Tulane University scholarships for international students come in two forms: merit awards, which every first-year applicant is considered for through the Common Application, and need-based aid of up to $30,000 a year. The largest merit awards, Tulane’s Global Scholarships, can cover full tuition and fees or the full cost of attendance and renew for four years.
For students starting in fall 2027, the dates that matter are 1 November 2026 (Early Decision I) and 10 November 2026 (Early Action). Tulane says international applicants who apply in one of those two rounds are the most competitive for the Global Scholarships. Regular Decision closes on 15 January 2027, and you are still considered for partial merit aid if you apply then.
Is the Tulane University scholarship fully funded?
Some awards are and most are not. Many scholarship sites list “the Tulane University scholarship” as a single fully funded award. Tulane runs several awards, and the amount you get depends on which one you win.
- Partial merit scholarship: up to $32,000 a year. Tulane considers every applicant automatically when the Common Application arrives.
- Global Scholarships (international students): full tuition and fees, or the full cost of attendance. Renewable for four years, or five for the five-year architecture degree.
- Need-based aid for international students: up to $30,000 a year, only for students who have not already received that much or more in merit money. You reapply every year.
Tulane’s estimated cost for a first-year student in 2026-2027 is $98,710, so a $32,000 award still leaves a large gap. Check the cost table further down before you count on a partial award.
Tulane University scholarships open to international students
Tulane’s merit page says students who are not US citizens and cannot get US federal aid can be considered for merit awards up to full tuition. They can also apply for the other merit scholarships on the list. These are the ones that matter most for international applicants.
| Scholarship | Value | Separate application? | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Partial merit scholarship | Up to $32,000 a year | No | Awarded from your admission file |
| Global Scholarships | Full tuition and fees, or full cost of attendance | No (committee nomination) | Top 20% of applicants are most competitive; possible video interview by 31 March |
| Dean’s Honor Scholarship | Full tuition | No (optional supplement in the Green Wave Portal) | Recent winners usually had ACT 33+, SAT 1500+ and/or an unweighted GPA of 3.7+ |
| Stamps Scholarship | Total cost of attendance plus an enrichment fund | Supplement if you are a semifinalist | About 10 a year; supplements due 5 January; finalists interview in spring |
| Grossman & Cohen Scholarship | Tuition, fees, housing and meals (about $400,000 over four years) | No | Based on grades, test scores and impact outside class; finalists may interview |
| Community Service Fellowship | Fellows may be considered for full-tuition awards such as the Sotomayor Public Service Scholarship | Yes (supplement in the Green Wave Portal) | Monthly meetings and about 100 service hours a year |
| FIRST Scholarship | $15,000 to $30,000 a year | Yes (mentor letter and 250-word essay) | For FIRST Robotics or FIRST Tech Challenge students entering the School of Science and Engineering |
| Artistic scholarships | $1,000 to $10,000 | Yes (audition or portfolio) | Music, studio art, performing arts and architecture portfolio awards |
The Louisiana Excellence Award, the Legislative and Mayoral scholarships and the National Merit awards are for US students and Louisiana residents, so international applicants can skip them.
How the Tulane Global Scholarships are decided
You do not fill in a Global Scholarship form. The admission committee nominates candidates using your Common Application and your financial documents. Tulane says students in the top 20% of the applicant pool, judged on testing and the high school record, are the most competitive. Shortlisted candidates may get a video interview with the international admission committee by 31 March.
If you are aiming for a Global Scholarship, I would apply Early Action. It is non-binding and still meets Tulane’s competitive window. Early Decision is binding, so pick it only if Tulane is your first choice and your family can afford the gap if you get a partial award.
Tulane University scholarship requirements
Tulane lists these steps for international students who want to be considered for merit awards up to full tuition:
- Common Application: submit it by your round’s deadline. This alone puts you in the pool for partial merit aid.
- CSS Profile: complete it by the financial aid deadline for your round. Tulane says non-US citizens may use the Declaration & Certification of Finances instead for the Academic, Service and Leadership Scholarship and general merit consideration.
- Declaration & Certification of Finances: Tulane’s own form showing how your family will pay the balance.
- Test scores, if you have them: Tulane’s merit page says SAT and ACT scores are optional but preferred.
- Supplements: only for awards that ask for them, such as the Dean’s Honor supplement, the Community Service Fellowship or the FIRST Scholarship, all through the Green Wave Portal.
