Applications are now open for Northwestern University Scholarships 2027 in the United States for international students interested in pursuing undergraduate, Master’s, MBA, and PhD programmes. Northwestern University offers several major funding routes, including need-based financial aid for international undergraduate students, comprehensive funding packages for PhD students, and merit- and need-based scholarships for students admitted to the Kellogg School of Management’s Full-Time MBA programmes.Join our Coaching class for the Duolingo English Test

The funding opportunities are offered through Northwestern University, including its undergraduate schools, The Graduate School, and the Kellogg School of Management. Funding arrangements differ according to the level of study. International undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need may receive financial aid covering 100% of their demonstrated need, while eligible PhD students generally receive full tuition, health insurance support, and an annual stipend. Kellogg MBA students can compete for several scholarships, including the Finance Fellows Scholarship, which provides full tuition coverage.

SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS

1. Undergraduate Financial Aid

Northwestern University meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for a limited number of admitted international first-year undergraduate students.

Financial aid may cover:

·       Full or partial tuition

·       Housing and food

·       University fees

·       Health insurance

·       Books and academic supplies

·       Personal expenses

·       Travel allowance

The undergraduate financial aid package consists of grants and scholarships rather than loans or work-study, meaning recipients are not expected to take student loans or participate in work-study to cover their demonstrated financial need.

Funding can generally continue for up to four years for entering first-year students, provided students remain eligible.

2. PhD Funding

Northwestern provides comprehensive funding to many students admitted to eligible PhD programmes through The Graduate School.

The standard PhD funding package generally includes:

·       Full tuition coverage

·       Annual living stipend

·       Student health insurance

·       Health services fees

·       Year-round funding, including summer

·       Funding generally guaranteed for at least five years

·       Potential fellowships and assistantships

·       Research grants and other sources of institutional support

The minimum Northwestern PhD stipend for the 2026–2027 academic year is US$47,748 per year. The stipend for 2027–2028 may be higher when the university announces its updated rate.

Funding may come through fellowships, teaching assistantships, graduate assistantships, research assistantships, faculty research grants, or other institutional sources.

3. Kellogg Full-Time MBA Scholarships

International students admitted to Kellogg's Full-Time MBA programmes can compete for several merit- and need-based scholarships.

Available opportunities include:

·       F.C. Austin Scholarship

·       Finance Fellows Scholarship

·       Donald P. Jacobs International Scholarship

·       Kellogg Scholarship

·       David Himmelblau Scholarship

·       Healthcare at Kellogg Scholarship

·       John R. Flanagan Scholarship

·       PepsiCo Scholarship

·       Peter L. Frechette Endowed Scholarship

·       Other donor-funded and programme-specific awards

Scholarship values vary depending on the individual award.

The Finance Fellows Scholarship is particularly significant because it provides:

·       Full tuition coverage

·       Access to finance-industry leaders

·       Alumni and faculty mentorship

·       Professional-development opportunities

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Eligibility varies according to the programme and funding opportunity.

Undergraduate Eligibility

Applicants seeking Northwestern undergraduate financial aid should:

·       Apply as a first-year undergraduate student

·       Be an international applicant for financial-aid purposes

·       Apply for financial aid during the admission application

·       Demonstrate financial need

·       Complete the required financial aid forms

·       Provide family income and financial information

·       Meet the applicable admission and financial aid deadlines

·       Gain admission to Northwestern University

International undergraduate admission is need-aware, meaning an applicant's request for financial assistance and the amount of financial assistance required may be considered during the admission process.

International transfer students are not eligible for Northwestern's undergraduate institutional financial assistance programme.

Northwestern does not publish a minimum GPA guaranteeing admission or financial aid. Applicants are evaluated holistically based on academic performance, curriculum rigor, recommendations, essays, extracurricular activities, academic interests, personal qualities, and programme fit.

For Fall 2027 admission, Northwestern remains test-optional, meaning SAT or ACT scores are not mandatory.

