Financial Aid and Scholarships for International Health Students
International health is a great field to consider if you’re interested in health on a global level. This field allows you to work closely with educators, researchers, medical professionals, and advocates from around the world to learn more about and solve health problems, assess health risks, treat patients effectively, and more. If you’re interested in a master’s degree in this field, here are some financial aid opportunities you can consider to help you pay for your education.
International Health Scholarships and Fellowships
Scholarships and, more common at the graduate degree level, fellowships are both great options if you want to go back to college but don’t have a lot of money to spend on your education. Both of these forms of financial aid are given to students based on merit, like good grades or a specific skill. They don’t have to be repaid after you graduate, as is the case with loans, and many scholarships and fellowships are renewable, meaning that as long as you keep your grades up, you can get the money every year you’re still in school. If you’re an international student, you can start your scholarships and fellowship search at the Fogarty International Center, which maintains a running list of awards in this area for foreign students. American students interested in international health can check out scholarships and fellowships available directly from their school as well as from the Johns Hopkins Center for Global Health, Child Family Health International, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
International Health Grants
Grants are similar to scholarships because you don’t have to repay them, but the main qualifier to earn a grant is financial need rather than merit. Grants can be used to cover you tuition and other school fees, but in some cases they are also available for specific research projects, travel for educational purposes, and even room and board. As an undergraduate, you might have received the federal Pell Grant, and although this grant is unavailable to graduate students, there are international health grants you can receive in this upper-level education. Some places you can start your search include USAID, the Global Development Program, and the Center for Development and Population Activities.
