrated marketing communications Merit-based scholarships; amounts vary Automatically considered during admission process International students are not eligible for U.S. federal financial aid; scholarships awarded based on application content
Comer Scholarship Master's students in Medill's journalism program Partial tuition coverage (approximately 50%) Automatically considered during admission process Includes opportunities for international study and participation in the Comer Climate Change Conference
Graduate Global Health Fieldwork Scholarship Students in the Master of Science in Global Health (MSGH) program undertaking approved international fieldwork Tuition reduction to support fieldwork expenses Application with fieldwork proposal, GPA requirement, and financial need documentation Requires approved practicum project involving travel; awarded once during graduate career
Siebel Scholars Program Outstanding graduate students in business and computer science programs $35,000 award for final year of graduate studies Nomination by participating departments; no direct application Recognizes top students at select institutions, including Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management
Doctoral Funding Ph.D. students across various disciplines Full tuition waiver, annual stipend, and health insurance Automatically considered during program application Funding typically guaranteed for the duration of the program; specifics vary by department
External Scholarships (AAUW International Fellowships) International women pursuing graduate studies in the U.S. $20,000–$50,000 depending on degree level Application through sponsoring organizations Competitive external funding opportunities; deadlines and requirements vary

Other Scholarship options for Indian Students

For Indian students, getting Northwestern University grants and scholarships can be challenging. However, many other scholarships can help you to move to the USA and pursue your aspired course. You can refer to the following scholarships for Indian students based on subjects to move to the USA:

Scholarship Amount
Study a Bachelor’s in the USA Scholarship $5,000
Catholic High School Award $2,000
Knowmad Digital Marketing Scholarship $500
New International Student Academic Achievement/President’s Merit Award $5,500
RealtyHop Scholarship $2,000

You can refer to Northwestern University scholarships for freshmen and graduates. Along with this, the university already has 757 students and scholars from India. Among them, 67 are undergraduates, 382 are masters, 116 are doctoral and 192 are scholar students. You will have to refer to the Northwestern University Scholarship deadline before applying.

FAQs

Ques: Does Northwestern University give scholarships?

Ans: 51% of the undergraduate students of Northwestern University receive Scholarships. This includes undergraduate, graduate, and PG students. The university mostly focuses on merit-based and need-based scholarships.

Ques: Is Northwestern free to apply?

Ans: For applying to Northwestern University, you will need to pay a $75 application fee, which is 6,271.42 INR. The university already has 757 students and scholars from India pursuing UG, PG, and Graduate degrees.

Ques: Does Northwestern cover 100% of financial needs?

Ans: The university meets 100% of demonstrated financial needs. Along with this, they provided financial aid to international as well as domestic students. All the need-based aid packages of the university are loan-free.

Ques: Is a 3.7 GPA good for Northwestern?

Ans: The UG students applying to Northwestern University require a GPA of 2.0 on a scale of 4.0. However, Indian students will also be required to submit English proficiency test scores such as IELTS, TOEFL, and many others. Thus, a GPA of 3.7 can be considered to be good to get into Northwestern University.

Ques: Does Northwestern University meet 100% demonstrated need for international students?

Ans: The university provides world-class faculty and research, along with different student support and instruction. Northwestern University accommodations are also effective where they support residential and dining services and staff. For affordable study, any international students with financial needs can apply for various scholarship programs provided by the university.

Northwestern University Scholarships: Students' Opinion

AI-Generated Summary based on 5 Reviews

Through the Questbridge program, I matched with Northwestern University, ranking it as my 4th choice, and now pay approximately $400 per quarter. Additionally, Northwestern offers a $10,000 scholarship based on a student's profile and statement of purpose (SOP). This scholarship is competitive yet attainable, with 4-5 students in my cohort having successfully received it.
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 By Collegedunia’s Personal AI

Scholarships offered

Jagdish Bhagwati Fellowship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: Variable Amount
  • Type: College-Specific
  • Level of Study: Bachelor
  • Number of Scholarships: N/A

Bharat Petroleum Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: Variable Amount
  • Type: Merit-Based
  • Level of Study: Master
  • Number of Scholarships: N/A

Comindware Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: $4,000
  • Type: Merit-Based
  • Level of Study: Apprenticeship
  • Number of Scholarships: N/A

Forktip Women’s- Innovation Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: Variable Amount
  • Type: College-Specific
  • Level of Study: Bachelor
  • Number of Scholarships: 10

FINCAD Women in Finance Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: $20,000
  • Type: Merit-Based
  • Level of Study: Master
  • Number of Scholarships: N/A

Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship


  • International Student Eligible: Yes
  • Amount: $5,000
  • Type: Merit-Based
  • Level of Study: Bachelor
  • Number of Scholarships: 37
Show More

Reviews


StreamDegree TypeStudent StatusNationalityBatchCourse
Sort By :
Newest First

Engineering (3)
Engineering Management (3)
Arts (1)
Mathematics (1)
Bridge (1)
Campus (1)
Choice (1)
Experience (1)
Knowledge (1)
Program (1)
Quarter (1)
Summer (1)
System (1)
Tuition (1)

5 Reviews Found

AD
9.0 /10

Scholarship

  • There’s a $10,000 scholarship available at the university, awarded based on the strength of a student's profile and SOPs. Many of my friends in the cohort have successfully received it, which makes me hopeful about my chances.
  • It seems to be a competitive but achievable opportunity for funding. As per my knowledge 4-5 students in my cohort have received the scholarship.

  • There is a local property dealer called Peak Properties. I got to know about them from my seniors and they explained the entire process.
  • There are other apps, such as Zillow, which is used by many people. My accommodation is 1.2 miles away from the university. My monthly rent with utilities is around $650.
  • The only suggestion would be to start early to find the cheaper apartments or else you’ll end up getting the costly ones.

+4 more
academic: 10/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 8/10
placement: 8/10
extracurricular: 8/10

MS
8.2 /10

Scholarship

N/A

Got into an honors program called MMSS, which has a campus but still within the city parameters of Chicago, great academics, top 10 ranked school, good student life including athletics, clubs.

academic: 10/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 10/10
placement: 10/10

CM
8.2 /10

Scholarship

Through Questbridge, I filled out an initial application, was declared a finalist, then I ranked the Questbridge schools I'd be okay with attending if I matched, then my application was sent to the schools I ranked, Northwestern was my 4th choice and I matched. Thus, I pay about $400 per quarter to attend Northwestern.

First, I'm a Questbridge Scholar who matched with Northwestern, so I was required to go here by contract. I ranked it because I thought it offered so many different opportunities, because of its location, emphasis on not limiting yourself to one area of study, etc. People at Northwestern were kinder and so willing to help me out/answer any questions during my tour, which made me feel right at home.

academic: 9/10
faculty: 8/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 6/10
placement: 10/10
extracurricular: 7/10

A
8.0 /10

Scholarship

No

Great Brand, low student faculty ratio. Direct connect with Kellogg school of business and this is one of the best MEM program in USA. It also has one of the lowest acceptance ratio

academic: 9/10
faculty: 10/10
infrastructure: 10/10
accomodation: 10/10
placement: 9/10

Scholarship

No

Top 5 for MEM, has a good quarter program & faculty is from Kellogg

academic: 8/10
faculty: 8/10
infrastructure: 9/10
accomodation: 7/10
placement: 8/10

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