The Northwestern University Scholarships 2027 support international students pursuing undergraduate, master’s, MBA, and PhD programmes in the United States. For undergraduate students, Northwestern meets 100% of the demonstrated financial need of admitted international first-year applicants through grants and scholarships that do not need to be repaid, with packages considering tuition, housing and food, fees, health insurance, books, personal expenses, and travel. At the doctoral level, international PhD students are generally funded on the same basis as domestic students and typically receive full tuition, health insurance support, and a minimum annual stipend currently valued at US$47,748 for 2026–2027, usually for at least five years. International applicants to the Kellogg School of Management can also compete for MBA scholarships, including merit awards and the full-tuition Finance Fellows Scholarship. These funding routes have different application processes: undergraduate applicants request financial aid alongside admission, PhD applicants are normally considered for funding through their graduate application, and most Kellogg MBA applicants are automatically considered for scholarships when applying for admission.
In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about the Northwestern University Scholarships, including their benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
The three strongest Northwestern funding routes covered in this guide are:
- Northwestern International Undergraduate Financial Aid
- Northwestern University PhD Funding
- Kellogg Full-Time MBA Scholarships
International undergraduate funding is particularly generous for students who are admitted with demonstrated financial need, but Northwestern uses need-aware admission for international applicants. This means both the request for financial assistance and the amount required can be considered during the admission decision. Northwestern does not award general undergraduate scholarships based purely on academic merit.
Northwestern University Scholarships Summary
- Level of Study: Undergraduate / Master’s / MBA / PhD
- Institution: Northwestern University
- Study Destination: United States
- Courses Offered: Eligible programmes offered by Northwestern University
- Undergraduate Funding Period: Up to four years for entering first-year students
- PhD Funding Period: Generally at least five years
Northwestern University offers undergraduate programmes through Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, McCormick School of Engineering, Medill School of Journalism, School of Communication, School of Education and Social Policy, and Bienen School of Music. Graduate and professional programmes are offered through The Graduate School and schools such as Kellogg, McCormick, Feinberg, Medill, and others.
Northwestern University Scholarships Application Deadline
The deadline depends on the degree level and funding route.
Undergraduate Scholarship Deadline
Northwestern University has already published the application and financial aid deadlines for students entering in Fall 2027.
Early Decision
- Admission application deadline: November 1, 2026
- International financial aid deadline: December 1, 2026
- Admission decision: December 2026
Regular Decision
- Admission application deadline: January 4, 2027
- International financial aid deadline: February 1, 2027
- Admission decision: March 2027
Applicants can begin submitting financial aid materials from October 1. Financial aid decisions for students who meet the deadline are generally released with or shortly after the admission decision.
The financial aid deadline is separate from the admission deadline. International applicants who need aid should therefore make sure that both applications are completed on time.
Northwestern PhD Funding Deadline
Northwestern’s Graduate School application portal for Fall 2027 admission opens on September 15, 2026, but there is no single PhD application deadline for every programme. Each academic department determines its own closing date.
PhD application deadlines generally fall in December, although some programmes may use a different deadline. For example, several Fall 2027 programmes have already published December 1 or December 15, 2026 deadlines. Applicants should therefore check the exact page for their intended PhD programme before applying.
There is normally no separate central application deadline for the standard PhD funding package. Funding consideration is tied to admission to the doctoral programme.
Kellogg MBA Scholarship Deadline
Kellogg has already published the application deadlines for its Full-Time MBA programmes beginning in 2027:
- Round 1: September 9, 2026
- Round 2: January 6, 2027
- Round 3: March 31, 2027
Most admitted students are automatically considered for Kellogg scholarships and receive scholarship notification with their admission decision.
The Finance Fellows Scholarship is an exception. Eligible applicants must submit its short scholarship interest form during the same admission round in which they submit their MBA application.
Northwestern University Scholarship Coverage
Northwestern International Undergraduate Financial Aid
Northwestern provides need-based financial aid to a limited group of admitted international first-year students and commits to meeting 100% of each recipient’s demonstrated financial need.
