Contact International Student and Scholar Services
Additional information
- ISSS Front desk
8am–5pm Arizona time
- Non-medical emergency line 24/7
- Outside the US and Canada
International Student Scholarships
NAU Scholarships
International Excellence Award
The International Excellence Award was established to provide opportunities for high-achieving underrepresented international students to attend NAU. It is a merit-based tuition waiver for first time undergraduate and graduate degree-seeking international students admitted directly into a university degree program on the Flagstaff campus. Award amount varies.
Eligibility requirements Accordion Closed
- First time, full-time, F-1 Degree Seeking Student (Undergraduate and Graduate)
- Must be paying full out-of-state tuition with personal or family funds
- Must have a minimum 3.0 GPA at the time of consideration
- Award is presented based on the information provided at the time of admission application and may be subject to change after evaluating applicants’ final official transcripts.
Note: This award is a tuition award/waiver only and will not be turned into a cash award. Awards are highly competitive and eligibility does not guarantee an award. Other factors may be taken into consideration
Students ineligible to apply include:
- Students sponsored by governments or other organizations
- Dual-degree students or students receiving other tuition discounts
- Program in Intensive English students, including students in the Bridge Program
Note: Award amounts will be adjusted for students also receiving the Arizona-Sonora Scholarship
How to apply Accordion Closed
- Students who meet the criteria are automatically considered once they submit a complete international student admission application.
- No additional application is needed
- Awarded on a first-come-first serve basis
Renewal criteria Accordion Closed
- Renewable every year/semester
- Minimum GPA is variable
- Must meet all mandatory service and attendance requirements
Combining Awards Accordion Closed
- This award is disbursed in the form of an out-of-state tuition waiver only. Out-of-state tuition is waived up to the award amount but not in excess of out-of-state tuition charges in the given semester. It cannot be applied to mandatory or special class fees or to other charges such as housing, meal plans, etc.
Global Achievement Award
The Global Achievement Award is a one-time, merit-based achievement award split over the fall and spring semesters, applied to out-of-state tuition only. The award amount varies but the maximum award amount is $10,000 for the academic year.
Eligibility requirements Accordion Closed
- F-1/J-1 Degree Seeking Student (Undergraduate and Graduate)
- Must have completed 12 units of coursework by the end of the previous semester
- Must be paying full out-of-state tuition with family funds
- Must have a minimum 2.75 GPA at the end of the previous semester. If you are unsure if you will achieve the minimum GPA for application, please contact ISSS.
Note: This award is a tuition award/waiver only and will not be turned into a cash award. Awards are highly competitive and eligibility does not guarantee an award. Other factors may be taken into consideration.
Students ineligible to apply include:
- Students receiving the International Excellence Award
- Dual-degree students or students receiving other tuition discounts
- Students sponsored by governments or other organizations
- Arizona-Sonora Scholarship recipients
- Program in Intensive English Students, including Bridge Program students
How to apply Accordion Closed
- Submit a Completed Application with the following 3 items to ISSS:
- Application Form: Students will get an email notification when the application is open and may contact ISSS (isss@nau.edu) for the application form. Applications will be reviewed according to the following categories: academic success and academic involvement, social or community involvement, the quality of the personal essay, as well as the strength of your letter of recommendation.
- Personal Essay: This application requires a one-page essay explaining your future goals and how this award will help you reach them. You should use this essay to illustrate what makes you and your experience unique. This essay should be typed, and you may title as you wish. Include any other considerations you would like the scholarship committee to know about your experience.
- Recommendation letter: Request a letter of recommendation. You should request this letter from someone who knows you well and can speak to the ways you have participated and contributed to the NAU community, either through academic performance, cultural awareness or other activities.
- Application deadline: Students will get an email notification when applications are open and the deadline. Only complete applications will be considered.
