Soros Fellowship for New Americans

About the program

The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans is a merit-based fellowship exclusively for immigrants and children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate school in the United States. Each fellowship supports up to two years of graduate study in any field and in any advanced degree-granting program in the United States. Each award is for up to $25,000 in stipend support (not to exceed $40,000), as well as 50 percent of required tuition and fees, up to $20,000 per year, for two years.

Eligibility

  • Applicant’s birth parents must have both been born outside of the U.S. as non-U.S. citizens, and both parents must not have been eligible for U.S. citizenship at the time of their births.
  • One of the following is true for applicant: U.S. citizen by birth; Naturalized Citizen: Green Card holder; U.S. citizen by adoption; DACA status
  • applicant must not have reached or passed their 31st birthday as of the application deadline.
  • planning to be enrolled full time in an eligible graduate degree program at a U.S. university for the full 2018-19 academic year. Eligible applicants must not have begun the third year of the program that they are seeking funding for as of the application deadline.
  • Applicants who have a previous graduate degree or who are in a joint-degree program are eligible.

Selection criteria

  • The candidate has demonstrated creativity, originality and initiative in one or more aspects of her/his life.
  • The candidate has demonstrated a commitment to and capacity for accomplishment that has required drive and sustained effort.
  • The candidate has demonstrated a commitment to the values expressed in the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. This would include, but not be limited to, support of human rights and the rule of law, opposition to unwarranted encroachment on personal liberty, and advancing the responsibilities of citizenship in a free society.
  • The candidate gives promise of continued significant contributions. Those contributions are likely to reflect distinctive creativity, originality and initiative and will mark the candidate as a leading and influential figure within her/his fields of endeavor.
  • The candidate’s graduate training is relevant to her/his long-term career goals and is of potential value in enhancing her/his future creativity and accomplishment.

Application information

Qualified applicants apply directly on the Soros Fellowship website by October 25, 2024 2:00 PM EST. The online application includes:

  • Eligibility, contact information, and higher-education history
  • An academic statement for the graduate program for which you are seeking support
  • Resume
  • Two essays (see the Soros Fellowship application page for prompts)
  • Official transcripts and standardized test scores
  • 3-5 letters of recommendation (see the Soros guidance on strong recommendations)