University of Texas at Austin International Student Scholarships: Your Complete Guide to the Spring and Summer 2027 Window

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If you are already studying at the University of Texas at Austin, this is the article you need right now. The university just opened its scholarship window for Spring and Summer 2027, and it closes on November 1, 2026. That gives you a narrow but real chance to apply for cash awards, tuition waivers, and fee scholarships before the semester bill arrives. This guide walks you through every scholarship open during this round, who qualifies, how much each one pays, and exactly how to apply.

Quick Facts Before You Start

  • Application period: October 1 to November 1, 2026
  • Covers: Spring 2027 and Summer 2027 terms
  • Who can apply: International students at UT Austin who meet each scholarship’s specific requirements
  • Where to apply: Through LASSO, the university’s central scholarship portal
  • Official source: Texas Global — Scholarships and Financial Services

This window is not the only one UT Austin runs. A second round opens February 1 to March 1, 2027, and covers the Fall 2027 term and the full 2027 to 2028 academic year. If you miss the October window, mark your calendar for February.

Why This Matters for International Students

International students at American universities often pay nonresident tuition, which runs far higher than what local students pay. UT Austin recognizes this gap, so its international office, Texas Global, set up several scholarships just for international students. Some pay out as cash. Others waive the nonresident portion of your tuition bill. A few do both.

The catch is that most of these awards require you to have already studied at UT Austin for at least two semesters. This round, in other words, rewards students who are already enrolled and building a track record, not brand-new applicants. If you are a continuing international student at UT Austin, this window was built with you in mind. If you already have your admission letter in hand but are new to the process, it is also worth reviewing what to do after receiving a university admission offer so you do not miss any other enrollment steps along the way.

Weighing your options beyond UT Austin’s own awards? You may also want to check this guide on how to find affordable universities abroad, covering countries and scholarships that keep total costs down.

Spring and Summer 2027 Scholarships at a Glance

Here is every scholarship open in this round, what it pays, and who it targets.

Scholarship Amount Who It Targets
Carlos and Clara Quintanilla Scholarship $5,000 (spring tuition) Cockrell School of Engineering students who lived in Mexico before enrolling and plan to return
Dr. David Nilsson Scholarship $2,000 (spring tuition) Undergraduates who graduated high school in Mexico, especially Tejupilco or Querétaro
Ethel Loving de Diaz Scholarship $4,500 (spring tuition) Students with financial need, preference for those funding their own education through work
Society of Iranian-American Women for Education (SIAWE) Scholarship $3,500 (spring tuition) Students who lived in or studied in Iran, or whose family did
General ISSS Financial Aid Cash award, amount varies Students with demonstrated financial need in formula-funded programs
International Education Fee Scholarship (IEFS) Cash award, amount varies Undergraduate or graduate students in good academic standing
Tuition Assistance for Mexican Students (TAMS) Waiver of nonresident tuition portion Competitive award for eligible Mexican students

Amounts above reflect the official figures published for this round. Some awards, like General ISSS Financial Aid and the International Education Fee Scholarship, do not list a fixed dollar figure because the amount depends on how many students apply and how much funding is available that term.

A Closer Look at Each Scholarship

Carlos and Clara Quintanilla Scholarship

This one pays $5,000 toward spring tuition, and it is built for engineering students with a specific background. You need to be enrolled full-time in the Cockrell School of Engineering, have lived in Mexico right before you started at UT Austin, hold at least a 2.0 GPA, show financial need, and plan to return to Mexico after you graduate. If your engineering career is pointed back home, this scholarship rewards that path directly.

Dr. David Nilsson Scholarship

Worth $2,000 toward spring tuition, this award goes to undergraduates who graduated from a high school in Mexico and intend to return there to work. You need at least two completed semesters at UT Austin and a 2.0 GPA. The scholarship gives extra preference to students from high schools in Tejupilco or the state of Querétaro, so mention that background clearly if it applies to you.

Ethel Loving de Diaz Scholarship

This $4,500 award goes to students who can show financial need and who are working to help pay for their own education. Undergraduates need a 2.0 GPA, while graduate students need a 3.0 GPA. The scholarship also gives preference to first-generation students, so if you are the first in your family to attend university, say so in your application.

Society of Iranian-American Women for Education (SIAWE) Scholarship

Worth $3,500 toward spring tuition, this scholarship supports students who lived in Iran, attended school there, or were dependents of someone who spent most of their life in Iran. You need two completed semesters at UT Austin, financial need, and a GPA of 3.0 for undergraduates or 3.75 for graduate students, which you must keep up for the life of the award.

General ISSS Financial Aid

This is a cash scholarship for students who can demonstrate financial need, but it comes with a catch worth knowing. It is only available to students in formula-funded programs, known as Option I. If you are in an Option III graduate program, you cannot apply for this one. You also need two completed semesters at UT Austin, plus a 2.0 GPA for undergraduates or 3.0 for graduate students. One more detail matters here: 14 percent of the award gets withheld for US tax purposes unless a tax treaty applies to you or you count as a resident alien for tax purposes.

International Education Fee Scholarship (IEFS)

Set up back in 1989 through a student referendum, this cash scholarship goes to students in good academic standing. It carries the same 14 percent tax withholding rule as the General ISSS Financial Aid, so budget for that when you calculate what you will actually receive.