The financial aid calculation considers the complete cost of attendance, including:
- Tuition
- Housing and food
- University fees
- Health insurance
- Books and academic supplies
- Personal expenses
- Travel allowance
International aid packages consist entirely of grants and scholarships. They are both loan-free and work-free, meaning students are not expected to take student loans or participate in work-study simply to close the demonstrated-need gap.
The exact scholarship amount is not the same for every student. Northwestern calculates the family’s expected contribution from financial information supplied through the CSS Profile or International Student Application for Financial Assistance and then constructs an aid package to cover the remaining demonstrated need.
For example, a student whose family is assessed as able to contribute only a small amount toward the total cost of attendance could receive a substantially larger Northwestern grant than a student whose family can contribute more.
Northwestern University Scholarships are need-based. The university explicitly states that it does not award general undergraduate scholarships on academic merit alone.
Northwestern’s institutional scholarship can be the final component that closes the remaining gap in a student’s need-based aid package. Students may also be matched with donor-funded Northwestern endowed scholarships when they meet the relevant donor criteria.
Four-Year Funding
Northwestern issues four-year aid awards to admitted international first-year students so that families have a clearer understanding of their expected financial commitment throughout the undergraduate degree. Continued aid remains subject to satisfactory academic progress and annual financial aid procedures.
This makes Northwestern potentially one of the strongest US universities for a high-achieving international student who has substantial demonstrated financial need.
However, applicants must understand two important restrictions:
- International undergraduate admission is need-aware.
- Only international first-year applicants are eligible for Northwestern’s undergraduate financial aid.
International transfer applicants are not eligible for this institutional financial aid programme.
International students must also request financial aid when initially applying for admission. A student who does not receive need-based aid during the first year cannot generally decide to begin applying for Northwestern international aid in a later year.
Northwestern University PhD Funding
Northwestern University provides one of its strongest funding packages to PhD students admitted through The Graduate School.
PhD students are typically fully funded for four quarters each year for a minimum of five years.
The standard funding package includes:
- Full tuition scholarship
- Annual living stipend
- Health services fees
- Annual student health insurance premium
- Year-round funding, including summer
- Funding generally guaranteed for at least five years
- Possible additional fellowships, assistantships, and research grants
International students are generally funded on the same basis as domestic PhD students.
The minimum Northwestern PhD stipend for 2026–2027 is US$47,748 per year. The university normally announces future stipend rates during the spring, so the final minimum stipend applying during the 2027–2028 academic year may be higher.
PhD students receive funding throughout the year while registered full-time. The funding calendar includes fall, winter, spring, and summer quarters.
The precise source of funding can change between quarters. A student may receive support through:
- University fellowship
- Teaching assistantship
- Graduate assistantship
- Research assistantship
- Faculty research grant
- External fellowship
Changing the funding source generally does not change the overall guaranteed funding commitment stated in the student’s admission offer.
Health Insurance
Northwestern PhD funding covers the annual student health insurance premium. Full-time TGS PhD students enrolled in Northwestern’s student health insurance programme can receive the university health insurance subsidy.
The subsidy applies to the student only. Dependants and spouses may be enrolled in the university plan, but Northwestern does not provide the same TGS insurance subsidy for them.
Five-Year Funding Guarantee
Northwestern expects PhD students to receive financial support for a minimum of five years.
Humanities and social science PhD students normally receive 20 quarters, equivalent to five full years, while science and engineering PhD students are typically funded for at least five years through a combination of Graduate School, programme, adviser, and research-grant funding.
Students must remain in good academic standing and satisfy the conditions of their programme and funding appointment.
PhD funding does not normally include a university-wide relocation or international airfare allowance. Individual departments may provide additional start-up or relocation support, so applicants should read the financial section of their admission offer carefully.
Kellogg Full-Time MBA Scholarships
Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management offers merit- and need-based scholarships to students admitted to its Full-Time MBA programmes.
Most admitted applicants are automatically considered for Kellogg scholarships. A separate scholarship application is generally not required, and successful applicants are informed about their scholarship when they receive their admission decision.
Kellogg scholarship 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 differ significantly. Kellogg does not publish one standard amount for every award.
