Scholarships for Guatemalan Students at US Universities

Scholarship Options at a Glance

Details on each option follow below.

Fulbright Foreign Student Program

The Fulbright Foreign Student Program funds Guatemalan citizens for a master's or doctoral degree at a US university. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala states the award covers TOEFL costs, visa fees, travel, housing, university fees, an emergency medical plan, and a monthly stipend for living costs.

You travel on a J-1 exchange visitor visa, not an F-1. After you finish the program, you return to Guatemala for two years before you qualify for most other US visa categories, under the exchange visitor two-year home residency rule. The Fulbright Guatemala page lists the current award types. Applications open once a year, historically around April, so check the embassy page early for the exact 2027-28 cycle dates.

Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement (TEA) Program

If you teach English, math, science, or social studies at a Guatemalan secondary school, the Fulbright TEA program funds a six-week training program at a US university. It targets working teachers, not degree-seeking students, and it does not lead to a US degree.

Walton International Scholarship Program

The Walton International Scholarship Program (WISP), started in 1985 by Sam and Helen Walton, pays full college costs for students from Central America and Mexico at three universities in Arkansas. Guatemalan students qualify to apply, according to EducationUSA . Selection is competitive, and you apply directly through the participating universities rather than through a central Fulbright-style office.

Free Scholarship Advising Through EducationUSA

EducationUSA, the US State Department's official advising network, runs two centers in Guatemala: one at Instituto Guatemalteco Americano (IGA) in Guatemala City and one at IGA in Quetzaltenango, known locally as Xela. Advisers help you search for scholarships matched to your field and study level at no cost, through the Guatemala City center or the Xela center .

Ask your adviser to walk you through the EducationUSA financial aid search tool, which lists scholarships, grants, and fellowships open to Guatemalan students, along with any government-sponsored options for your field.

Need-Based and Merit Aid From US Universities

Individual US universities set their own aid policies for international students, and those policies vary widely from school to school. Private universities with large endowments sometimes offer need-based aid to admitted international applicants, while public universities more often limit aid to merit scholarships tied to test scores, grades, or a specific program.

Check the international admissions and financial aid pages of every university on your list before you apply, since aid availability changes which schools are realistic for your budget. Ask the admissions office directly whether the school is need-blind or need-aware for international applicants, because this affects your admission odds if you request aid.

Comparing Multiple Aid Offers

Apply to several universities rather than one, since aid offers differ even between similar schools. Compare each offer by net price, meaning total cost of attendance minus scholarships and grants, rather than by tuition sticker price alone.

• Check whether the aid renews every year or applies only to your first year

• Ask what GPA or credit load you must keep to renew a merit scholarship

• Confirm whether the scholarship covers summer terms if you plan to study year-round

• Ask the financial aid office directly whether it can match a better offer from another school

Community College Pathway Scholarships

Community colleges charge lower tuition than four-year universities, and many partner with four-year schools through transfer agreements. Some community colleges award transfer scholarships to international students who keep a strong GPA, which lowers the total cost of a US bachelor's degree over four years.

Ask your EducationUSA adviser for community colleges in your target region with active transfer agreements and scholarship funds set aside for international students.

What You Need Ready Before You Apply

Most scholarship applications ask for similar documents, so prepare them once and reuse them across programs.

• Academic transcripts, translated to English

• A personal statement or essay tailored to each scholarship's focus

• Two or three recommendation letters from teachers or employers

• Proof of financial need, if the scholarship is need-based

• A copy of your passport for identity verification

How to Start

1. Book a free session with EducationUSA Guatemala City or Xela.

2. Tell your adviser your field, degree level, and budget so they can match scholarships to your profile.

3. Apply to Fulbright by the annual deadline if you already hold a university degree (licenciatura) and want a master's or PhD.

4. Contact university international offices directly to ask about merit and need-based aid before you submit your application.

When to Apply

Scholarship deadlines usually fall months before a university admission deadline, since award committees review applications separately from admissions offices. Fulbright's window typically opens each spring for a program that starts the following academic year, so plan at least a full year ahead if you want funding decided before you commit to a school. University merit aid, by contrast, is often decided automatically alongside your admission decision, with no separate scholarship form to submit.