International applicants whose secondary education has not been conducted in English may also need to provide an approved English-language proficiency test such as:

• TOEFL iBT
• IELTS
• Duolingo English Test

PhD Eligibility

Applicants must first gain admission to an eligible full-time PhD programme.

Generally, applicants must:

·       Hold a US bachelor's degree or an accepted international equivalent

·       Meet the academic requirements of their selected PhD programme

·       Submit a complete Graduate School application

·       Provide academic transcripts

·       Submit required essays or statements

·       Provide recommendation letters

·       Meet English-language requirements

·       Fulfil programme-specific requirements

·       Maintain satisfactory academic progress after admission

Current central Graduate School English-language minimums include:

·       IELTS Academic: 7.0

·       TOEFL iBT for PhD applicants: 90

·       Michigan English Test for PhD applicants: 61

Individual programmes may establish higher requirements.

Kellogg MBA Scholarship Eligibility

Kellogg scholarships may consider:

·       Academic achievement

·       Professional experience

·       Leadership

·       Career impact

·       Community involvement

·       Entrepreneurship

·       Intended industry

·       Financial need

·       Fit with the specific scholarship

Most newly admitted Full-Time MBA students are automatically considered for scholarships.

For the Finance Fellows Scholarship, applicants must:

·       Apply to the Two-Year MBA programme

·       Demonstrate a strong interest in finance

·       Intend to pursue a finance-related career or function

·       Submit the required approximately 250-word Finance Fellows response during the same admission round

AVAILABLE PROGRAMS

Northwestern University offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programmes.

Undergraduate Schools

International students can apply to eligible programmes offered through schools including:

·       Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

·       McCormick School of Engineering

·       Medill School of Journalism

·       School of Communication

·       School of Education and Social Policy

·       Bienen School of Music

Graduate and Professional Programmes

Graduate and professional study is available through:

·       The Graduate School

·       Kellogg School of Management

·       McCormick School of Engineering

·       Feinberg School of Medicine

·       Medill School of Journalism

·       Other Northwestern graduate and professional schools

MBA Programmes

Kellogg offers several Full-Time MBA formats, including:

·       Two-Year MBA

·       One-Year MBA

·       MBAi

·       MMM

·       JD-MBA

·       MD-MBA

Applicants should verify that their chosen programme is eligible for the specific scholarship or funding opportunity they intend to pursue.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Undergraduate Applicants

International undergraduate applicants should prepare:

1.     Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir application

2.     Northwestern writing supplement

3.     Official secondary-school transcripts

4.     School report

5.     Counselor recommendation

6.     Teacher recommendation

7.     Passport or personal identification information

8.     English-language proficiency result, where required

9.     SAT or ACT scores, if submitted

10.  CSS Profile

11.  International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA), where applicable

12.  Parents' national tax documents

13.  Employer income statements where tax returns are unavailable

14.  Official English translations of financial documents

15.  Additional financial documents requested by Northwestern

PhD Applicants

Applicants should generally prepare:

1.     Graduate School online application

2.     Bachelor's degree certificate

3.     Master's degree certificate, where applicable

4.     Complete academic transcripts

5.     Certified English translations

6.     Statement of purpose or academic statement

7.     Research statement or programme-specific essays

8.     Academic CV

9.     Recommendation letters

10.  English-language test result, where required

11.  GRE or other required test results, where applicable

12.  Publications or research outputs, if applicable

13.  Previous thesis or dissertation information

14.  Writing sample, where required

15.  Portfolio or audition materials for relevant disciplines

16.  Additional programme-specific documents

Kellogg MBA Applicants

Applicants should prepare:

1.     Online MBA application

2.     Resume/CV

3.     Academic transcripts

4.     Required test scores

5.     Recommendation letters

6.     MBA essays

7.     Employment history

8.     Leadership and extracurricular information

9.     Career goals

10.  Programme-specific materials

Most Kellogg scholarships do not require a separate scholarship application.

Finance Fellows applicants must additionally complete the scholarship interest form and submit the required approximately 250-word response.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

How to Apply for Undergraduate Financial Aid

Step 1: Choose whether to apply through Early Decision or Regular Decision.