Finance Fellows Scholarship
The Finance Fellows Scholarship is especially valuable because it provides:
- Full tuition coverage
- Access to finance-industry leaders
- Alumni and faculty mentorship
- Additional professional-development opportunities
It is available to Two-Year MBA students committed to pursuing an impact-oriented career in finance.
Applicants must submit a short 250-word Finance Fellows essay through the scholarship interest form appearing in their Kellogg application portal. The form must be submitted in the same MBA admission round.
Donald P. Jacobs International Scholarship
Kellogg specifically lists the Donald P. Jacobs International Scholarship for strong international students admitted to the Two-Year MBA and MMM programmes. The university does not publish one guaranteed award amount for this scholarship.
Kellogg Scholarship
The general Kellogg Scholarship is awarded according to:
- Overall achievement
- Demonstrated leadership
- Academic ability
Successful newly admitted MBA applicants are considered through the admission process without submitting a separate scholarship application.
Eligibility Criteria for Northwestern University Scholarships
Eligibility depends on the degree level and scholarship.
Undergraduate Financial Aid Eligibility
International applicants seeking Northwestern undergraduate financial aid must:
- Apply as first-year undergraduate students
- Be citizens or applicants treated as international for Northwestern financial aid purposes
- Apply for financial aid when submitting their admission application
- Demonstrate institutional financial need
- Complete all required financial aid forms
- Provide family income and financial documentation
- Meet the Early Decision or Regular Decision financial aid deadline
- Receive admission to Northwestern University
Northwestern evaluates international undergraduate applicants requesting aid under a need-aware admission policy. Financial need can therefore affect the admission decision.
International transfer applicants are not eligible for Northwestern’s undergraduate financial assistance programme.
Students must also request and receive financial aid in their first year if they expect to use Northwestern institutional financial assistance in later undergraduate years.
Undergraduate Academic Requirements
Northwestern does not publish a minimum GPA that guarantees admission or financial aid.
Admission is holistic and considers:
- Secondary-school academic performance
- Rigour of the school curriculum
- Counselor recommendation
- Teacher recommendation
- Northwestern writing supplements
- Academic interests
- Personal qualities
- Extracurricular activities
- Programme fit
- Optional SAT or ACT scores
Northwestern remains test-optional for the 2027 first-year admission cycle, so applicants are not required to submit SAT or ACT scores.
Strong applicants should nevertheless complete the most challenging curriculum reasonably available to them and demonstrate consistently high academic performance.
Undergraduate English-Language Requirements
Applicants whose first or primary language is not English and whose secondary education has not been conducted in English must submit an official English-language proficiency result.
Northwestern currently accepts:
- TOEFL iBT
- IELTS
- Duolingo English Test
The university does not publish one minimum undergraduate score. Instead, it states that competitive applicants generally demonstrate a high level of English proficiency across all test sections.
Students whose primary language is English or whose secondary schooling has been conducted in English may not need an English test.
You can review our guide to scholarships without IELTS, but Northwestern University makes the final decision about whether an applicant must submit English-language test results.
PhD Funding Eligibility
To qualify for standard Northwestern PhD funding, applicants must first receive admission to an eligible full-time PhD programme.
International applicants must generally:
- Hold a US bachelor’s degree or an accepted international equivalent before enrolment
- Meet the academic requirements of the selected PhD programme
- Submit a complete Graduate School application
- Provide academic transcripts
- Submit required essays or statements
- Provide recommendation letters
- Meet English-language requirements
- Complete programme-specific requirements
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress after admission
Northwestern’s Graduate School requires an international degree equivalent to a US bachelor’s qualification. Country-specific equivalency rules apply.
PhD applicants do not normally submit a separate application for Northwestern’s standard full funding. The funding package is communicated through the programme and admission offer.
PhD English-Language Requirements
Graduate applicants must demonstrate English proficiency either by submitting an approved test or receiving an approved waiver based on previous English-medium university education.
The Graduate School’s current minimum scores include:
- IELTS Academic: 7.0
- TOEFL iBT for PhD applicants: 90
- TOEFL iBT for master’s applicants: 80
- Michigan English Test for PhD applicants: 61
- Michigan English Test for master’s applicants: 54
Individual graduate programmes may require higher scores.
