the voyager scholarship

UC Berkeley
Letters & Science

OURS National Scholarships

Voyager scholarship.

Next deadline: March 2025

The Voyager Scholarship (Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service) provides “last-dollar” scholarships of up to $50,000 to help shape 100 young leaders who can bridge divides and help solve our biggest challenges by giving college students financial aid to alleviate the burden of college debt, meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them in their public service careers. Recipients will also receive a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience between their junior and senior year of college, as well as a $2,000 travel credit for the next ten years.

Prospective applicants should make an individual advising appointment with Keila Diehl in the OURS National Scholarships Office.

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must meet ALL of these eligibility criteria, both at the time of application and upon enrollment for the Fall 2025 term:

• Plan to enroll full-time in their junior year of study at an accredited college or university in the United States in Fall 2025 • Be completing their sophomore year in Spring 2025 or transferring from a 2-year to a 4-year college or university for their junior academic year. (“Junior” is defined as having earned the needed number of credits at your institution to be considered a “Junior,” or having two years of full time enrollment remaining before earning your Bachelor’s degree.) • Demonstrate financial need (this is calculated using a similar formula to the FAFSA) • Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0, or equivalent • Have demonstrated a commitment to public service • Plan to pursue a career in public service* upon graduation • Be a US citizen, US permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card), or an individual granted deferred action status under DACA • Be able to commit to fully participating in once per month programming, including individual meetings with coaches and network connections as well as developing an actionable Summer Voyage plan.

*”Public service” includes a broad range of paths that advance greater societal good. This work most frequently occurs through the nonprofit and government sectors but can also include the arts, social entrepreneurship, and advancing corporate social responsibility for instance.

Please note: Preference may be given to applicants with no or limited prior engagement with other leadership programs in their undergraduate experience.

Selection Criteria

• Possess an interest in building bridges across communities • Demonstrate curiosity and dedication to being a life-long learner • Demonstrate a values-based and collaborative approach to leadership • Demonstrate a willingness to learn from and share with other Voyagers in a group setting

Application Requirements

• Applicants must create an account to access complete requirements, which include, in part: • short responses to 8 prompts • 2-minute video • current, complete transcript of grades that includes student name, school name, grades and credit hours for each course, and term in which each course was taken • financial aid information

For more information about this opportunity, visit the Voyager Scholarship website .

Announcements

The Voyager Scholarship: Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service

Fellowships
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Administered by the Obama Foundation and funded by a $100 million contribution from Brian Chesky, Airbnb Co-Founder and CEO, The Voyager Scholarship: Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service helps students eligible for need-based financial aid pursue careers in public service by providing access to travel and education.

With a budget of $10,000, 100 students will design their own summer voyage between their junior and senior year of college. The experience will allow students to pursue internships or mentorship opportunities anywhere in the world that will broaden their horizons and prepare them for careers in public service. Students will also be able to stay in homes on Airbnb using credits provided by Airbnb.

Deadline: Wednesday, March 22, 2023 ( US Central Time)

Eligibility Requirements:

Students who completed their sophomore year and will be Juniors in Fall 2023 with GPA of 3.0
Demonstrated commitment to public service and plan to pursue a career in public service
US citizens, permanent residents (Permanent Resident Card), or holders of deferred action status through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Demonstrated financial need through submission of 1040 tax forms of the student (and parent(s) if the student is a dependent)
Preference may be given to applicants with no or limited prior engagement with other leadership programs in their undergraduate experience

Recipients will receive the following:

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 (Applicants should check with their Financial Aid Officer to understand how this aid might affect their Penn financial aid package)
Summer Voyage: With a budget of $10,000, students will design their own summer voyage between their junior and senior year of college. The experience will allow students to pursue internships or mentorship opportunities anywhere in the world that will broaden their horizons and prepare them for careers in public service. Students will also be able to stay in homes on Airbnb using credits provided by Airbnb
10-year travel stipend: After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000. This will allow students to continue to broaden their horizons and forge new connections throughout their public service careers
Fall Summit: Voyagers will be invited to an annual Fall Summit. This fall, the summit will include a meeting with President Obama, Brian Chesky, and other leaders. They will also get access to a network of other Voyagers and alumni with whom they can connect with at the summit and beyond
A network of leaders: Throughout the program, students will be invited to an ongoing speaker series, giving them access to a network of leaders. This network of leaders will expose them to new areas of service and innovations happening in their fields. After graduation, they will join the Obama Foundation’s global community, providing them with Foundation resources and programming

More information: https://www.obama.org/voyager-scholarship-faqs/

Application and required materials: https://learnmore.scholarsapply.org/obama-chesky-scholarship/

Sophomores who apply for the Voyager Scholarship who are planning graduate study in preparation for a career in non-profit or public service work (broadly defined) are strongly encouraged to consider applying for the Truman Scholarship for Public Service during the fall of their junior year.

