Founded in 1764 as the College of New Jersey, Princeton University – which was named so in the year 1896 – is currently based in its namesake borough.
Formerly based in Elizabeth – and then Newark – the private Ivy League university is the 4th oldest in the US. It is also one of the 9 remaining colonial colleges that were established before the American revolution. Given its historical elements, the campus has been heralded as one of the US’ most beautiful schools.
Princeton specializes in 4 areas of study, namely Humanities, Engineering, Natural Science, and Social Science. Combined, these departments offer a total of 37 undergraduate concentrations – and more at the graduate level.
Princeton’s notable alumni include former US Presidents James Madison and Woodrow Wilson, former first lady Michelle Obama, and supreme court justices Samuel Alito Jr., Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan. In this article, we will be looking at Princeton University scholarships for international students.
International Students at Princeton
Princeton has a small student community of 8,091 students. Despite this, almost a quarter of 23% of the enrollees are of foreign descent.
Serving the university’s international community is the Davis International Center. The office offers a welcome guide, new student orientations, and data regarding immigration. It also provides family support for students who have dependents or spouses.
The center also has a guide to Princeton living, which includes info regarding healthcare, banking, transportation, and housing, to name a few.
Princeton Tuition Fee for International Students
Princeton’s undergraduate tuition for international students costs $53,890. This does not include other essential fees, such as housing, board, and other miscellaneous expenses.
Graduate tuition, on the other hand, costs the same at $53,890. An additional student health plan fee of $2,580 needs to be paid as well.
Like undergraduate tuition, these fees do not include the cost of housing, food, book/supplies, and other personal expenses.
International Admissions Guide at Princeton University
If you are a prospective undergraduate student, learn more about applying to Princeton by clicking this link. For graduate students, visit this link.
Application Fee
It costs $70 to apply to any of Princeton’s undergraduate schools. A waiver is given to those who come from low-income backgrounds – as well as those who are applying for financial aid. This option may be ticked in the common or coalition application form.
Graduate school application costs more at $95. Again, this fee may be waived in students experiencing financial difficulties.
Admissions Requirements at Princeton University for International Students
Undergraduate foreign applicants have the same requirements as local students. These include:
- Accomplished common or coalition application form
- Transcript of records
- School report
- School counselor letter
- 2 letters of recommendation
- SAT or ACT scores
- Graded written paper
- Princeton supplement (essay of 250 words)
- Proof of English proficiency
As for graduate students, the requirements are the following:
- Transcript of records
- Statement of academic purpose
- GRE results
- Resume/curriculum vitae
- Recommendation letters
- Writing sample
- Statement of financial resources
- Proof of English proficiency
Princeton University
World University Rankings places Princeton as the 9th best university in the world. It’s ranked 7th both in US College and World Reputation rankings.
Princeton is also ranked in the following subjects:
- Psychology – 2nd
- Physical Science – 4th
- Social Science – 7th
- Engineering – 8th
- Arts & Humanities – 9th
- Life Science – 10th
- Computer Science – 11th
On the other hand, Top Universities ranks Princeton lower internationally at 12th. However, it retains its spot (9th) in its survey of US universities.
The same body ranks Princeton 4th in the fields of Economics & Econometrics and Politics. Its English Language & Literature, Modern Language, and Mathematics programs, on the other hand, are ranked 7th.
US News ranks Princeton as the best university in all of the US. It’s also 2nd in the survey of Best Value Schools and 4th in Undergraduate Teaching.
Princeton University Acceptance Rate
Out of the 32,835 applicants, Princeton accepted 1,848 students. This puts its acceptance rate at a measly 5.62%.
12% of these eligible students are international applicants. They come from 48 countries – including that of Ethiopia, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Rwanda, and Tanzania.
Princeton’s recently-admitted class has an ACT composite average of 32-36.
Princeton University Scholarships for International Students
Undergraduate Scholarships
1. Financial Aid
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: 100% of demonstrated need up to full tuition, room, and board
Princeton offers need-based financial aid to foreigners the same way it does to local applicants. This way, all applicants may be able to study at the university despite their financial standings.
This financial aid comes with a no-loan policy, meaning the student doesn’t have to pay back and accrue debt after graduation.
As of recent figures, the average Princeton University scholarship given to successful applicants is $56,500. This reduces the fees to just $13,450 after the grant.
To apply for this Princeton University scholarship for international students, the student must fill up the Princeton Financial Aid application form and provide his/her parent/s’ tax returns. Children of divorced, separated, or unmarried students will need to submit noncustodial parent information as an alternative.
2. Outside Awards
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Varies
To supplement one’s financial aid, foreign students may apply for outside awards. This will cancel the fee you will need to pay for student contributions.
Should the outside scholarship cover a significant amount of the grant, it may be used to purchase a personal computer with a maximum cost of $3,500.
All outside awards must be reported to the university.
Undergraduate students may also apply for scholarships and fellowships that are open to foreign applicants. One example is the American Concrete Institute Foundation Scholarship/Fellowship, which awards an amount of $10,000 to $15,000 a year.
The Josephine De Kármán Fellowship, on the other hand, offers $15,000 funding to successful undergraduate applicants.
A $20,000 financial assistance awaits successful recipients of the National Institutes of Health Undergraduate Scholarship.
Female STEM students, meanwhile, may apply for the Palantir Technologies Scholarship for Women in Technology award. This grants financial assistance worth $10,000.
Graduate Scholarships
1. Fellowships
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full tuition and living stipend
Usually available to 1st year Ph.D. students, fellowships provide financial support throughout the study – without the need to teach or conduct research. Apart from tuition, this fellowship also includes a stipend – the rate of which will depend on the department or the prestige of the financial award.
Various Princeton University scholarships are available according to departments. Humanities & Social Science students, for example, receive University Fellowships. Natural Science and Engineering students, on the other hand, are awarded First Year fellowships.
Merit-based fellowships are available as well. These include the Centennial, President’s, and Wu & Upton fellowships, to name a few.
2. Assistantship
- Scholarship Link
- Scholarship Amount: Full tuition and living stipend
Master’s and PhD students may qualify for assistantships in instruction, which is a form of Princeton University scholarships for graduate itnernational students. Duties range from teaching assistantship, lab assistantship, or grading. Selected by departments on a per-term basis, work hours depend on the need for undergraduate-level teaching.
Apart from covering tuition that depends on work hours (for example, 50% assignment corresponds to ½ tuition), it also includes stipends (again, ½ amount is given if the assignment is only 50%).
Apart from Graduate school fellowships and assistantships, Princeton also offers other scholarships to international graduate students. They include:
- Alexander von Humboldt Foundation German Chancellor Fellowship
- American Concrete Institute Foundation Scholarship/Fellowship
- American India Foundation (AIF)/William J. Clinton Fellowship for Service
- Asia Pacific Leadership Program
- CERGE-EI Impact for Society Fellowship (MA Applied Economics program)
- CERGE-EI Public Service Fellowship
- Environmental Protection Agency Fellowship
- Josephine De Kármán Fellowship
- Point Foundation Award for LGBT students
- Rotary Foundation Global Scholarship
I hope that this article on Princeton University scholarships for international students was helpful. To know more information on studying abroad, check out the Available Programs for International Students.