Applicants who earned an undergraduate or graduate degree from an institution where English is the primary language of instruction may request a waiver. Approval is not automatic and remains at the discretion of the graduate programme and The Graduate School.
International students intending to work as teaching assistants must also satisfy Northwestern’s separate English proficiency requirements for teaching appointments.
Kellogg MBA Scholarship Eligibility
Kellogg scholarships are awarded to admitted students according to criteria that can include:
- Academic performance
- Professional achievement
- Leadership
- Career impact
- Community involvement
- Entrepreneurship
- Intended industry
- Financial need
- Fit with the individual scholarship
Most newly admitted Full-Time MBA candidates are automatically considered.
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 after graduation
- Submit the required 250-word Finance Fellows response within their MBA application round
The scholarship application does not affect the underlying MBA admission decision.
How to Apply for Northwestern University Scholarships?
The application process differs substantially between undergraduate, PhD, and MBA funding.
How to Apply for Northwestern Undergraduate Financial Aid?
(1) Review Northwestern’s international undergraduate application information and decide whether to apply through Early Decision or Regular Decision.
For Fall 2027 entry:
- Early Decision applications are due November 1, 2026.
- Regular Decision applications are due January 4, 2027.
Early Decision is binding. Applicants admitted through ED are expected to withdraw applications to other universities and enrol at Northwestern. Northwestern states that the financial aid calculation is the same under Early Decision and Regular Decision.
(2) Complete the Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir application.
International first-year applicants normally submit:
- Admission application
- Northwestern supplement
- Secondary-school transcript
- School report
- Counselor recommendation
- Teacher recommendation
- English-language proficiency evidence where required
- Optional SAT or ACT
- US$75 application fee or approved fee waiver
The Early Decision agreement is additionally required for ED applicants.
(3) Indicate that you are applying for financial aid.
This is extremely important.
When completing the admission application, answer Yes to the question asking whether you want to be considered for financial aid. Northwestern uses this designation when evaluating international students under its need-aware admission policy.
If you accidentally answer No, contact Northwestern before the relevant financial aid deadline to request that the designation be changed.
(4) Complete the CSS Profile.
International applicants normally submit the CSS Profile.
Northwestern’s CSS Profile school code is:
1565
The CSS Profile collects information about household income, assets, expenses, family circumstances, and other factors used to determine demonstrated financial need.
(5) Use the ISAFA if the CSS Profile is unavailable or creates serious financial hardship.
International students who cannot submit the CSS Profile from their country, or whose family would face significant financial hardship from the CSS Profile fee, may instead complete Northwestern’s International Student Application for Financial Assistance (ISAFA).
Applicants using the ISAFA may later be asked to provide additional documentation.
(6) Submit your parents’ tax or earnings documents.
After completing the financial aid form, provide:
- Parents’ national income tax forms from the most recent tax year; or
- Employer-issued income statements if the country does not use an annual tax return.
Documents not originally issued in English require official English translations. If financial amounts have been converted into US dollars, the exchange rate must also be identified.
(7) Submit all financial aid materials by the confirmed deadline.
Students who submit a complete financial aid application on time generally receive their financial aid information with or shortly after their admission result.
How to Apply for Northwestern PhD Funding?
(1) Search Northwestern’s Graduate School programmes and select a PhD programme closely connected to your academic background and proposed research.
Review:
- Faculty research interests
- Research centres and laboratories
- Programme prerequisites
- English requirements
- Application deadline
- GRE requirements, where applicable
- Funding information
- Supervisor expectations
The Graduate School application portal for Fall 2027 opens on September 15, 2026. Programme deadlines vary, with many PhD deadlines falling during December.
(2) Identify relevant faculty members.
In research-intensive fields, applicants should study the work of potential advisers and determine whether the programme has faculty whose research genuinely aligns with their interests.
Where programme culture permits contacting professors before applying, send a short personalised email explaining:
- Your current degree
- Previous thesis or research
- Research interests
- Relevant publications
- Technical skills
- Why the professor’s current research interests you
Attach a concise academic CV.
Do not send identical generic emails to large numbers of faculty members.
