25 Scholarships in the Social and Political Science Field

Students all around the world seek for scholarship opportunities to help fund their studies, whether it is inside or outside their home countries. Generally, they apply for scholarships because they need financial support for the education that they cannot afford to pay. Luckily, scholarships are offered everywhere around the world to both domestic and international students. All students need to do is find the right scholarship based on their needs.

This article provides you with a list of international scholarships, specifically to study social and political science. Before we get to the list of scholarships, you might want to learn a few things about what it means to pursue a degree in social and political science as explained below.

Majoring in Social and Political Science

Pursuing a degree in a social and political science will allow you to specialize in globalization, cultural identity, human rights, the future of the welfare state, migration, equality or social justice. Social and political sciences include (but not limited to) the following subject areas:

• African Studies
• Anthropology
• Criminology
• Global Health Policy
• International Development / Relations
• Politics
• Social and Public Policy
• Social Work
• Socio-cultural Studies
• Sociology
• South Asian Studies

With a degree in social and political science, there is a wide range of careers options that you can choose from. To name a few, a focus on Politics might indicate an interest in working in public policy or diplomacy. A focus on Anthropology may be leading towards a career in development work. A specialization in Sociology might be chosen with the intention of becoming a social researcher. You can also major in Archaeology with a view to a career as an archaeologist or heritage manager. Yet, any of these subject choices could also lead to a career as a solicitor or a barrister or a retail manager, in communications or market research, or in teaching or media.

The skills developed through a social sciences degree are very transferable, especially if augmented by additional experience and if you are able to communicate your interest in a particular career, and your motivation for applying to a specific employer.

Social and Political Science Scholarships for International Students

Out of the huge amount of scholarships offered to international students to study social and political science anywhere in the world, the following is a list of political and social science scholarships available for 2019/20 intake.

