USA Scholarships
American University EGLS Scholarship 2027 - Fully Funded
The American University EGLS Scholarship 2027, formally the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship, covers all billable AU expenses for two international students starting a Bachelor's degree at American University in Washington DC in Fall 2027. Billable means full tuition plus room and board, renewable across four years of undergraduate study as long as you keep up satisfactory academic performance, and open to applicants in every major AU offers. AU also runs up to eight AU EGL Partial Scholarships worth up to US $40,000 per year, selected from the same pool of EGLS applicants with no extra form to file. The award is built for students who need a non-immigrant visa to study in the United States, so US citizens, US permanent residents, pending permanent residents and US dual citizens are not eligible. Two things are due by 15 January 2027: the Common Application with every supporting document, and the separate AU EGLS application and essays inside your AU applicant portal. Finalists and winners hear back by 1 April 2027.
What is the American University EGLS Scholarship 2027?
The American University EGLS Scholarship 2027 is the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship, a full award that covers every billable cost of an undergraduate degree at American University in Washington DC for two international students each year. Billable, in AU's language, means full tuition plus room and board. The award renews across four years of undergraduate study on satisfactory academic performance, and it is open to applicants in every major the university offers, so a physics applicant and an international business applicant are read on the same terms. Past AU EGL Scholars have come from Nepal, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, which tells you something about the geographic spread AU is aiming for.
The money picture has two halves, and understanding both changes how you approach the application. The two headline awards cover all billable expenses. Sitting behind them are up to eight AU EGL Partial Scholarships worth up to US $40,000 per year, and they take no separate form: partial candidates are drawn straight from applicants who complete the EGLS process well. So a strong application that misses the two full awards still has a real path to significant money. The catch on the partial side is that you have to document funds for whatever the award does not cover. AU gives the worked example itself, where a student offered US $40,000 per year shows around US $42,000 on account for the first year instead of the full estimated cost.
The eligibility rules are unusually blunt, and they disqualify more people than the academic bar does. You must need a non-immigrant visa, preferably F-1 or J-1, to study in the United States. US citizens, US permanent residents, pending permanent residents and US dual citizens cannot apply at all. Neither can anyone who has already begun post-secondary study at another university, in any country, or anyone who graduated secondary school before 2024. AU's stated preference is for students still in secondary school who will graduate by June 2027, who have come through genuine obstacles, and who carry a record of leadership, volunteerism and service aimed at under-resourced communities in their home country. That last part is the actual selection criterion, not decoration. The essays are read for evidence that you intend to take what you learn back home.
Plan the calendar backwards from 15 January 2027, because the process is two applications and not one. First the Common Application to American University with the essay, CV, grades 9 to 12 transcripts, a teacher recommendation and official English proficiency results sent by the testing agency. Only after that does your AU applicant portal exist, and the portal is where the separate AU EGLS application and essays go, along with a bank letter and a signed AU Declaration of Finances Form each confirming at least US $4,000. Both pieces are due on 15 January 2027 and late applications are not read, so leaving the Common Application until the first week of January is how people lose this award. Semi-finalists and finalists face Zoom interviews and sometimes extra essays, with decisions out by 1 April 2027. If you are weighing other US options for international undergraduates, the Duke Karsh International Scholarship 2027 is the closest full-ride equivalent, the Undergraduate International Merit Scholarship 2027 and the MSU International Scholarship 2027 cover partial merit routes worth stacking applications against. Confirm current terms on the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship page, and send questions to [email protected].
Eligibility
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✓International student needing an F-1 or J-1 visaThe AU EGLS is written for international students who will need a non-immigrant visa, preferably an F-1 student visa or a J-1 exchange visa, to study in the United States. If you already hold US status that lets you study without one, the award is not open to you.
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✓Not a US citizen, permanent resident or US dual citizenAmerican University states plainly that you cannot apply if you are a US citizen, a US permanent resident, a pending US permanent resident, or a dual citizen of the US and another country. This is a hard exclusion, not a preference, and it is the single most common reason applications are thrown out.
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✓No post-secondary study anywhere yetYou are not eligible if you are enrolled in, or have already begun, any post-secondary studies at another university, whether in your home country or in the United States. The EGLS is a first-year award only, so transfer students and current undergraduates are out.
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✓Secondary school graduation in 2024 or laterYou cannot apply if you graduated secondary school earlier than 2024. AU gives preference to applicants who are still enrolled in secondary or high school and will graduate by June 2027, which is the profile most award winners fit.
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✓Proof of at least US $4,000 per yearEGLS applicants submit a bank letter and a completed, signed AU Declaration of Finances Form (AU DFF), each confirming a minimum of US $4,000. That figure matches the non-billable costs the scholarship does not pay. The AU DFF must be signed and dated within the past three months to count.
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✓Demonstrated English proficiencyYou need to meet AU's English proficiency requirement, by curriculum or by test. Accepted tests and minimums are TOEFL iBT 85 (with 4.5), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo English Test 120, PTE 60, Cambridge English 176, LanguageCERT Academic 70, or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 610. Official results must come straight from the testing agency; you cannot self-report.
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✓A real record of leadership and community servicePreference goes to students who have overcome obstacles, come from underrepresented global and socioeconomic backgrounds, and show sustained commitment to leadership, volunteerism, community service and to advancing the needs of people in their home country. AU EGL Scholars are expected to work on problems facing under-resourced communities back home.
