We know that graduate education is an investment.
- The MIDP offers a number of competitive Fellowships to highly qualified applicants who apply by the January 5 deadline.
- We also offer MIDP tuition scholarships based on merit and financial need for those who apply by the January 5 deadline.
- We partner with a number of organizations to offer competitive funding for highly-qualified applicants.
- We offer advice on other financial aid opportunities.
Fellowships
The Lethem Fellowship is for graduate students who are or shall be at the time of receipt of this fellowship, enrolled in the Master of International Development Policy (MIDP). Preference shall be given to students from low-income countries, ideally from Africa.
The Robert C. Ketner Fellowship provides full or partial tuition scholarships to graduate students enrolled in the Sanford School of Public Policy and who are pursuing a Master of International Development Policy (MIDP).
The Global Service Fellowship (GSF) offers 1-2 full or partial tuition scholarships to admitted students who have completed at least one year of service outside their country of origin. The award is in recognition of overseas service done with an organization engaged in the broad field of international development. Such organizations may include faith-based organizations, nonprofit organizations, corporate volunteer programs, government volunteer programs (e.g. World Friends Korea, Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), African Union Youth Volunteer Corps, the United Nations volunteer program, Atlas Corps etc.).
Returned Peace Corps Volunteers are served by the Coverdell Peace Corps Fellows program and are not eligible for this award.
The Magdalena Yesil Fellowship is a scholarship endowment for graduate students in the Sanford School of Public Policy. It provides full or partial scholarships to incoming MIDP or Master of Public Policy students interested in sustainable development or conflict resolution in Armenia and/or the surrounding region.
Availability of funds under this fellowship varies from year to year.
A scholarship endowment that provides partial scholarships to graduate students who are or shall be at the time of receipt of this scholarship, enrolled in the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University and pursuing a Master of International Development Policy (MIDP). Preference shall be given to students from Latin America (Mexico, Central America, South America) and the Caribbean.
Availability of funds under this fellowship varies from year to year.
The Dean’s Fellowship provides full or partial scholarships to graduate students who have demonstrated leadership potential and who are pursuing the Master of International Development Policy (MIDP).
MIDP Scholarships
MIDP scholarships are open to all applicants regardless of citizenship. Scholarships are based on a combination of merit and financial need. MIDP scholarships are available in the form of tuition scholarships to those applicants who demonstrate high academic achievement, a commitment to sustainable international development, a strong professional background and financial need. All applicants who apply by the January 5 priority deadline and who indicate on the application that they would like to be considered for financial aid and have applied to at least two outside funding sources are reviewed. No additional documentation is required.
U.S. citizens and permanent residents should complete a FAFSA form for the applicable academic year.
MIDP’s funding resources are limited, and awards are competitive. Although all admitted students are meritorious, MIDP cannot fund all students, and almost all awards cover only a portion of costs.
For questions or clarifications about MIDP’s Fellowships and Scholarships, contact Director of MIDP Admissions, Dayne Hamrick.
Partner Fellowship Opportunities
Global
The Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Center offers individuals committed to peace and cooperation the opportunity to pursue a two-year master’s-level degree in international studies, peace studies and conflict resolution. The fellowship includes full funding for tuition and other university fees, a monthly stipend for room and board, a contingency fund, funding for conferences and research, summer internship support, and transportation between the fellow’s home and study destination at the start and end of the fellowship period.
Applicants are chosen based on their ability to have a significant, positive impact on world peace and conflict resolution. Applicants who are awarded a Rotary Peace Fellowship may indicate their preferred Rotary Center placement, ultimately assigned by the Rotary Foundation, and must then apply and be accepted to that graduate program. Rotary awardees who are assigned to Duke will apply to the MIDP program once selected as a Rotary Peace Fellow.
Africa
The Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI) Fellowship and Scholarship Fund (FSF) is offered to Malawian citizens and residents to pursue master’s or postdoctoral study and/or research in the areas of agriculture, business, data science, ecology/environment, economics or engineering. The ATI FSF aims to strengthen the capacity of researchers and professionals in Malawi in high-priority areas that will help the country transform its agricultural sector by reducing dependence on tobacco exports.
USA
The Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program, which aims to attract and prepare outstanding U.S. citizens for careers in the Foreign Service, selects 30 outstanding Rangel Fellows annually in a highly competitive nationwide process and helps support them through two years of graduate study, internships and professional development activities, and entry into the Foreign Service. Duke MIDP provides a complementary 50% tuition scholarship.
