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Scholarships
Top political science scholarships for you
Find scholarships for political science majors that can help you pay for college.
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Scholarships for political science majors
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Spring Centennial Center Research Grant Program
Due: 4/15/26
|No essay
|No min. GPA Required
|No Transcripts Required
$2,500
The APSA Spring Centennial Center Research Grant Program supports research in all fields of political science. The intent of these grants is to provide funding opportunities for research conducted by political scientists in non-tenure track or contingent positions who are ineligible for departmental funding; political science faculty of all ranks who are employed in departments that do not grant PhDs; and graduate students in Political Science or a related discipline such as Politics or International Relations. Funds may be used for such research activities as travel to archives, travel to conduct interviews, administration, and coding of instruments, research assistance, and purchase of datasets. Funds may be used by scholars with disabilities for auxiliary devices or services uniquely needed for carrying out the research. Applicants must submit the Title Page that should include an abstract of the proposal; the Research Statement that should include a description of the research topic, questions, and its import to the field; and the research design to be used; and the present status of the project. Although not required, if the project has a potential public engagement component or other public component, please include this as well. Graduate students must submit at least one letter of recommendation. Please visit the award's website for more information.
Kevin Laverty Award for Excellence in Comparative Politics
Due: 5/17/26
|No Recommendations Required
|No Transcripts Required
$2,300
The Kevin Laverty Award for Excellence in Comparative Politics is open to one or more deserving undergraduate students in the Department of Political Science. Preference will be given to undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need and taking coursework in comparative politics. Students must be in residence at UCSB for the following academic year. If more than one award is given, the $2,300 award will be split between the applicants. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Kevin Patrick Moran Scholarship
Due: 5/17/26
|No Recommendations Required
|No min. GPA Required
|No Transcripts Required
Varies
The Kevin Patrick Moran Scholarship is available to worthy undergraduate students who demonstrate leadership qualities, a high degree of academic promise, and a commitment to the peaceful principles by which Kevin Moran lived. Applicants must be in residence at UCSB for the following academic year. Students may contact Student Financial Services for more information and inquiries about the application.
Casier Scholarship
Due: 5/17/26
|No Recommendations Required
|No Transcripts Required
Varies
The Casier Scholarship is available to undergraduate students majoring in Political Science. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 in political science and be in residence at UCSB during the following academic year. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Louis Lancaster Scholarship for International Studies
Due: 5/17/26
|No Recommendations Required
|No min. GPA Required
|No Transcripts Required
Varies
The Louis Lancaster Scholarship for International Studies is open to undergraduate students majoring in political science with a strong interest in international relations and/or comparative politics. The award criteria includes grade point average, successful completion of significant coursework in international relations and comparative politics, financial need, and length of residence in Santa Barbara County. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Bruce B. Melchert Scholarship
Due: 3/15/27
|No essay
|No Recommendations Required
Varies
The Bruce B. Melchert Scholarship was established in honor of a former member of the Board of Directors of the TKE Foundation, Bruce B. Melchert, who was initiated a Teke at Beta-Theta Chapter at the University of Missouri-Columbia and served as the Executive Vice President of TKE from 1960 to 1972. He is a Life Loyal Teke. This scholarship is awarded to a member displaying academic achievement. Recipients must be a student who exemplifies outstanding leadership within the chapter, having served as Recruitment Chair, Prytanis or in other major officer positions in the chapter. Preferred applicants are also a leader in IFC or other campus organizations. The applicant must be pursuing a degree in political science or government and have a goal to serve people in a political or governmental service position. Preference will first be given to a member of the Beta-Theta chapter, but if there is no qualified applicant, the scholarship will be open to any other qualified Teke. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Tau Kappa Epsilon Educational Foundation for more information.
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What are political science scholarships?
Political science scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for political science students. Scholarships for political science majors can help students access higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach because of financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for political science scholarships
Before you apply for political science scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements to see if you qualify. These may include:
- Minimum GPA
- Community service experience
- U.S. citizenship
- Plans to attend an accredited program
- Leadership skills
- FAFSA® submission
Scholarship requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Keep searching for scholarships that best match your qualifications.
Are political science scholarships worth my time?
If you want to get as much free money as you can for your education, then yes! You’ll find some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for, while others require more time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply for scholarships that require work (like writing an essay) which means you could have better odds of winning if you apply for one of those.
Pro tip: Don’t pass up on political science scholarships that have smaller award amounts. ($) There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find political science scholarships?
From your school to national organizations, there are so many places to find political science scholarships that can help you pay for college.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search engines, like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”
Scholly Scholarships
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Easily search through thousands of college scholarships based on your background, major, state you live in, and more.
Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
What types of political science scholarships are available?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Want more tips to up your chances of winning? Check out our scholarship guide for everything you need to know about finding and winning scholarships.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for political science scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
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