(3) Prepare your graduate application documents.
Northwestern’s central Graduate School requirements generally include:
- Online application
- Application fee
- Academic essays
- Academic transcripts
- English-language test results where required
- Two recommendation letters
Individual programmes can request additional documents.
Applicants can use our guides on writing a statement of purpose and requesting strong scholarship recommendation letters when preparing their application.
(4) Submit the online application through The Graduate School.
The current TGS application fee is US$95. Fee-waiver criteria are updated for each admission cycle and may be limited by availability.
Each PhD programme sets its own deadline, so use the exact date shown on your selected programme’s website rather than another department’s deadline.
(5) Request consideration for funding where the programme asks.
Most incoming PhD funding is linked directly to admission and does not require an independent central scholarship form.
The department determines whether support will be provided through:
- Fellowship
- Research assistantship
- Teaching assistantship
- Graduate assistantship
- Research grant
- Other institutional funding
Funding details are normally communicated in the admission offer.
(6) Attend an interview if requested.
Some departments interview shortlisted applicants before making final admission and funding decisions.
Be prepared to discuss:
- Previous research
- Proposed doctoral questions
- Methodology
- Faculty fit
- Technical preparation
- Long-term academic goals
- Reasons for choosing Northwestern
Our scholarship interview questions and answers guide can help with general preparation.
How to Apply for Kellogg MBA Scholarships?
(1) Review Kellogg’s Full-Time MBA programmes and select the option that best fits your professional background and goals.
Kellogg offers several full-time formats, including the Two-Year MBA, One-Year MBA, MBAi, MMM, JD-MBA, and MD-MBA.
(2) Prepare the MBA application.
Kellogg applicants normally provide materials such as:
- Resume or CV
- Academic transcripts
- Test scores according to programme requirements
- Recommendations
- Essays
- Employment history
- Programme-specific responses
Kellogg assesses professional experience, leadership, collaboration, career direction, and academic preparation during its holistic admission process.
(3) Submit the application during one of the confirmed 2027 rounds.
(4) Most scholarship consideration is automatic.
All admitted Full-Time MBA students are automatically considered for Kellogg scholarships unless the individual award states otherwise.
Successful recipients normally learn about the scholarship at the same time they receive their admission offer.
(5) Finance Fellows applicants must complete the additional scholarship response.
After submitting the MBA application, eligible Two-Year MBA candidates can access the Finance Fellows Scholarship Interest Form through their application checklist.
The required response is approximately 250 words and asks applicants to explain their interest in finance and how they intend to make an impact through their post-MBA finance career.
Documents Required for Northwestern University Scholarships
Undergraduate Admission and Financial Aid Documents
International undergraduate applicants should prepare:
- Common Application or Apply Coalition with Scoir application
- Northwestern writing supplement
- Official secondary-school transcripts
- School report
- Counselor recommendation
- Teacher recommendation
- Passport or personal identification information
- Official English-language proficiency result, where required
- SAT or ACT results, if the applicant chooses to submit them
- CSS Profile
- ISAFA where the CSS Profile cannot reasonably be submitted
- Parents’ national tax documents
- Employer income statements where tax returns are unavailable
- Official English translations of financial documents
- Additional financial documentation requested by Northwestern
Northwestern may request additional information when the submitted documents do not provide enough evidence to calculate the family’s financial contribution.
PhD Application Documents
International PhD applicants should generally prepare:
- Graduate School online application
- Bachelor’s degree certificate
- Master’s degree certificate where applicable
- Complete academic transcripts
- Certified English translations
- Statement of purpose or academic statement
- Research statement or programme-specific essays
- Academic CV
- Two or more recommendation letters according to programme requirements
- IELTS, TOEFL, or Michigan English Test result where required
- GRE or other test result where required by the programme
- Publications or research outputs
- Previous thesis or dissertation information
- Writing sample where required
- Portfolio or audition materials for relevant disciplines
- Additional programme-specific documents
International academic records must normally include the degree programme, attendance dates, courses studied, grades received, and degree-conferral information. Records issued in another language must be accompanied by a certified or notarised English translation.
