• Samvid Scholars will empower future leaders and changemakers by providing financial support for graduate study as well as leadership training
• Scholars receive up to $50K for tuition and fees each year for two years of study in a graduate program
• Scholars will receive two years of leadership development programming to support them to continue to fulfill their extraordinary potential. All Scholars will have access to robust ongoing programming and will be part of an alumni community of mentorship, collaboration, and lifelong relationships

An eligible candidate will:

• Pursue a full-time graduate program of 2 years or longer at a university in the United States, in one of the following eligible programs:
  • MD
  • MBA
  • JD
  • MPP
  • MPH
  • EdD
  • MS/MA in the social sciences or STEM
• Be a first-year graduate student for the 2022-2023 academic year
• Have an undergraduate GPA of at least 3.5
• Be a U.S. citizen or DACA recipient
• Maintain academic good standing in order to remain eligible for the second year of the scholarship

• February 14th – Application Opens
• March 31st – Application Closes
• May 2022 – Finalists Notified

• The application will consist of:
  • Personal contact information
  • Academic information
  • Transcripts from all degree-granting higher education institutions
  • Standardized test scores
  • Information about planned graduate study
  • Short essays
  • Recommendations
• Finalists will be contacted for a virtual interview with the scholarship selection committee.
• Candidates selected for the scholarship will be notified shortly afterward. All other applicants will be notified of their status as well.
• Awardees will be asked to provide confirmation of enrollment in a qualifying graduate program.

All applicants will be required to complete the following three essay prompts:

• Describe your experience as a leader. In your response, be sure to describe an obstacle you faced and how you overcame it. (500 Words Max.)
• What are your reasons for pursuing graduate study and what do you hope to achieve with this degree? (500 Words Max.)
• How have you demonstrated your commitment to driving positive impact for society, and how do you envision doing so in the future? (500 Words Max.)

Applicants will also have the opportunity to complete an optional, additional essay prompt:

• We seek a cohort of future leaders, representing diverse perspectives. What unique perspective would you contribute to the Samvid Scholars community? (250 Words)

A selection committee will evaluate candidates based on:

• Academic excellence: You have an excellent academic record, reflecting your critical thinking ability, your drive, and your interest in your academic field
• Leadership: You have an outstanding track record of leading people and projects that deliver results. You have a leader’s mindset; you are optimistic and self-reliant but open to, and interested in, diverse perspectives and approaches
• Service focus: You are committed to driving change for society through your leadership; you are focused on the impact of your achievements principally on others
• Bias towards action: You not only think about big questions with nuance and clarity but also, and critically, act to address them
• Grit: You have demonstrated leadership over the long term on the issues, which matter to you, even despite setbacks

Yes, you are eligible to apply. In the online application, you will be asked to list the institutions or programs that you are considering. If you are selected as a scholar, you will be asked to provide enrollment confirmation in a graduate program.

We accept applications from candidates applying to US universities in the following programs that are two (2) years or longer:

• MD
• MBA
• JD
• MPP
• MPH
• EdD
• MS/MA in a social sciences or STEM program

Yes, if the Master’s degree portion of the program will require at least 2 years and is in the social sciences or STEM.

Yes, you can apply. The program will work with the limits of other awards to give scholars the maximum benefit from all sources of funding. Note that the Samvid Scholars funding applies only to tuition and fees.

Transcripts from all higher education institutions that provided or will provide you with a degree are required. This means your undergraduate transcript and, if applicable, transcripts from graduate schools. Transcripts from summer abroad courses or non-degree programs are not required.

For the application, you may submit a school-issued unofficial transcript. If you are selected as a scholar, you will be required to submit official transcripts.

No, there are no minimum test score requirements. The selection committee will weigh the strength of applicants’ test scores, in combination with other qualifications, when selecting finalists and scholars.

2021 Samvid Scholars finalists scored within the following ranges across standardized tests:
LSAT: 165-179
MCAT: 517-527
GMAT: 740-770
GRE: Verbal: 162 – 170, Quantitative Reasoning: 156 – 169

If any university you applied to for your graduate program required the submission of a standardized test score, please provide your relevant standardized test score.

If none of the universities you applied to for your graduate program required the submission of a standardized test score, then we will waive the test score requirement for the scholarship application. In the application fields asking for test score information, indicate that it was not required for any of the programs you applied to (or put N/A). For the question that requests an upload of a score report or score report screenshot, simply create a document that says that standardized test scores were not required by any graduate programs you applied to. Your application cannot be submitted unless these fields have an answer.

You should choose recommenders who can give a candid and thorough assessment as to how you meet the scholarship’s selection criteria.

You are required to submit the names and contact details for two people who will provide your recommendations.

Applicants must have at least a 3.5 undergraduate GPA to be eligible for the Samvid Scholarship. Typically, competitive candidates have GPAs well above that minimum; 95% of our finalists in 2021 had a GPA above 3.7. However, the selection committee will weigh the strength of an applicant’s GPA, in combination with other qualifications, when selecting finalists and scholars.

Samvid Scholars will be invited to an annual retreat and have regular opportunities to convene with other scholars and Samvid Ventures staff. Scholars will attend leadership development trainings and have access to networking opportunities across the Samvid Scholars community.

Samvid Scholars finalists will be notified in early/mid-May. Applicants who do not qualify for the finalist round will also be notified of a decision in early/mid-May.

Upon being notified of your selection as a finalist, the program team will reach out to you with a request for additional materials as needed.

You must be either a U.S. citizen or DACA recipient to be eligible to apply for the Samvid Scholars program.

• Academic excellence: You have an excellent academic record, reflecting your critical thinking ability, your drive, and your interest in your academic field
• Leadership: You have an outstanding track record of leading people and projects that deliver results. You have a leader’s mindset; you are optimistic and self-reliant
• Service focus: You are committed to driving change for society through your leadership
• Bias towards action: You not only think about big questions with nuance and clarity but also, and critically, act to address them
• Grit: You have demonstrated leadership over the long term on the issues, which matter to you, even despite setbacks