About

Developing a cohort of future leaders

The McDonnell International Scholars Academy provides the network with which Washington University in St. Louis incubates new ideas and mentors future leaders. Through our partnerships, we lead groundbreaking research projects and prepare our Scholars to be effective leaders in a global community.

The McDonnell Academy is an endowed fellowship program that offers generous financial support towards graduate and professional degree studies at Washington University in St. Louis.

Applications to the McDonnell Academy are accepted from graduates of universities across the world, with a special interest in those students from its network of partner universities. In creating an international network of research universities, WashU is developing a cohort of future leaders in a global university system, promoting global awareness and social responsibility. 

More about the McDonnell Academy

The McDonnell Academy has a dual mission. First, we recruit top scholars from partner universities, the U.S. and international universities across the globe, and mentor them as they pursue graduate and professional degrees at Washington University, preparing them to become future global leaders. They pursue doctoral and professional master’s degrees in any of the 120+ academic programs offered. Second, we leverage the Academy’s international partnership network to incubate new ideas and foster collaborative research across countries and disciplines.

There are over thirty academic partners associated with the McDonnell Academy, with at least one partner university on every populated continent. Outstanding alumni of these partners represent most of the students selected to be a McDonnell Scholar. McDonnell Scholars are degree candidates at the masters or doctoral level in any area offered by Washington University and receive full tuition and a generous living stipend for up to five years to support their degree experience. 

A unique feature associated with being a McDonnell Scholar is that the Scholars have intellectual, cultural, and social experiences with other Scholars who are diverse in terms of their backgrounds and in terms of their degree programs. 

Traditional graduate and professional degree programs have students only interacting with other students in the same degree program. McDonnell Scholars are encouraged to remain networked with each other following completion of their degree requirements, representing a global network of leaders in many areas of intellectual activity and professional pursuits.