Kellogg MBA Scholarship Documents
Most Kellogg scholarships do not require a separate document package.
Applicants should prepare a strong MBA application containing:
- Online MBA application
- Resume or CV
- Academic transcripts
- Required test scores
- Recommendation letters
- MBA essays
- Employment history
- Leadership and extracurricular information
- Career goals
- Additional programme-specific materials
Finance Fellows candidates additionally submit the scholarship interest form and 250-word finance response.
Website
For more information about Northwestern University Scholarships, please visit the official pages:
- Northwestern International Student Financial Aid
- Northwestern University Scholarships
- Kellogg Full-Time MBA Scholarships
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Northwestern University Scholarships fully funded?
Some Northwestern funding packages can effectively provide full funding.
For admitted international undergraduate students, Northwestern meets 100% of demonstrated financial need and considers tuition, housing and food, health insurance, fees, books, personal expenses, and travel when constructing the aid package. The final scholarship amount depends on each family’s assessed ability to contribute.
PhD students are typically fully funded with tuition, a stipend, health services fees, and health insurance support.
Kellogg MBA scholarships vary from partial awards to full tuition.
Does Northwestern offer full scholarships to international undergraduate students?
Yes, an international student with sufficiently high demonstrated financial need can receive an aid package covering the gap between the family’s assessed contribution and the full cost of attendance.
Northwestern guarantees to meet 100% of demonstrated need for admitted international first-year students receiving aid.
Are Northwestern undergraduate scholarships merit-based?
No. Northwestern states that it does not award general undergraduate scholarships based on academic merit.
Its institutional undergraduate grants and scholarships are based on demonstrated financial need.
Does applying for financial aid reduce my admission chances?
Potentially.
Northwestern uses a need-aware admission policy for international students. This means both the fact that you request financial aid and the amount of aid required may be considered by the admission committee.
Can international transfer students receive Northwestern financial aid?
No. Northwestern’s institutional international undergraduate financial aid is available to first-year applicants, not international transfer applicants.
How much is the Northwestern PhD stipend?
The minimum annual stipend for PhD students is US$47,748 for the 2026–2027 academic year.
The stipend is normally reviewed annually, and the 2027–2028 minimum rate has not yet been published.
Is Northwestern PhD funding available to international students?
Yes. Northwestern states that international PhD students are generally funded on the same basis as domestic students.
International students planning to work as teaching assistants must additionally satisfy the relevant English proficiency requirements.
Does Northwestern PhD funding cover health insurance?
Yes. Standard PhD funding covers the annual student health insurance premium and health services fees.
The TGS health insurance subsidy does not extend to a student’s spouse or dependants.
Does Northwestern fund master’s students?
Funding for regular master’s programmes is much less universal than PhD funding.
The Graduate School states that master’s students may receive scholarships or use student loans, but it does not guarantee full funding across all master’s programmes. Applicants should check their individual department or professional school for available awards.
Kellogg is one example where master’s-level professional students can receive significant merit and need-based scholarships.
Do I need a separate application for PhD funding?
Usually not.
PhD applicants are normally considered for the programme’s standard funding arrangement through the admission process. The department determines whether the support will come from a fellowship, assistantship, grant, or another funding source.
Can international students receive Kellogg MBA Scholarships?
Yes. Kellogg specifically offers scholarships to international students, including the Donald P. Jacobs International Scholarship, and international applicants are also considered for the broader Kellogg scholarship portfolio according to each award’s criteria.
Is there a full-tuition Kellogg MBA Scholarship?
Yes. The Finance Fellows Scholarship provides full tuition for selected Two-Year MBA students intending to pursue careers in finance.
Applicants must submit its additional scholarship interest form and short essay during their MBA application round.
Is IELTS compulsory for Northwestern?
Not always.
For undergraduate admission, students whose first or primary language is English or whose secondary education was conducted in English may not need a separate English test. Other applicants can use IELTS, TOEFL, or Duolingo. Northwestern does not specify one universal undergraduate minimum score.
For graduate programmes, applicants can request an English-test waiver if they earned a degree from an institution where English was the primary language of instruction, but the waiver requires approval from the programme and The Graduate School.