Tuition Assistance for Mexican Students (TAMS)

TAMS does not hand out cash. Instead, it waives the nonresident portion of your tuition bill, which can be the biggest line item on an international student’s statement. The award is competitive and limited in number, so getting accepted to UT Austin does not guarantee you will receive it. Texas Global administers this scholarship on behalf of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

Looking at other well-funded international scholarships too? You may also want to check the Imperial College London Scholarships 2027, worth up to $15,000 a year for international students.

Other Funding Worth Checking

Beyond the ISSS-run scholarships above, UT Austin points international students toward a few more options:

  • Good Neighbor Scholarship: Covers a full year of tuition for students born in and residing in a Western Hemisphere nation outside the US. It does not cover fees like health insurance or the ISSS support fee.
  • ConTex Doctoral Fellowships: For Mexican students pursuing a doctorate at UT Austin or another UT System school, run jointly with Mexico’s Secihti. Contact contex@utsa.edu for more information.
  • The International Peace Scholarship: Grants for women from other countries studying at the graduate level in the United States or Canada.
  • Leo S. Rowe Pan American Loan Fund: Interest-free loans up to $15,000 for students from Latin American and Caribbean countries, run by the Organization of American States.
  • The PART Austin Scholarship: A $2,000 award for an outstanding Latin American undergraduate at UT Austin, offered through the Pan American Round Table.
  • IEFA Scholarship Search Engine: Lets you search for outside scholarships by your country of residence, useful if none of the UT-specific awards fit your situation.

If none of UT Austin’s own scholarships fit your background, it can also help to compare against programs in other countries, such as this University of Coimbra guide for Portugal or this guide to studying in Germany without IELTS on scholarship. Students chasing hands-on research experience alongside their degree might also look into CERN’s internships and graduate programmes.

Casting a wider net across funded scholarships? You may also want to check the Gates Cambridge Scholarship 2027/28, a fully funded postgraduate route at the University of Cambridge.

Also worth comparing is the Chevening Scholarship 2027/2028, a fully funded UK government scholarship for future leaders.

How to Apply, Step by Step

Getting your application in takes a few clear steps:

  1. Log into LASSO, the university-wide scholarship portal.
  2. Search the keyword “ISSS” to pull up the international student scholarships covered here.
  3. Click “Apply Now” on the Scholarship Search page, which logs you in and shows every open application you qualify for under the Task section.
  4. Start or continue your application for each scholarship that fits your situation.
  5. Prepare your essays and financial details. Most applications ask about your estimated annual expenses and want short essays about your background or why the scholarship fits you. If you are unsure how a statement of purpose differs from a personal statement, or need help securing a strong scholarship recommendation letter, it is worth brushing up on both before you start writing.
  6. Submit before November 1, 2026. Do not wait until the final day, since some applications take longer than expected once you start filling in financial details.

🔗 Official Scholarship Search & Application (LASSO): Apply through UT Austin’s official LASSO portal

🔗 Official Scholarships Overview (Texas Global): View the official Texas Global scholarships page

If you run into questions along the way, reach out to intlfinaid@austin.utexas.edu. The office says it responds within two to three business days.

Official Resource Links

Keep these official links handy as you apply:

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

  • These are one-time awards. Winning a scholarship this round does not guarantee you will receive it again next year, so reapply every cycle you remain eligible.
  • Eligibility is specific, not general. Nearly every scholarship above requires two completed semesters at UT Austin, so brand-new international students usually need to wait for a later round.
  • Tax withholding applies to cash awards. The 14 percent withholding on IEFS and General ISSS Financial Aid can catch students off guard, so plan your budget with that in mind.
  • Read every eligibility line before you apply. Several scholarships carry extra preferences, such as first-generation status or a specific home region, and missing that detail could mean missing out on an edge in a competitive pool.
  • If a committee follows up for a conversation, knowing how to prepare for a scholarship interview can make a real difference to your chances.

Building out a broader funding strategy? You may also want to check the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027/2028, a fully funded route for study in Switzerland.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Spring and Summer 2027 scholarship window close?

The application period runs from October 1, 2026, to November 1, 2026. These scholarships cover the Spring 2027 and Summer 2027 terms. If you miss this window, the next one opens February 1, 2027, and covers Fall 2027 and the full academic year.

Do new international students qualify for these scholarships?

Most of them do not. Scholarships like General ISSS Financial Aid, IEFS, and SIAWE require two completed semesters at UT Austin first. A handful, including the Quintanilla and Nilsson scholarships, have their own separate entry requirements worth checking individually.

How much money can I actually receive?

Amounts range from $2,000 to $5,000 for the fixed-amount scholarships, while General ISSS Financial Aid and IEFS pay variable cash amounts based on funding and need. Remember that 14 percent tax withholding applies to cash awards unless a treaty or resident status applies.

Where do I submit my application?

All ISSS scholarship applications go through LASSO, UT Austin’s university-wide scholarship system. Search the keyword “ISSS” on the Scholarship Search page, log in, and complete the applications you qualify for before the November 1 deadline.

Sources and official links: Texas Global — Scholarships and Financial Services, LASSO Scholarship Search. Figures and deadlines are current as of this round and can change; always verify final numbers on the official UT Austin pages before applying.

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