Learn more about the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program.
The Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Program seeks to attract outstanding U.S. citizens who are interested in pursuing careers in the Foreign Service of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The fellowship, which provides up to $76,000 in benefits over two years for graduate school, internships and professional development activities, provides a unique pathway to the USAID Foreign Service. Duke MIDP provides a complementary 50% tuition scholarship.
Learn more about the Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship.
The Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Fellows Program is in partnership with United States Peace Corps. To be eligible, one must be a returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) and submit a description of service (DOS) with their application. All RPCVs are considered for this award. The award carries a 50% tuition scholarship. In exchange, fellows use the skills they developed working abroad to complete community service internships for local, underserved communities during the academic year.
Learn more about the Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Fellows Program.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State and administered by The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, the Thomas R. Pickering Fellowship Program provides graduate students with financial support, mentoring and professional development to prepare them academically and professionally for a career with the U.S. Department of State. Women, members of minority groups historically underrepresented in the Foreign Service, and students with financial need are encouraged to apply. Accepted MIDP candidates will receive a 50% tuition scholarship.
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Duke MIDP offers tuition fellowships to eligible veterans through the Yellow Ribbon Program.
Latin America
COLFUTURO is a joint public and private sector initiative aimed at facilitating the access of Colombian professionals to further education abroad. Duke MIDP has an agreement with COLFUTURO under the Scholarship Loan Program designed to finance a significant number of Colombian citizen graduate students abroad. The scholarship, for Colombian citizens only, finances up to a maximum of US $25,000 per year, for a maximum of a two-year stay abroad.
JuventudEsGTO is a decentralized public organization in the Mexican state of Guanajuato that supports students from Guanajuato to pursue master’s degrees abroad. Under our agreement with JuventudEsGTO, students selected for the scholarship and admitted to any Sanford graduate program (MIDP, MPP, iMEP) will receive a 25% tuition scholarship and additional support from JuventudEsGTO for tuition and living expenses.
The Sanford School of Public Policy has formed a partnership with a Mexican foundation that will provide financial aid and scholarships for Mexicans pursuing master’s degrees abroad at the world’s finest universities. The agreement between the school and Fundacion Mexicana Para La Educacion, La Tecnologia y La Ciencia, A.C. (FUNED) combines the resources of both Sanford and FUNED, with Sanford offering a 25% tuition scholarship for accepted students, and FUNED covering up to 40% of the remaining costs.
Guatefuturo is a Guatemalan non-profit foundation established in 2006 to provide financial support and increase the possibilities of Guatemalan citizens to access high-quality postgraduate study programs abroad. Guatefuturo offers each student up to US $25,000 per year for a maximum of two years.
Asia
The Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP) provides funding for recipients of the Indonesian Education Scholarship to study in MIDP. The scholarship is designed to fund master's and PhD programs for qualified Indonesian students in order to prepare the country’s future leaders.
The Bolashak Program brings qualified Kazakh students to Duke MIDP. The program is designed to train future Kazakh leaders in economics, public policy, science, engineering, medicine and other key fields. The scholarship was established in 1993 by the President of Kazakhstan and is extremely competitive. It offers full coverage of all study-related costs.
Other Financial Aid Opportunities
Assistantships
U.S. citizens are guaranteed assistantships, contingent upon FAFSA eligibility, for two academic years of study, conditional on satisfactory academic progress during the first year.
Coverdell Peace Corps Fellows pursue their required community service internship which is paid as an Assistantship.
Full-time Assistantships are $4,000 per semester or $8,000 for two semesters.
International students may apply to all assistantship positions that are open after their first semester of study.
For more resources, visit the Sanford Office of Financial Aid page.
Meet the Director of Financial Aid
Brandon Smith assists U.S. citizens and permanent resident students with federal checklist completion and FAFSA verification. He also determines and awards all federal loan funding and federal work study funds. He can assist with private education loans geared toward international students. Questions regarding student financial planning or questions about your cost of attendance? Contact him at sanfordfinancialaid@duke.edu.
External Funding
The Sanford School of Public Policy is a member of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA). Browse APSIA's list of fellowships and scholarships.
Please refer to our External Scholarships document for information on additional funding opportunities (last updated March 19, 2020).