Dominican Student Scholarships

Having Trouble Financing College?

Students from the Dominican Republic who wish to study in the United States can apply for financial aid from several organizations. Assistance is available for undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate studies. Here are a few examples:

Scholarships for Education and Economic Development (SEED)

The SEED Program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and administered by Georgetown University’s Center for Intercultural Education and Development (CIED). Its goal is to to support economic and social development throughout Central America and the Caribbean. As a result, it offers to rural and low-income students from the Dominican Republic, as well as  El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. This program provides funding for students professional training in six-month and one-year programs at U.S. universities.

The programs of study funded are chosen to correspond with the demand for workers in a specific geographic region. They are awarded to youth and community leaders from economically disadvantaged and historically underserved populations, including women and ethnic/indigenous groups, to help effect change in their country’s development. The program incorporates technical training, leadership skills enhancement and English as a Second Language (ESL). Because it is administered through partner colleges and universities, check with your school for this scholarship.

The Organization of American States

The Organization of American States is based in Washington, D.C., and it offers financial assistance at the undergraduate and graduate levels for students from its 35 member states. Scholarships are awarded for up to 12 months, and can be extended. At the undergraduate level, students can enroll in a program of their choice at an institution in one of the OAS member states, as long as is not located in their country of origin or where they are a permanent resident. Monies are available for graduate studies (with the exception of introductory language studies and medical sciences) as well as graduate research. The OAS also provides hundreds of professional development scholarships and programs, including online.

Fulbright Scholarship Programs

The Fulbright Program offers three grants programs for Dominicans:

• Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals, and artists from the DR to research and study in the United States for one year or longer.
• The Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program provides grants to conduct short-term research (approximately three months) at U.S. institutions.
• Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence (SIR) Program brings scholars and professionals from abroad to U.S. college and university campuses for a semester or an academic year to teach undergraduate courses and provide cultural and curricular exchange with faculties, students, and communities.

The Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (MMMF)

The MMMF awards $12,000 each year to female students from developing countries, including the Dominican Republic, as well as other eligible countries. The goal of this funding program is to provide funds for the education of women, who will return to their homeland for two years of service in work that will enhance and foster their country.

Applicants are required to meet all of the following criteria to be considered for this funding:

• At least 25 years of age
• Able to verify financial need
• Is not a resident of the U.S. or Canada
• Planning to return to her country in approximately two years
• Already has a record of service to better the lives of women and/or children in her home country
• Enrolled in an accredited U.S. or Canadian educational institution
• Will use the grant toward the completion of degree
• Not related to any World Bank Group employee or employee spouse