The American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship (AU EGLS) is a highly competitive undergraduate scholarship for international students who want to study at American University in Washington, DC. The programme combines academic preparation with leadership, community service and a commitment to positive civic and social change in the applicant’s home country.
Unlike many university scholarships, the AU EGLS requires a separate scholarship application and essays in addition to the American University admission application. That makes the scholarship process itself an important part of your application strategy.
For prospective applicants, the key questions are not simply how much the scholarship covers, but whether you fit its specific profile, how the separate application works and what AU expects to see beyond strong grades.
What Is the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship?
The AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship promotes educational access, international diversity, leadership development and global engagement at American University.
AU looks for students who combine academic excellence with leadership and civic engagement and who intend to use their education to address challenges affecting under-resourced or underserved communities in their home countries.
This makes the scholarship different from a straightforward academic merit award.
A strong applicant should be able to connect:
Academic preparation → leadership or service → a meaningful problem → future contribution
Your application therefore needs to show more than high grades. It should give AU evidence of what you have done, the people or communities you have served and how your education fits into your longer-term goals.
Students interested in any major offered at American University can apply.
What Does the AU EGLS Cover?
The full AU EGLS provides a substantial undergraduate funding package.
American University states that the scholarship covers all billable AU expenses, including full tuition, room and board, for two international students who need a non-immigrant visa to study in the United States. The award is renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
However, the scholarship does not cover every cost associated with studying in the United States.
Students must pay non-billable expenses such as:
- Mandatory health insurance
- Books
- Airline tickets
- Taxes
- Miscellaneous expenses
AU estimates these costs at approximately US$4,000 per year.
So while the AU EGLS can reasonably be described as a full scholarship for AU’s billable expenses, applicants should not interpret “full” as meaning that every personal cost will disappear.
AU EGL Partial Scholarships
AU also offers additional AU EGL Partial Scholarships valued at up to US$40,000 per year.
These awards come from the same EGLS process. Applicants do not need to submit another application to be considered for the partial scholarships.
If AU recommends you for a partial award, you must demonstrate additional funds to cover the costs the scholarship does not cover.
This makes completing the EGLS application worthwhile even though the number of full awards is extremely limited.
Who Is Eligible for the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship?
The AU EGLS has unusually specific eligibility requirements for an international undergraduate scholarship.
You are not eligible if you:
- Are a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, pending permanent resident or dual U.S. citizen.
- Have already enrolled in or begun post-secondary study at another university in your home country or the United States.
- Graduated from secondary school before 2024.
AU also gives preference to applicants who meet several characteristics.
International Students Who Have Overcome Obstacles
AU gives preference to international students who have overcome significant obstacles and those from diverse or underrepresented global and socioeconomic backgrounds.
This does not mean you need to manufacture a hardship story.
If you have experienced genuine barriers to education or personal development, explain how those circumstances affected your choices, actions and goals.
The useful story is not simply what happened to you, but what you did in response.
Students With Leadership and Community Involvement
AU specifically looks for demonstrated leadership, volunteerism, community service and commitment to advancing the needs of people in the applicant’s home country.
You therefore do not need an impressive leadership title as much as you need evidence of meaningful action.
Organising an educational initiative, helping address a community problem, volunteering consistently or creating a project that benefits others can all demonstrate leadership when you can explain your actual contribution and results.
Students Who Meet the English Requirement
Applicants must satisfy AU’s English proficiency requirements and submit accepted evidence through the required process unless they qualify under an applicable exemption.
Students Entering Directly From Secondary School
AU gives preference to students who are still enrolled in secondary/high school and will graduate by June 2027 for the relevant Fall 2027 cycle.
This reinforces the scholarship’s focus on first-year international undergraduates, rather than students who have already started university elsewhere.
How to Apply for the AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship
The AU EGLS application has two distinct steps.
Step 1: Submit your American University admission application and supporting documents.
Step 2: Submit the separate AU EGLS application and essays through your applicant portal.
You must complete the first stage before submitting the EGLS application.
Step 1: Submit the American University Application
Start by applying to American University through the Common Application.
Your admission application includes the academic and personal information AU needs to evaluate you for undergraduate admission. International first-year applicants should prepare their academic records, application essay, résumé/CV, English proficiency evidence and other required documents.
The EGLS does not replace the normal admission requirements. You still need to establish that you are a strong candidate for American University.
Step 2: Complete the Separate EGLS Application
After submitting the admission application and creating your applicant portal, proceed to the AU EGLS application.
This is the step applicants can easily overlook.
Submitting the Common Application alone does not complete the scholarship process.
Step 3: Submit the Essays and Financial Documents
The scholarship application requires essays as well as financial documentation.
AU’s current EGLS instructions require applicants to submit a bank letter and completed AU Declaration of Finances Form, each confirming a minimum of US$4,000.
Prepare these documents early. Waiting until the deadline can create unnecessary problems if a bank letter needs to be requested or corrected.
The scholarship essays deserve equal attention. They should demonstrate the experiences, leadership and goals that make you a strong fit rather than simply repeating information already contained in your admission application.