International students should not file the FAFSA. Tulane’s financial aid office says so directly. Students who want need-based aid must send the CSS Profile and every supporting document, and Tulane recommends doing this by 15 February.
Some scholarship sites say you must submit IELTS, TOEFL, SAT or ACT. Tulane’s merit page treats SAT and ACT as optional. I could not reach a Tulane page giving minimum English test scores for undergraduates, so ask your regional admission counselor before you book a test. If you need ideas for English proof options at US schools, our guide to studying in the USA without IELTS covers what other universities accept.
Tulane application and scholarship deadlines for fall 2027
| Round | Application due | Financial aid (CSS Profile) due | Decision by | Deposit due |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Decision I (binding) | 1 November 2026 | 15 November 2026 | 15 December 2026 | 15 January 2027 |
| Early Action | 10 November 2026 | 15 December 2026 | 10 January 2027 | 1 May 2027 |
| Early Decision II (binding) | 15 January 2027 | 15 January 2027 | 15 February 2027 | 1 March 2027 |
| Regular Decision | 15 January 2027 | 15 February 2027 | 1 April 2027 | 1 May 2027 |
Tulane’s deadlines page lists the day and month for each round. The years above apply those dates to the fall 2027 intake. The date of 15 November that appears on some scholarship sites is the Early Decision I financial aid deadline. It is not the application deadline.
Deadline
For the best chance at a Global Scholarship, submit your Common Application by 1 November 2026 (Early Decision I) or 10 November 2026 (Early Action), then file the CSS Profile or the Declaration & Certification of Finances by your round’s aid deadline.
Cost of attending Tulane in 2026-2027
These are Tulane’s estimates for a full-time first-year student living on campus in Newcomb-Tulane College.
| Item | Estimated cost per year |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $70,622 |
| Mandatory fees | $4,514 |
| Housing (average first-year option) | $11,758 |
| Meals (minimum plan) | $8,780 |
| Books and supplies | $1,200 |
| Miscellaneous | $1,778 |
| Loan fees | $58 |
| Total (travel not included) | $98,710 |
A full-tuition award such as the Dean’s Honor Scholarship leaves about $28,000 a year for fees, housing, meals and personal costs, plus flights. Your Declaration & Certification of Finances must show how you will pay whatever your award does not cover, because the US student visa process asks the same question.
Tips for international applicants
- Apply in the first two rounds if you want a Global Scholarship. Tulane says that is where the most competitive candidates come from.
- Send test scores if they are strong. Tests are optional, but Tulane uses testing to judge the top 20%, and recent Dean’s Honor winners mostly scored ACT 33+ or SAT 1500+.
- Write the optional Dean’s Honor supplement. It costs you an essay and gives the committee more to go on.
- Line up recommenders early. Our recommendation letter samples show what a strong letter covers.
- Apply to more than one US school with strong international aid. Our list of American scholarships for international students is a good place to build that list.
FAQ on Tulane University scholarships
Does Tulane give full scholarships to international students?
Yes. International students can win Global Scholarships that cover full tuition and fees or the full cost of attendance, as well as the Dean’s Honor, Stamps and Grossman & Cohen awards. These are competitive, and most students receive partial merit aid of up to $32,000 a year instead.
Is there a separate application for Tulane merit scholarships?
Usually not. The Common Application puts you in the pool for partial merit aid, the Global Scholarships and the Dean’s Honor Scholarship, while the Stamps, Community Service, FIRST and artistic awards ask for extra materials.
What is the Tulane scholarship deadline for 2027 entry?
Apply by 1 November 2026 for Early Decision I or 10 November 2026 for Early Action to be most competitive for Global Scholarships. Regular Decision closes on 15 January 2027.
Does Tulane require SAT or IELTS for scholarships?
SAT and ACT scores are optional but preferred for merit consideration. Ask Tulane’s international admission office for the current English proficiency rules, because its undergraduate test minimums were not available on the pages I checked.
Sources and updates
Merit award values and rules come from Tulane’s undergraduate merit scholarships page. Need-based aid, the Global Scholarships and the international application steps come from Tulane’s international student financial aid page. Round deadlines come from Tulane’s important dates and deadlines page, and the FAFSA rule for non-US citizens comes from its financial aid office. Costs come from Tulane’s cost of attendance page for 2026-2027. Information checked on 24 October 2026. I will update this post when Tulane publishes 2027-2028 costs.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
