The Voyager Scholarship, administered by the Obama Foundation and supported by AIRBNB founder Brian Chesky, supports students planning careers in public service by providing up to $50,000 for college costs AND transformative travel experiences.
Click here to meet UMD's TWO Voyager Scholars for 2023, Astrid Mendoza and Shreya Jha!
Important: The Voyager Scholarship is for students who are Sophomores in Spring 2025, who have demonstrated financial need, have a GPA of at least 3.0, and plan to pursue careers in public service.
Application deadline: April 1, 2025 (the application is open - click here for more information
Sign up here for access to our ELMS Resource Site for the Voyager Scholarship!
Signing up will give you access to detailed essay-writing advice for the Voyager application, as well as the opportunity to have your drafts reviewed!
Benefits of the Voyager Scholarship:
Financial aid up to $50,000: Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in “last dollar” financial aid to cover remaining tuition and/or living costs for their junior and senior years of college.
Students will design their own summer voyage between their junior and senior year of college with a budget of $10,000.
10-year travel stipends: After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000.
Access to annual Summit Meetings
Eligibility: to apply for Voyager Scholarships students must:
- Demonstrate financial need - calculated similarly to FAFSA
- Be finishing their sophomore year in Spring 2025
- Plan to enroll full-time as a junior in Fall 2025.
- Have two more years of full-time enrollment remaining before earning graduate degree
- Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent
- Have demonstrated a commitment to public service
- Plan to pursue a career in public service upon graduation
- Able to commit to fully participating in once per month programming
- Be a United States (U.S.) citizen, U.S. permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card), or an individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA).