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United States Applications open Closes 4 February 2027

NYU Wagner Public Service Scholarship

NYU Wagner — the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service — awards merit-based scholarships to incoming Master's students across the MPA, MUP, MS Public Policy, and MHA programmes. Awards range from a 25% tuition reduction to full coverage of the ~USD 90,000 two-year MPA tuition. Sri Lankan applicants with backgrounds in development, public health, urban planning, NGO leadership, or government — especially those involved with the SLBFE, UN Sri Lanka country offices, or major INGOs — are competitive. All admitted students are automatically considered; there is no separate scholarship application.

Fall 2027 entry: applications open August 2026 — round 1 deadline mid-November 2026, final 4 February 2027

NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Value

25% - 100% Tuition (USD 22k-90k)

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Duration

2 Years (Master's)

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Application

Automatic at Admission

info How this award actually works

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Who awards it

NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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How you are considered

Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.

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What it covers

Partial to Full Tuition (Up to USD 90,000). This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.

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Where we come in

We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Admitted to NYU Wagner Master's

You must hold (or be applying for) admission to NYU Wagner's MPA, MUP, MS Public Policy, MHA, or Executive MPA programmes. PhD candidates apply via separate NYU Wagner doctoral funding.

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Public Service Background

Wagner explicitly values demonstrated commitment to public service — work with NGOs, government, the UN, civil society, or public-sector consulting. Pure private-sector candidates without service backgrounds rarely receive merit awards. Sri Lankan applicants from Sarvodaya, World Vision Lanka, UN Colombo offices, or government secretariats have strong cases.

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Strong Academic Profile

First-class or strong second-upper Bachelor's degree. GRE is optional for Wagner (waivers common for candidates with 3+ years' work experience). TOEFL 100+ or IELTS 7.0+ required for non-native English speakers.

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Open to All Nationalities

Both US and international applicants are eligible. Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka qualify. F-1 visa support and I-20 issuance are handled by NYU's Office of Global Services post-scholarship confirmation.

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Apply to NYU Wagner first

Submit your NYU Wagner Master's application via the online portal. Application includes essays, CV, transcripts, references, English test scores, and (optionally) GRE. Round 1 has the best scholarship odds — apply by mid-November.

Automatic merit consideration

All applicants are automatically evaluated for merit scholarships. There is no separate scholarship form, but a strong personal statement emphasising public-service goals significantly affects award size.

Decision + award letter

Admissions and scholarship decisions are released together (typically by mid-March for Round 1). Award amounts vary based on the strength of the academic and service profile.

Accept + arrange F-1 visa

Confirm enrolment and scholarship via the NYU portal. The award is applied to tuition each semester. International students receive an I-20 to apply for an F-1 visa at the US Embassy Colombo.

Why NYU Wagner?

NYU Wagner is one of the top US graduate schools for public policy and public administration — consistently ranked in the US News top 10 for public-affairs programmes. Located in Manhattan with direct access to the UN, World Bank New York office, and dozens of major NGOs and city government agencies. The Sri Lankan alumni network includes senior World Bank country economists and UN officers.

#28

QS World Ranking 2026 (NYU)

#11

US News Public Affairs

Manhattan

Direct UN / NGO Access

Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?

Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.

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