Benefits
- Full tuition at American University Covered
- Room and board Covered
- Awards available Two full scholarships
- Renewal Up to four years of undergraduate study, on satisfactory academic performance
- Majors covered Every major American University offers
- Application fee waiver Possible for EGLS applicants, case by case
- Health insurance, books, flights, taxes Not covered, around US $4,000 per year out of pocket
- Need-based financial aid Not available to international students at AU
- Open to US citizens and permanent residents Not eligible
- Award value Up to US $40,000 per year
- Awards available Up to eight partial scholarships
- Separate application None, candidates come from the EGLS pool
- Who is considered Strong applicants who complete the EGLS process
- Remaining costs You must document funds for the gap the award leaves
- Full room and board Not guaranteed, the partial award is a capped amount
Document checklist
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✓Common Application, with essay and CVThe full Common Application to American University, including the personal essay and a CV or resume. Submit it, with every supporting document, before 15 January 2027. The application fee is US $75, though EGLS applicants may qualify for a fee waiver on a case-by-case basis.
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✓AU EGLS application and essaysA separate scholarship application with its own essays, submitted through your AU applicant portal by 15 January 2027. You have to finish the Common Application first, because the portal is created only after you apply. Late submissions are not considered.
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✓Secondary school transcripts, grades 9 to 12Official academic records from every secondary institution you attended for the US equivalent of grades 9 through 12, with notarised English translations where needed. Three-year secondary systems only need those three years. Your school sends these directly; you cannot upload them yourself.
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✓Teacher letter of recommendationOne academic letter from a teacher is required. AU strongly recommends a second from your school counsellor, principal or headmaster. Both must be in English and must be uploaded by the recommender through the Common Application.
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✓Official English proficiency scoreTOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo English Test, PTE, LanguageCERT or Cambridge Assessment English results, sent directly to American University by the testing agency before 15 January 2027. If you meet the requirement through curriculum instead, AU may still ask for a test score.
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✓Bank letter confirming US $4,000A bank letter showing a minimum of US $4,000 available, uploaded through your AU applicant portal. AU publishes sample bank letters so you can see the format its admissions office expects.
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✓AU Declaration of Finances Form (AU DFF)The completed and signed two-page AU DFF, filed through your applicant portal, confirming a minimum of US $4,000 for EGLS applicants. Note that applicants who are not in the EGLS process face a far higher figure for the standard visa paperwork.
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✓Interruption of Studies Statement, if it appliesIf you have already graduated secondary school when you apply, write a short statement describing what you have been doing since, such as work, travel or internships. Remember the separate rule that graduation earlier than 2024 rules you out entirely.
How to apply
Deadline and timeline
FAQ
What is the American University EGLS Scholarship?
The American University EGLS Scholarship, formally the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship, is a full award for international students starting an undergraduate degree at American University in Washington DC. It covers all billable AU expenses, meaning full tuition plus room and board, for two international students per cycle, and it renews across four years of undergraduate study as long as academic performance stays satisfactory. Students in every major AU offers can apply.
Who is eligible for the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship?
You must be an international student who will need a non-immigrant visa, preferably an F-1 or J-1, to study in the United States. AU excludes US citizens, US permanent residents, pending permanent residents and dual citizens of the US and another country. You also cannot have begun any post-secondary study at another university, and you cannot have graduated secondary school earlier than 2024. Preference goes to students still in secondary school who will graduate by June 2027, who have overcome obstacles, and who show a real record of leadership and community service at home.
How much is the AU EGLS worth and what does it not cover?
The scholarship covers all billable AU expenses, which American University defines as full tuition, room and board. AU does not publish a single headline dollar figure for the full award. What it does spell out is the gap: non-billable costs such as mandatory health insurance, books, airline tickets, taxes and miscellaneous expenses are on you, at roughly US $4,000 per year. That is why the application asks for a bank letter and an AU Declaration of Finances Form confirming a minimum of US $4,000.
How many AU EGLS scholarships are awarded each year?
Two full AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarships covering all billable expenses. On top of those, American University offers up to eight AU EGL Partial Scholarships valued at up to US $40,000 per year. There is no separate application for the partial awards: candidates are picked from applicants who complete the EGLS process successfully. If you are offered a partial award, you then have to document funds covering the difference, so an applicant offered US $40,000 per year would show around US $42,000 for the first year rather than the full estimated cost.
When is the American University EGLS Scholarship 2027 deadline?
Both steps close on 15 January 2027 for Fall 2027 entry. The Common Application with all supporting documents must be in before 15 January 2027, and the separate AU EGLS application and essays must be submitted through your AU applicant portal by the same date. You have to finish step one before you can do step two. AU recommends applying Regular Decision, and finalists and award winners are notified by 1 April 2027.
Can US citizens or permanent residents apply for the AU EGLS?
No. American University excludes US citizens, US permanent residents, pending US permanent residents, and anyone holding dual citizenship of the US and another country. The award exists for students who need a non-immigrant student visa to come to the United States. US citizens and permanent residents applying to AU should look at need-based financial aid instead, which AU makes available to them but not to international students.
What English test scores does American University require?
AU accepts TOEFL iBT 85 (with 4.5), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo English Test 120, PTE 60, Cambridge English 176, LanguageCERT Academic 70, or an SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 610. You can also meet the requirement by curriculum, with four years of grades 9 to 12 taught only in English under a US accredited, IB, CXC or UK system, or in one of AU's listed English-speaking countries, with no ESL courses taken. Official scores must be sent by the testing agency, and AU can still request a test even if you qualified by curriculum.
How much money do I need to show on the AU Declaration of Finances Form?
For AU EGLS applicants the answer is a minimum of US $4,000, confirmed by both a bank letter and the signed AU DFF. Applicants outside the EGLS process face a much bigger number, and AU's own pages do not agree on it: the international application instructions page states at least US $87,374 for the first year of study and living expenses, while the first-year merit awards page still says US $83,680. If that figure decides whether you can apply, email [email protected] and get the current number in writing before you file anything.
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