Renewal criteria Accordion Closed
- A minimum of 2.75 or higher cumulative GPA
- One-time award, must submit new application each year
- Must meet all mandatory service and attendance requirements
- If you enroll in less than a full-course of study you may receive less than your full award amount and must be approved for a reduced course load through ISSS.
Combining Awards Accordion Closed
- This award is disbursed in the form of an out-of-state tuition waiver only. Out-of-state tuition is waived up to the award amount but not in excess of out-of-state tuition charges in the given semester. It cannot be applied to mandatory or special class fees or to other charges such as housing, meal plans, etc.
Additional NAU Scholarships
International Baccalaureate Scholarship Accordion Closed
If you are a student receiving an International Baccalaureate diploma and are admitted to Northern Arizona University as an undergraduate, first-degree seeking student, you are eligible to receive $5,000 per year for tuition.
You may not combine this award with other tuition awards. It is renewable for up to eight semesters if you maintain a 2.5 GPA and complete 30 credit hours per year. Learn more about the award and eligibility on the President’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Scholarship page.
Graduate Assistantships Accordion Closed
NAU students pursuing a graduate degree are eligible to apply for a graduate assistantship (GAs). If a student is awarded a GA position, they receive a tuition waiver which pays for all or part of a student’s tuition.
Learn more details about graduate assistantships and their requirements on the Graduate College website. Open assistantships may be found at the bottom of the page or by reaching out to the department directly.
NAU Foundation Scholarships Accordion Closed
Gifts from generous donors make it possible to offer many NAU Foundation scholarships to NAU students.
To learn more about the awards offered specifically to international students, reach out to an ISSS Advisor for more information.
NAU College & Department Scholarships Accordion Closed
NAU offers a list of scholarships based on merit, need and background. Several colleges and departments at NAU also offer scholarships to qualified students pursuing a particular field of study. Visit the NAU Office of Student and Financial Aid for a list of these scholarship opportunities available from the university.
Prestigious Scholarships Accordion Closed
- Master’s in Global Affairs & Multidisciplinary Problem Solving
- Schwarzman (1-yr accelerated program); Must have completed Bachelor’s prior to grant, max age 29; All classes in English at Tsinghua University in Beijing
- Citizens of All Countries are eligible.
- Graduate Study at Cambridge University in the UK
- Gates Cambridge (1-yr Post-Grad, or multi-yr MSc/MLitt, PhD); Multiple Degree Programs; Must be accepted into the Cambridge Degree Program; Citizens of All Countries except UK are eligible.
- Graduate Study & Leadership Development at Stanford University
- Knight-Hennessy at Stanford University (multi-yr Masters, PhD, Professional Graduate Programs); Must be accepted into Stanford Program; Citizens of All Countries are eligible.
- Human Rights & Social Justice Projects
- Humanity in Action – Apply from the USA (apply as Soph/Junior/Senior, Recent Grad OR Graduate Students at US-based university); Global Projects in Amsterdam, Berlin, Sarajevo, Warsaw; Apply for all programs of interest; All programs conducted in English; Citizens of All Countries are eligible.
Private Donor Scholarships Accordion Closed
NAU compiled a list of hundreds of privately funded scholarships available to students. Please review eligibility criteria for the awards and plan ahead.
External Scholarship Resources
These websites are not affiliated with NAU and are provided as an additional resource to funding that may be available to international students.
- Institute of International Education (IIE) Scholarship Database
- International Education Financial Aid
- International Scholarship Search
- International Student
- International Student Loan
- Porch Scholarship
- List of Scholarships for International Students
Country Specific Scholarships
- Korea Student Aid Foundation (KOSAF)
- International Scholarships for Developing Country Students
- EducationUSA (may have country specific scholarships)
- Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund for Latin American and Caribbean International Students
NAU Scholarships Application Support
Get Application Writing support and learn how to create a competitive profile when applying for scholarships. The Office of National and International Scholarships and Fellowships (NISF) assists all NAU students in the nationally competitive scholarship process.