For Fall 2027:

• Early Decision deadline: November 1, 2026
• Regular Decision deadline: January 4, 2027

Step 2: Complete the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir application and submit the required Northwestern supplement and supporting documents.

Step 3: Indicate that you are applying for financial aid.

International students who require financial assistance should indicate their need for financial aid during the admission application. This is particularly important because Northwestern uses need-aware admission for international applicants.

Step 4: Complete the CSS Profile.

Northwestern's CSS Profile code is 1565.

Step 5: If the CSS Profile cannot reasonably be submitted, complete Northwestern's International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA), where applicable.

Step 6: Submit parents' tax documents or employer-issued income statements, together with official English translations where necessary.

Step 7: Submit all admission and financial aid materials before the relevant deadlines.

How to Apply for PhD Funding

Step 1: Search Northwestern's Graduate School programmes and identify a PhD programme that matches your academic background and research interests.

Step 2: Review the programme's faculty, research areas, prerequisites, English requirements, GRE requirements where applicable, funding information, and application deadline.

Step 3: The Graduate School application portal for Fall 2027 opens on September 15, 2026.

Step 4: Prepare your academic documents, statement of purpose, research materials, CV, recommendation letters, transcripts, and other programme-specific requirements.

Step 5: Submit the application through The Graduate School application portal before the deadline established by your chosen department.

There is no single deadline for all Northwestern PhD programmes. Many deadlines fall in December, but applicants must check the exact deadline for their selected programme.

Step 6: PhD funding consideration is generally connected to admission. Most applicants do not need to submit a separate central scholarship application for the standard funding package.

How to Apply for Kellogg MBA Scholarships

Step 1: Select the appropriate Kellogg Full-Time MBA programme.

Step 2: Prepare the MBA application, including your CV, academic transcripts, recommendations, essays, employment history, and other required materials.

Step 3: Submit the MBA application during one of the 2027 admission rounds.

Step 4: Most admitted Full-Time MBA students are automatically considered for Kellogg scholarships.

Step 5: If applying for the Finance Fellows Scholarship, complete the additional scholarship interest form and submit the approximately 250-word response during the same admission round.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

·       Northwestern undergraduate financial aid is need-based, not a general merit scholarship programme for international students.

·       International undergraduate admission is need-aware, meaning financial need can influence the admission decision.

·       Students who need Northwestern institutional financial assistance should request aid during their first year; students who do not request aid initially may not be able to add it later.

·       Northwestern's undergraduate financial aid packages can cover 100% of demonstrated financial need for eligible admitted international students.

·       International undergraduate financial aid is limited and therefore highly competitive.

·       PhD funding is generally provided for at least five years, subject to the conditions stated in the admission and funding offer and satisfactory academic progress.

·       The US$47,748 PhD stipend is the minimum rate for 2026–2027 and may change for the 2027–2028 academic year.

·       PhD application deadlines vary by department, so applicants should always check the exact deadline for their intended programme.

·       Most Kellogg Full-Time MBA scholarships are awarded automatically through the admission process.

·       The Finance Fellows Scholarship requires an additional scholarship response.

·       Scholarship amounts for many Kellogg awards vary and are not guaranteed to be the same for every recipient.

·       Applicants should verify programme-specific requirements and deadlines before submitting their applications.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Undergraduate — Fall 2027

Early Decision

• Admission application deadline: November 1, 2026
• International financial aid deadline: December 1, 2026

Regular Decision

• Admission application deadline: January 4, 2027
• International financial aid deadline: February 1, 2027

PhD — Fall 2027

• Graduate School application opens: September 15, 2026
• Programme deadlines vary
• Many PhD application deadlines fall in December 2026
• Some programmes have deadlines such as December 1 or December 15, 2026

Applicants must check the exact deadline for their chosen PhD programme.

Kellogg Full-Time MBA — 2027 Entry

• Round 1: September 9, 2026
• Round 2: January 6, 2027
• Round 3: March 31, 2027

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early and submit all required admission and financial aid documents before the applicable deadline.



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