StudyDesk Scholarships
About the scholarship
The Tomorrow’s Leaders Program, funded by the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and administered by FHI 360, offers fully funded undergraduate degrees to outstanding students from the Middle East and North Africa. Scholars study at two US-accredited universities in Lebanon — the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese American University (LAU) — with the opportunity to spend one semester in the United States.
The package is genuinely comprehensive: tuition and enrollment fees (up to four academic years), health insurance, housing, visa and residency fees, textbooks and a laptop, two round trips home per year, a monthly living stipend during programme activities, internships, faculty mentorship and leadership workshops. Applications for the 2027–2028 intake opened in October 2026.
Eligibility
- Citizen of Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen or the West Bank — Palestinian students residing in a third country with legal residency may also apply.
- US citizens and US permanent residents are NOT eligible.
- Current high-school seniors or 2026 graduates (2025 graduates are additionally eligible for Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, the West Bank and third-country Palestinians).
- Strong academics, maturity, flexibility and leadership potential.
- English proficiency required — classes are taught in English; a free ASU online assessment is part of the application, and TOEFL/IELTS scores are required only for shortlisted finalists.
- Must be able to begin undergraduate studies in August 2027.
Benefits
- Full tuition and enrollment fees for up to four academic years.
- Housing, health insurance and visa/residency fees covered.
- Textbooks and a laptop; two round trips home per year; monthly living stipend during programme activities.
- Internships, faculty mentorship and leadership workshops — plus the chance to spend one semester studying in the US.
Documents required
- School transcripts (grades 10–12) and, if graduated, the graduation certificate/diploma (with English translations where needed).
- Evidence of extracurricular and volunteer activities.
- Two recommendation letters (at least one academic).
- The online English assessment taken as part of the application.
How to apply
- Apply online on the program siteSubmit the application at tomorrowsleadersprogram.org — it is the only application you need; no separate AUB or LAU application is required.
- Complete the English assessmentTake the free online assessment inside the application; keep TOEFL/IELTS plans only in case you are shortlisted as a finalist.
- File before 18 November 2026Early applications are encouraged; the portal closes on 18 November 2026.
FAQs
At the American University of Beirut (AUB) or the Lebanese American University (LAU) in Lebanon — the programme funds full degrees there, with one optional semester of study in the US.
No — US citizens and US permanent residents are explicitly excluded.
The 2027–2028 call being advertised is the undergraduate programme. A graduate track has existed at LAU, but it is not the intake currently advertised — the details here cover the undergraduate track.
No — the application includes a free online English assessment; TOEFL or IELTS scores are required only for shortlisted finalists.
Some trackers report that Gaza residents cannot apply for this intake because of travel-access limitations, but this is not confirmed on the official programme site — check with the programme directly if this affects you.
Verified 21 Oct 2026 via the official Tomorrow’s Leaders site (tomorrowsleadersprogram.org: 2027–2028 application announcement dated 16 Oct 2026, 18 Nov 2026 deadline, AUB/LAU host universities, eligibility and document checklist) + the LAU partner eligibility page (graduate track context) + independent coverage (Education Post). Stale third-party pages claiming 25 Nov 2026 were discarded in favour of the official 18 Nov 2026 date; the exact monthly stipend is not published; the graduate-track intake status and Gaza-resident reports are explicitly flagged as unconfirmed.