Contact Information

Application questions may be directed to: [email protected]

USA, United Kingdom, International (Not UK), Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East

Project, Undergraduate Tuition, Work/Service

Eligibility

Second-Year

The Obamas and Brian Chesky announce Voyager Scholarship recipients

Key Takeaways

The $100 million the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service supports students pursuing careers in public service with an academic scholarship, exposure to travel, and connections to a network of leaders

Today, President and Mrs. Obama and Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO, announced their inaugural cohort of Voyager Scholarship recipients, 100 rising college juniors who plan to pursue a career in public service. These “Voyagers” are from every corner of the country and share a curiosity about the world and the conviction to want to make positive change within it–just like the scholarship’s founders.

“Michelle and I know that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to create it,” said President Obama. “These young Voyagers believe in a fairer and more inclusive world, and they’re ready to help us address important challenges in new ways. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish through public service.”

“Through their stories, it’s clear that each of these Voyagers has a commitment to serving their communities, a deep curiosity about the world and big plans for the future,” said Chesky. “Traveling to new places and connecting with new people will help them turn those plans into reality and I can’t wait to see where they go from here.”

Learn more about the inaugural cohort of Voyagers here .

Funded by a $100 million personal contribution from Chesky to the Obama Foundation, the Voyager Scholarship is a two-year program for students in their junior and senior years of college from across the United States who are committed to pursuing careers that serve the public and their communities. Voyagers will receive:

Up to $50,000 in financial aid : Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in financial aid for their junior and senior years of college. This financial aid should alleviate the burden of college debt so that students can afford to pursue a career in public service.
Summer Voyage : Students will receive a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience between their junior and senior year of college. The students will design their own Summer Voyage to gain exposure to new communities and experience in a chosen field.
10-year travel stipend : After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000. This will allow students to continue to broaden their horizons and forge new connections throughout their public service careers.
Fall Convening : Students will be invited to a fall convening to help define their public service voyage. At this year’s gathering they will meet with President Obama and Brian Chesky to discuss the role of empathy and understanding in leadership and public service. They’ll also hear from guest speakers on different approaches to service and connect with other scholarship recipients.
Network of leaders : Throughout the program, students will be invited to an ongoing speaker series, giving them access to a network of leaders. This network of leaders will expose them to new areas of service and innovations happening in their fields. After graduation, they will join the Obama Foundation’s global community, providing them with Foundation resources and programming.

The inaugural cohort of Voyagers represent 35 states and territories and 70 colleges and universities. They are an inspiring group of young people who are eager to bridge divides and take on the world’s biggest challenges.

“My goal is to promote U.S. interests abroad while ensuring the safety and security of the global community,” said Munahil Sultana, Inaugural Voyager from Valley Stream, New York. “By traveling and experiencing the cultures and communities of which I hope to work with in the future, I will be able to bring those experiences back to the U.S. and become a true diplomat. This program allows me to turn that dream into a reality. It allows me to hold the pen, to write my own fate without being chained down by the financial burden that often comes with this level of global understanding.”

Munahil’s experience as a South Asian woman growing up in a Muslim family has motivated her to explore the varying cultural perceptions of femininity and the human rights of women in the MENA region, which she plans to do by studying in Egypt and Lebanon during her Summer Voyage. She hopes to pursue a career as a Foreign Service Officer in the future, with immediate plans to apply for a Fulbright Scholarship to research the intersection of Islam and gender policy in the Middle East.

The Obamas and Brian Chesky believe that exposure to new places and experiences generates understanding, empathy, and cooperation, which equips the next generation to create meaningful change. It’s why the Obamas and Chesky came together to create the Voyager Scholarship—to shape the next generation of leaders like Munahil.

For more information about the Voyager Scholarship visit voyager-scholarship.obama.org .