LAW · POLICY · FILM · MEDIA
Since 2009 ISF has funded American Muslim scholars studying and working in fields with the greatest impact on public opinion and policy. Our scholarships range from $3,000 - $10,000. Our goal: to improve negative portrayals of Muslims in the news, increase the number of Muslim policymakers, and invest in the creation of positive and engaging stories about American Muslims.
ISF is hosting two webinars in 2026 for scholarship applicants! Save the dates below to hear from application judges and gain invaluable insight into what elements they look for in a successful application.
ELIGIBILITY
- Active member of the Muslim community
- Enrolled full-time at an accredited university in the U.S. by August; OR employed full-time in an ISF Supported Field and a part-time student at an accredited university in the U.S;
- An undergraduate (junior or senior) or of graduate standing (master's, PhD, or law degree)
- Studying an ISF-supported major
- Maintaining a minimum 3.0 GPA
- A U.S. citizen, DACA recipient, or permanent U.S. resident
SUPPORTED MAJORS
- International Relations
- International Affairs
- Political Science
- Public Policy (Social Justice & Civil Rights)
- Public Administration (Government)
- Anthropology (Ph.D. only)
- Sociology (Ph.D. only)
- Law
- Public Interest Law
- Human Rights Studies
- Media Studies
- Writing
- Journalism
- Broadcast Journalism
- Print Journalism
- Digital Journalism
- Acting
- Film and Television Production
- Theater
REQUIREMENTS
- Application form
- Resume
- Video introduction
- Essay questions
- College transcripts
- Work samples
- Two letters of recommendation by a professor, mentor, religious leader, and/or employer
PAST AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS
For the last 16 years, ISF has awarded
700
Scholarships
Granted
$3.4
Million
In 2024, ISF awarded
$221,000
Dollars
Scholarships ranged from
$3,000 - $10,000
PROGRAM TIMELINE
DECEMBER TO MARCH - ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
ISF starts accepting applications in November for a period of 3 months. The deadline to submit a complete application is typically in March.
APRIL TO MAY - APPLICATION REVIEWS
The Selection Committee will review the applications from April-May.
MAY TO JUNE - VIDEO INTERVIEWS
Finalists will move to the next round and complete video interviews in late May to early June.
JULY - SCHOLARSHIP AWARDED
Final decision will be made in July and scholarships will be awarded shortly after.
FAQs
How many scholarships has ISF awarded in the past?
Over the last 12 years, ISF has awarded $1.9 million through 506 scholarships and grants. In 2021, it awarded $176,500 and scholarships ranged from $3,000-$10,000.
Is the program open to international students?
The program is only open to students who are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents.
Do you support any majors other than media, policy, law, or film?
To stay focused on our mission, we do not support health, economics, environment, agriculture, food, psychology, engineering, education or business related majors. For example, we don't support public policy with a focus on health or law with a focus on business.
