Washington And Lee University Johnson Scholarship 2027 In The Usa: Full Tuition, Housing And Food For First-year International Students

Washington and Lee University Johnson Scholarship 2027 in the USA: Full Tuition, Housing and Food for First-Year International Students

Applications are now open for the Washington and Lee University Johnson Scholarship 2027, the premier merit scholarship at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, for students starting undergraduate study in Fall 2027. This is one of the most generous first-year awards in the United States: it covers tuition and fees, housing and food, and adds $10,000 in summer enhancement funding to use across four years. Washington and Lee describes the core award as worth more than $80,000 per year, and it is awarded to up to 44 incoming first-year students — up to 10% of each incoming class.

Crucially, international students are eligible. Washington and Lee states that it provides both need-based and merit-based assistance to international students in each entering class, and that all merit-based aid is awarded through the Johnson Scholarship Program. If you are an international first-year applicant with an outstanding academic record and a strong record of leadership, this is a scholarship you should take seriously — but do not miss its early deadline.

What does the Johnson Scholarship cover?

The Johnson Scholarship covers:

- Full tuition and fees at Washington and Lee University

- Housing and food

- $10,000 in summer enhancement funding to use across four years, for experiences such as internships, volunteer work, research projects, travel or study abroad

The scholarship is renewable for four years and is awarded to matriculating first-year students only; it is not available to upper-year students. The official pages describe the core award as tuition and fees, housing and food, plus the $10,000 enhancement fund. They do not describe it as covering every personal cost, so budget for costs outside that core award alongside the scholarship.

In addition to the Johnson Scholarship, Washington and Lee awards other full-tuition scholarships on the basis of geography or special interest on a rotating basis. To be considered for any Washington and Lee scholarship, you must submit a Johnson Scholarship application by 1 December 2026.

Who can apply? Eligibility requirements

To be considered for the Johnson Scholarship, you must:

- Be applying as a first-year undergraduate student at Washington and Lee University for Fall 2027 entry

- Have an outstanding academic record

- Demonstrate leadership, integrity and the potential to contribute to the intellectual and civic life of the Washington and Lee campus and the wider world

- Submit the Johnson Scholarship supplemental essay by the deadline below

Washington and Lee awards merit scholarships on the basis of academic achievement, demonstrated leadership and potential contribution to campus life. There is no separate Johnson Scholarship portal: you apply through your admission application and complete the Johnson Scholarship section, including the additional essay.

International applicants are eligible for Johnson Scholarship consideration as well as need-based financial assistance. International first-year applicants must submit the standard first-year application plus final and/or predicted school leaving exam results if applicable, and demonstration of English proficiency. All school documents, including recommendation letters, must be submitted in English. Application to Washington and Lee is test-optional, so SAT or ACT scores are optional.

How to apply: step-by-step

1. Apply to Washington and Lee University for first-year undergraduate admission for Fall 2027 through the Common Application or the Coalition Application. QuestBridge Finalists are automatically considered for the Johnson Scholarship and are encouraged to submit a scholarship essay.

2. Complete the Johnson Scholarship section of your application, including the additional supplemental essay of no more than 800 words, by 1 December 2026.

3. Submit your official high school transcript, two high school teacher recommendations, one school counsellor recommendation and the secondary school report form.

4. If you are an international applicant, submit your final and/or predicted school leaving exam results if applicable, and proof of English proficiency.

5. Submit any additional supplemental materials in support of your Johnson Scholarship application by 15 December 2026.

6. If you are selected as a finalist, you will be notified in early February and invited to an all-expenses-paid selection event on campus in early March, where you will meet other finalists, experience campus life and interview with the scholarship committee.

Application deadline: 1 December 2026 — do not confuse it with the admission deadline

The Johnson Scholarship application deadline is 1 December 2026 at 11:59 PM in your local time zone, and it is the same for Early Decision I, Early Decision II and Regular Decision applicants. That deadline comes before the admission deadline for the remaining rounds, so this is the trap to avoid: Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications for admission close on 5 January 2027, but Johnson Scholarship consideration still requires the supplemental essay by 1 December 2026. Early Decision I admission closed on 1 November 2026, so the remaining first-year routes for this cycle are Early Decision II and Regular Decision.

Separate need-based financial aid deadlines apply for international applicants: 1 December 2026 for Early Decision I, 15 January 2027 for Early Decision II and 15 February 2027 for Regular Decision. Check whether you need to submit the CSS Profile or request a CSS Profile fee waiver by the deadline for your chosen round.

Do not wait until the last day: transcripts, recommendations and English test results all need to arrive in time, and the Johnson essay deserves proper time of its own.

Official application links

Read the full official details and apply through Washington and Lee University's official pages:

https://www.wlu.edu/admissions/financial-aid/types-of-aid/scholarships

https://www.wlu.edu/admissions/apply

https://www.wlu.edu/admissions/financial-aid/types-of-aid/international-student-aid

Always verify the current award value, eligibility and deadline on the official Washington and Lee University pages before you apply, as award details can change.