1. Academic Excellence Master’s Scholarship at ANU: Scholarships available to international students from China, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Indonesia who wish to study at the Australian National University (ANU) College of Arts and Social Sciences.
2. Yale’s Need-Based Financial Aid Awards: Financial aid for all students, regardless of citizenship or immigration status, who come from families whose total gross income is less than $65,000 (with typical assets) and aren’t expected to make a contribution towards their child’s education at Yale University in the US.
3. Travers Undergraduate Scholarship in Ethics and Politics: A merit-based scholarship awarding a stipend of $12,000 per year, aimed at all students planning to serve their country or community in a government capacity in the future. The scholarships are offered by the Charles and Louise Travers Department of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB).
4. Emerging Scholars in Political Science (ESPS) Program: Full financial aid including tuition, room and board for all students (both domestic and international), allowing them, regardless of family income, to attend the pre-doctoral research program at Princeton University in the US.
5. Stanford’s Financial Aid: A limited amount of financial aid available to international students at any point of their studies (must be stated within the application) in American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political methodology or political theory, at Stanford University.
6. Cambridge Trust: Approximately 500 scholarships for outstanding postgraduate students from outside the UK to study at the University of Cambridge.
7. Gates Cambridge Program: Awards for outstanding postgraduate applicants from outside the UK to study politics at the University of Cambridge.
8. PhD Studentships at the University of Cambridge: Five merit-based PhD studentships offered by the Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS), are available to fund a full-time three-year doctoral degree in Politics and International Studies.
9. ICAP Undergraduate Scholarship at LSE: Undergraduate scholarship that covers the full tuition fees of a student from sub-Saharan Africa at London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
10. LSE Master’s Awards: Awards ranging from ₤5,000 to a full award, for students studying at London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in the UK, with preference given to students from low and middle-income families.
11. Emile-Boutmy Scholarships: Financial aid for undergraduate or master’s students from outside the EEA, who wants to pursue their studies at Sciences Po in France.
12. Harris Manchester – Second Undergraduate Degree Scholarships: Scholarships worth up to ₤18,500 per year, available to students applying for a second undergraduate degree (SUD) in any subject at the University of Oxford. Awards will be made on academic merit and are available to those who already have, or will have, a good first degree.
13. Reach Oxford Scholarship: Open to undergraduate applicants who are nationals of countries who receive official development assistance from the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Priority will be given to applicants who have not studied at an undergraduate level before. The scholarship consists of course fee, a grant for living expenses of at least ₤11,560 per year, and one return air fare per year.
14. Simon and June Li Undergraduate Scholarship: Open to undergraduate applicants who are studying any three-year or four-year undergraduate course at the University of Oxford. Applicants must ordinarily resident in a developing Asian country. The scholarship covers course fee and a grant for living expenses of at least ₤11,560 per year.
15. Kwok Scholarships for Undergraduates: Funding to cover course fees and living costs for two exceptional students who have been offered a place to study Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) or another Social Sciences undergraduate degree subject related to public service. Students must be from Hong Kong.
16. Harvard’s Financial Aid: Need-based scholarships for all students admitted to Harvard University. The program requires no contribution from Harvard families with annual incomes below $65,000. Families with incomes between $65,000 and $150,000 will contribute from 0-10% of their income, and those with incomes above $150,000 will be asked to pay proportionately more than 10%, based on their individual circumstances.
17. Udall Undergraduate Scholarships: Scholarships for college sophomores and juniors who originate in any major and discipline of study. In recent years, Udall Scholars have been focusing on environmental sciences and policy studies, agriculture, political science, natural resource management, sociology, anthropology, American-Indian studies, tribal public policy, history, English, theater, landscape structure, and general health, to mention a few. 50 Udall scholarships worth $7,000 each can be used to cover tuition fees, books and equipment, room and board expenses.
18. Wayne V Black Scholarship: Undergraduate scholarships offered by The Energy Telecommunications & Electrical Association (ENTELEC) to full-time undergraduate students studying political science, engineering / engineering technology, computer science / MIS, pre-law, and telecommunications / information technology (IT) in an accredited university / college in the United States or Canada. Each scholarship is worth at least $5,000.
19. Vernon and Georgia Bender Scholarship: Established in memory of Vernon and Georgia Bender, this scholarship will be given to a full-time undergraduate political science major, based on financial need.
20. V. Don Hudson Memorial Scholarship: Scholarship provided by the Department of Political Science at the University of Iowa in the US, to support a deserving undergraduate or graduate student who has a physical disability, to major in political science at the University. Student must demonstrate financial need.
21. Donald B. Johnson Scholarship / Donald B. Johnson Fellowship: Awarded to two undergraduate political science majors who are completing their junior years at the University of Iowa. Student must exemplify the quality of character and leadership by which Donald Johnson was known, and must demonstrate financial need. Johnson Fellowship will be awarded on the base of merit. Johnson Scholarship will be awarded on the base of merit and financial need.
22. Humane Studies Fellowship: A non-residency, renewable award of up to $15,000 per year to assist students enrolled or planning to enroll in full-time PhD programs. To be eligible to apply for the fellowship, you must be enrolled full-time in a PhD program at any institution for the upcoming academic year, and have a research interest that contributes to the advancement of classical liberal scholarship. International students are welcome to apply. Qualifying fields of study include economics, political science, philosophy, law, history, sociology, and similar disciplines in the social sciences and humanities.
23. Global Academic Excellence Scholarships at the University of York: Scholarships available to undergraduate and postgraduate taught Master’s students from any non-EU country. Each scholarship offers a ₤5,000 tuition fee discount for the first year of study. Students must have a conditional or unconditional offer to study at the University of York.
24. Country or Region-Specific Academic Excellence Scholarships at the University of York: Scholarships offering a tuition fee discount of up to ₤10,000 for high ability students from a specific country or region. To be eligible to apply for the scholarship, students must hold an acceptance letter (conditional or unconditional) from the University of York.
25. Sharifah Sofia Albukhary Scholarship: Five scholarships for undergraduate students in need of financial support to further their education. The scholarship amounts available vary based on individual financial need of the student. For 2019/20 academic year the available awards are: one award of ₤75,000 over three years and; four awards of ₤31,250 over three years. Students must hold a conditional or unconditional offer for a full-time three-year undergraduate course at the University of York in the UK. Students must be from one of the selected countries.