Scholarships

As a political science undergraduate student, you are encouraged to apply for all departmental scholarship for which you qualify. To apply, students must complete a two-part process:

1) KSN Application

Students must have an account on the K-State Scholarship Network (KSN). After completing your KSN profile, you will have access to scholarship applications, including those for political science. To be considered for a Political Science scholarship, you must fully complete the Political Science section of the "College of Arts and Sciences" application. If this section is not filled out, your application will not be considered. You must upload a copy of your resume and personal statement as part of your KSN application.

K-State University and the College of Arts and Sciences also offers some scholarship and financial assistance options that are university-wide.

• Incoming freshmen must complete their KSN scholarship applications by February 1st.
• Incoming transfer students, international students and all returning students must complete their KSN scholarship applications by March 15^th.

2) Department Application

Students must download and complete the department's scholarship application form. Completed forms are to be emailed to polsci@ksu.edu. Applications require two recommendation letters, which are to be emailed by the referee to polsci@ksu.edu.

• All department application materials are due by 11:59 PM March 15^th, 2026.

Application checklist:

• Completed Political Science section of the "College of Arts and Sciences" KSN application.
• Copy of your CV/Resume (upload to KSN)
• Personal Statement: 1-page document describing your career plans and objectives (upload to KSN)
• Department application form** (link below) **TIP: Do not complete the application form in your web browser, instead download and save the form to your computer before filling out the form.
• Recommendation Letters (2): One reference must be able to evaluate your academic performance (emailed to polsci@ksu.edu)

If you have any questions regarding our scholarship process, please contact the department office at polsci@ksu.edu, or 785-532-6842.

As a student in one of our graduate or accelerated programs, you are encouraged to apply for all departmental scholarships/fellowships for which you qualify. To apply, students must complete a two-part process:

1) KSN Account

To apply, graduate students must have an account on the K-State Scholarship Network (KSN).

2) Department Application

Students must download and complete the department's scholarship application form. Completed forms along with a copy of your resume, and personal statement are to be emailed to polsci@ksu.edu Applications require two recommendation letters, which are to be emailed by the referee to polsci@ksu.edu.

• All department scholarship application materials are due by 11:59 PM March 15^th, 2026.

Application checklist :

• KSN account
• Department application form**
• Copy of your CV/Resume
• Personal Statement: 1-page document describing your career plans and objectives
• Recommendation Letters (2): One reference must be able to evaluate your academic performance

**Please click the button below to download our Graduate Scholarship application.

• **TIP: Do not complete the application form in your web browser, instead download and save the form to your computer before filling out the form.

Send your finished application, along with the required materials listed above to polsci@ksu.edu.


Scholarships are awarded for one academic year. Graduate students are required to apply each year if they want to be considered for scholarships.

If you have any questions regarding our scholarship process, please contact the department office at polsci@ksu.edu, or 785-532-6842.


Please be advised that we do not anticipate any available graduate assistantship openings within the department for the upcoming 2026–2027 academic year.

The Boren Scholarships fund the intensive study of language and culture abroad by U.S. undergraduate students. Applicants must be enrolled in an associate’s or bachelor’s degree program located within the United States and accredited by a body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time of application.

They must remain enrolled for the duration of the scholarship and may not graduate until the scholarship is complete.

Maximum awards are determined by duration abroad:

• Up to $25,000 for 25-52 weeks
• Up to $12,500 for 12-24 weeks

Contact Beth Powers (bethpowers@ksu.edu) at the Nationally Competitive Scholarship office with help in preparing your application.

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness.

The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study and intern abroad programs worldwide. Program must be at least 3 weeks in length.

Applications will not be considered for a country with a travel advisory of 3 or 4.

Contact Beth Powers (bethpowers@ksu.edu) at the Nationally Competitive Scholarship office with help in preparing your application.

The Gilman-McCain Scholarship is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late senator John S. McCain from Arizona.

It provides awards of $5,000 for undergraduate child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs. Developed under the framework of the State Department’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the John McCain International Scholarship for the Children of Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is open to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid. Deadlines vary, please see website for more information.

Contact Beth Powers (bethpowers@ksu.edu) at the Nationally Competitive Scholarship office with help in preparing your application.

The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the US study abroad population. FEA makes life-changing, international experiences accessible to all by supporting minority, community college, and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs.

REQUIREMENTS

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate at a college or university in the U.S.
• Study abroad program must be eligible for credit at the student’s home institution
• Study abroad program must be at least 4 weeks (28 days) in country/countries

FEA gives preference to students with demonstrated financial need, and strongly encourages students to apply who represent a group that is traditionally underrepresented in education abroad. These groups include, but are not limited to:

• First-generation college students
• Minority students

The John S. McCain Strategic Defense Fellowship Program is a 12-month Department of Defense (DoD) leadership development program for recent advanced degree program graduates from across multiple academic disciplines.

Established by the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2019, this program provides the DoD headquarters staff offices with the ability to recruit and develop future leaders from across the United States.

Fellows are provided with challenging developmental opportunities and flourish into problem solvers, strategic thinkers, and future leaders. The program instills a spirit of public service and a commitment to the larger DoD community.

Fellows that successfully complete the program are eligible for conversion into a position with the DoD.

The Presidential Management Fellows Program is the Federal Government's flagship leadership development program for advanced degree holders across all academic disciplines. It was established 45 years ago by Executive Order and has gone through changes over the years, but the essential mission remains the same: to recruit and develop a cadre of future government leaders drawn from all segments of society.

Eligible individuals apply to be selected as Finalists. Finalists then have 12 months to secure an appointment as a Fellow, which is a two-year, full-time, paid fellowship at a Federal agency. The PMF Program creates a lasting bond among Fellows and Alumni. It also instills a spirit of public service, which, for Fellows who complete the program successfully, can ultimately encourage and lead to a career in government.

The White House Fellows program is one of America’s most prestigious programs for leadership and public service. White House Fellowships offer exceptional emerging leaders first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the Federal government.

Selected individuals typically spend a year working as a full-time, paid Fellow to senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking government officials.

Fellows also participate in an education program consisting of roundtable discussions with leaders from the private and public sectors, and potential trips to study U.S. policy in action both domestically and internationally. Fellowships are awarded on a strictly non-partisan basis.

Applicants must have completed their undergraduate education by the time they begin the application process.

Various fellowships, scholarships, and grants are available to provide financial support to graduate students throughout their graduate education. Some funding opportunities are offered by the Graduate School and other units at K-State. Other funding opportunities are offered by external agencies and organizations.

These include a monthly stipend AND a fully-furnished apartment at no cost. Live in/near the residence halls or Jardine apartments.

K-State has many Student Affairs related graduate assistant positions available. Click the button below for information regarding available positions, the application process, and interview day.