For those who want to study in the US, the Gates Scholarship for International Students is a shining opportunity that provides full support to exceptional students from low-income backgrounds, empowering them to pursue higher education at leading universities.
This is a golden opportunity to pursue your academic dream, and with determination to make a difference in the world, this scholarship has opened life-changing doors of opportunities you can take advantage of.
As we continue in this article, you will learn more about the scholarship, the eligible countries, and the requirements.
What is the Gates Scholarship?
The scholarship is intended for underserved minority students who have demonstrated remarkable leadership and academic achievement in high school and come from low-income households.
The goal of the Gates scholarship is to help students realize their full potential, limiting their focus on worries about financing their studies. This will help them get the best from their educational experience having less stress on how to cover tuition, books, housing, and food.
In addition, the scholarship covers students’ financial needs with substantial amounts that most financial aid does not cover. This makes it an outstanding scholarship with more benefits for international students with a low-income background.
Eligibility
To apply for the Gates Scholarship, you must be:
- A citizen of a country outside the UK.
- From the following ethnicities:
- African – American
- Alaska Native/ American Indian
- Asian and Pacific Islander American or Hispanic American
- Must be applying to pursue one of the following courses of study:
- PhD (full-time or part-time)
- MLitt or MSc (full-time)
- One year post-graduate course (full-time)
Also Read: California State University Scholarships for 2025 application
The Gates Scholarship Requirement
Gates scholarship requirements can be identified in two different ways ‘concrete and basic requirements.
On the concrete requirements, the Gates Scholarship program requires that all applicants must be:
- Pell grant eligible
- With good academic standing with a weighted GPA of not less than 3.3
- Must be a senior in high school
- A United States citizen, United States national, and or permanent resident
- Must be an African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, American or Hispanic American, Asian Pacific Islander
- Must be willing to be full-time students in a four-year degree program at a public, or private college or university.
For the basic requirements, applicants must have:
- Exceptional academic record
- Demonstrate leadership ability in either community service or a leadership role in extracurricular activity.
- Unique personal skill
At the official opening of the Gates Scholarship, you will be required to submit the following documents:
- Financial aid award letter
- Headshot photo
- Resume
- A copy of your most recent transcript
- Student Aid Report (SAR) You will attain after completing the FAFSA
- Letter of admission to a 4 year bachelor’s degree program at a private or public university
Application procedure
There are two phases in the Gates Scholarship application process. Phase one is open to anyone who meets the eligibility requirements previously mentioned.
To begin with, you will need to create your myTGS profile to submit all your application materials.
Phase 1 opens on 15th July and you have until 15th September to submit the following:
- A student Aid Report(SAR)
- Your CSS profile
- A copy of recent high school transcript
- A headshot photo
- Your resume
After you’ve gathered this information and submitted it to your myTGS profile. The selection committee will narrow down the large pool of applicants to semi-finals who then get to complete phase 11 of the application process by 1st December.
If selected as a semi-finalist, you will then join phase 11 by 1st December, to be completed by January 15th.
After phase 11, the Gates scholarship committee will select finalists from the remaining pool and ask them to participate in the finalist interview.
In addition to meeting the requirements for the Gates Scholarships, you will also show;
Excellent academic performance that includes graduating in the top 10 of your high school class. This includes:
- Test scores
- GPA and Other measures of academic success
- Personal success skills such as:
- Motivation
- Perseverance
- Maturity or extracurricular activities
- Demonstration of leadership ability, either through school, community, or organizations
Finally, for a successful application to the Gates scholarship, ensure you follow this procedure:
- Visit the official Gates scholarship website to review the eligibility requirements.
- Prepare all the required documents which may include transcripts, letters of recommendation, and other information.
- Visit the scholarship website and create an account to begin your application process.
- Fill out the application form provided on the website
- Upload the required documents
- Gates scholarship program usually requires essays, so you will draft a well-written essay that highlights your achievement.
- Review and edit to ensure no errors or omission
When your application is complete, submit it through the online platform.
After submitting your application, keep track of your application for further communication and instructions.