Global Citizen Scholarship 2026 | Study in United States — MPOWER Financing
Financing a degree in the United States as an international student usually means facing tuition bills without access to a U.S. credit history or a co-signer. The Global Citizen Scholarship from MPOWER Financing exists specifically to ease that gap, handing out cash awards every year to international and DACA students already enrolled or admitted at one of MPOWER’s partner colleges.
About the Scholarship
MPOWER Financing is a company best known for offering student loans to international and DACA borrowers who don’t have U.S. credit history, and the Global Citizen Scholarship is its flagship give-back program. Unlike many scholarships that require you to be nominated by your school, this one is a direct online application open to any eligible student at a supported institution, with winners selected based on their personal story, ambition, and plans for the future rather than purely on grades. MPOWER also runs a dedicated MPOWER Women in STEM Scholarship for female international students in science and technology fields, and international women more broadly may also want to look at the Margaret McNamara US-Canada Program or the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund.
Scholarship Benefits
- Cash awards ranging from $1,000 to $8,000
- Paid directly toward your education, with no restriction on how you otherwise use your time
- No obligation to take an MPOWER loan to qualify. The scholarship is open to applicants regardless of how they finance the rest of their degree
Eligibility Criteria
- You must be an international student (on an F-1 or J-1 visa) or a DACA recipient
- You must be attending, or have been admitted to, a U.S. or Canadian college or university on MPOWER’s supported school list
- You must be enrolled in, or admitted to, an undergraduate or graduate degree program
- There is no restriction on field of study
Fields of Study Covered
Open to all fields of study. MPOWER does not limit this award to any particular major or degree level, as long as your school is on their supported list.
Required Documents
- A completed online application form
- A short personal essay or statement answering MPOWER’s prompt for that application cycle
- Proof of enrollment or admission at a supported school
- Basic personal and academic information
How to Apply (Step-by-Step)
- Check that your school appears on MPOWER’s list of supported institutions
- Create an account on the MPOWER scholarship application portal
- Fill in your personal, academic, and visa status details
- Write your application essay following that cycle’s prompt
- Submit before the December 31 deadline
Selection Process
MPOWER reviews every application against the strength of the applicant’s essay, their demonstrated ambition, and their fit with the scholarship’s focus on supporting international and DACA students specifically. There is no interview stage. The entire decision is based on the written application.
Tips to Improve Your Chances
- Make your essay personal and specific rather than generic, since reviewers read a large volume of applications and remember the ones with a distinct voice
- Double check that your intended school is actually on MPOWER’s supported list before applying, since this is a hard eligibility requirement
- Apply as early as you reasonably can rather than waiting until the December 31 deadline, in case of last-minute technical issues
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to take an MPOWER loan to apply for this scholarship?
No. The Global Citizen Scholarship is open to eligible students regardless of whether they use an MPOWER loan to finance the rest of their education.
Is this scholarship only for undergraduate students?
No, both undergraduate and graduate international or DACA students at a supported school can apply.
What happens if my school isn’t on MPOWER’s supported list?
You won’t be eligible to apply for this particular scholarship, since it’s restricted to MPOWER’s partner institutions.
How is the scholarship amount decided?
MPOWER awards a range of amounts, from $1,000 up to $8,000, based on the review committee’s assessment of each application rather than a fixed amount for everyone.
Can I apply if I’m still waiting on my admission decision?
You generally need to be admitted to or already enrolled at a supported school to apply, so check the current cycle’s exact requirement before submitting.