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How to Build a Strong AU EGLS Application
Show Leadership Through Evidence
Do not rely on statements such as “I am a natural leader.”
Instead, explain:
- What problem you identified
- What action you took
- Who benefited
- What changed
- What you learned
Evidence makes leadership credible.
Connect Your Experience to Your Community
AU specifically seeks students committed to advancing the needs of people in their home countries.
Your application should therefore establish a connection between your experiences and the problem you want to address.
You do not need to claim that you will solve an entire national problem. A specific and credible goal is more persuasive.
Explain Obstacles Honestly
If you have overcome significant challenges, explain them honestly and show how they influenced your development.
Avoid turning the essay into a catalogue of difficulties. The stronger question is:
What did you do, learn or build because of that experience?
Make the Essays Add Something New
Your scholarship essays should not become your résumé in paragraph form.
If an achievement already appears in your application, use the essay to provide context—the motivation behind it, the difficulty you faced, the people affected or what it changed about your thinking.
The entire application should feel like one coherent story, not a collection of disconnected achievements.
AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship Deadline for 2027
For the Fall 2027 AU EGLS cycle, American University’s dedicated scholarship application page currently states that applicants must submit both:
- the Common Application and all supporting documents, and
- the AU EGLS application and essays
by January 15, 2027. The university states that late applications will not be considered.
However, AU’s broader decision-plans page currently displays a separate December 1 deadline for students seeking EGLS consideration. Because the university’s pages currently contain conflicting deadline information, applicants should check the active AU EGLS application instructions before submitting rather than relying on a deadline copied from another website.
Regardless of which date appears in the active application portal, do not wait until the final day. You have two application stages, essays, financial documents and English-language documentation to complete.
AU states that finalists and award winners will be notified by April 1, 2027.
What Happens After You Apply?
Submitting the EGLS application does not guarantee an award.
AU states that semi-finalists and finalists may be required to participate in Zoom interviews and submit additional essays during the selection process.
This makes consistency important.
If your written application describes a community project, leadership experience or future goal, you should be able to explain it clearly if you reach the interview stage.
You do not need rehearsed motivational speeches. You need to understand your own experiences well enough to discuss them naturally and specifically.
Applicants who are not selected for the full scholarship may still be considered for admission to American University and other available financial opportunities, depending on their circumstances.
Full vs. Partial AU EGL Scholarships
The distinction between the awards is important.
| Full AU EGLS | Partial EGL Scholarship | |
|---|---|---|
| Number | Two full awards | Additional awards |
| Tuition | Full | Up to US$40,000/year |
| Room & board | Covered | Remaining costs must be funded |
| Duration | Up to four years | Subject to award terms |
| Separate application | EGLS application required | No additional application |
The partial awards can provide substantial assistance, but applicants should not assume that a partial scholarship will cover their full cost of attendance.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Submitting Only the Common Application
The admission application does not complete the EGLS process. You must also submit the separate scholarship application and essays.
2. Treating the Scholarship Essays as an Afterthought
The essays are an important opportunity to demonstrate the leadership, service and future goals AU values.
3. Listing Leadership Titles Without Showing Impact
A title alone does not demonstrate leadership. Explain what you actually did and what changed because of your involvement.
4. Waiting to Prepare Financial Documents
Bank letters and financial forms can take time. Start them early.
5. Assuming the Scholarship Covers Every Expense
Even the full EGLS leaves certain non-billable expenses for the student to cover.
6. Relying on Old Deadline Information
AU’s published pages currently contain conflicting deadline information. Verify the active EGLS instructions before submitting your application.
AU Emerging Global Leader Scholarship Checklist
Before submitting your application, confirm that you have:
- ☐ Confirmed that you meet the international eligibility requirements
- ☐ Confirmed that you have not already begun post-secondary study
- ☐ Prepared your American University admission application
- ☐ Submitted the required academic and supporting documents
- ☐ Created your applicant portal
- ☐ Completed the separate AU EGLS application
- ☐ Written and reviewed your scholarship essays
- ☐ Prepared the required bank letter
- ☐ Completed the AU Declaration of Finances Form
- ☐ Submitted your official English proficiency results where required
- ☐ Verified the current EGLS deadline
- ☐ Reviewed the expenses not covered by the scholarship
- ☐ Prepared to discuss your leadership, service and future goals if invited to an interview
Final Takeaway
The American University Emerging Global Leader Scholarship 2027 is not simply an award for international students with excellent grades.
Its distinctive focus is the combination of academic preparation, leadership, community engagement, resilience and a credible commitment to positive change in the applicant’s home country.
The application also requires more than submitting the normal American University admission application. You must complete the separate EGLS process, prepare thoughtful essays and provide the required financial documentation.
If your application can demonstrate not only what you have achieved but why you acted, whom you served and what you intend to do with the education you receive, you will be addressing the qualities that AU highlights in its scholarship selection criteria.
That is the central point to keep in mind: the AU EGLS is looking for evidence of future potential built on real action, not simply a list of academic achievements.
For more details, visit the official scholarship resouces: American University’s official AU EGLS information
