Soros Fellowship for New Americans

Note to PIs: The following program summary is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It does not replace the sponsor’s actual funding opportunity announcement. Always review the most recent version of the sponsor’s full announcement to verify that the deadline has not changed and to identify the most current program requirements.

About the fellowship

This fellowship provides opportunities for continuing generations of able and accomplished New Americans to achieve leadership in any field and to partake of the American dream. The fellowships supports New Americans, immigrants, or the children of immigrants who are pursuing graduate school in any field and in any advanced degree-granting program in the United States. Fellows are selected on the basis of merit — the specific criteria emphasize creativity, originality, initiative, and sustained accomplishment — in annual national competitions.

Eligibility

New American Status: The Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans program is intended for immigrants and children of immigrants in the United States. To be eligible, your birth parents must have both been born outside of the US as non-US citizens, and both parents must not have been eligible for US citizenship at the time of their births. In addition, one of the following must be true of you as of the November 1 application deadline:

  • Born in the US: You are a US citizen by birth and both of your parents were born abroad as non-US citizens.
  • Born abroad:
    • Adopted: You were born outside of the US or one of its territories and were subsequently adopted by American parents and were awarded US citizenship because of your adoption.
    • Green Card: You are in possession of a valid green card.
    • Refugee and Asylees: You have been granted asylum or refugee status in the US.
    • If None of the Other Categories Above Apply: Graduated from High School and College in the US: If none of the other categories apply to you and you were born abroad but graduated from both high school and college in the US (this includes current and past DACA recipients).

Academic standing: To be eligible for the 2022 Fellowship, you should be planning to be enrolled full-time in an eligible graduate degree program at a US university for the full 2022-23 academic year. To be eligible, you must not have begun the third year of the program that you are seeking funding for as of the October 28, 2021 deadline.

Age: All students must be 30 or younger as of the application deadline. To be eligible for the 2022 Fellowship, you must not have reached or passed your 31st birthday as of the application deadline. There is no minimum age requirement.

Award amount

Each Fellow receives up to $90,000 in financial support.

Award period

Up to two (2) years.

Application deadline

October 28, 2021.

Learn more

Visit https://www.pdsoros.org/.

Last updated: July 2021.