CITS Scholarships & Fellowships

The Senator Sam Nunn Security Leadership Scholars Program was established to support students interested in national and international security.   Recipients of the scholarship will be selected on the basis of merit from the group of superior students selected every year to participate in the Richard B. Russell Security Leadership Program (SLP).  Acceptance to the SLP will automatically qualify students for consideration for the Nunn Scholarship.  The scholarship will be awarded in the form of a stipend, and the selected recipients will be referred to as “Sam Nunn Leadership Fellows.”

Information on applying for the SLP program can be found here.

Any questions about the program should be directed to Maryann Gallagher ([email protected]) at the Center for International Trade and Security.

The Dean Rusk Scholars Program was established to support students interested in national and international security.  Recipients will be selected on the basis of merit from the group of students admitted to the Master of International Policy (MIP) program.  Acceptance to the MIP will automatically qualify students for consideration for the Rusk Program.  The award will be provided in the form of an assistantship, and the selected recipient(s) will be referred to as “Dean Rusk Scholars of International Relations.”

Information on applying for the MIP program can be found here.

Any questions about the program can be directed to Josh Massey ([email protected]) at the Center for International Trade and Security.

The John Wildman Scholars Program in the Middle East was established to help UGA students with academic and career interests in the Middle East. The scholarship supports students’ constructive engagement with this critical region of the world. The Wildman Program may facilitate a wide range of opportunities for students, either through study abroad programs, internships/externships, or other professional endeavors. Students are encouraged to leverage the relationships the University has built with academic and professional institutions in the Middle East.

Candidates selected as Wildman Scholars will have demonstrated a sincere interest in the Middle East and will have secured an academic or professional opportunity in the region prior to submitting an application. In addition to their academic merit, Wildman Scholars will be chosen for their potential to contribute significantly to diplomacy, security, and peace in the region.

Based on the information provided in the application, successful candidates will receive up to $1000 in scholarship funds delivered via their UGA student account. Please contact UGA’s Office of Student Financial Aid to discuss how receiving this scholarship may affect your overall financial aid package.

Funds may be used for the purpose of travel to/from the Middle East (including related domestic travel, e.g., domestic travel in the US so as to begin a trip to the Middle East), and/or lodging in the Middle East. Travel funds are not eligible for countries on the U.S. Department of State level 3 and level 4 travel advisory list (see https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories.html/).

To be eligible, applicants must be currently enrolled, full-time students (enrolled in at least 12 credit hours at the time of application) at the University of Georgia with a GPA of at least 3.0 at the time of application. Eligible applicants must have completed at least six credit hours of SPIA coursework at the time of application.

To apply for these funds, please provide:

1. A two-page (maximum) explanation of the intended uses for these funds; how the study or work enabled by these funds fits into your overall academic and/or pre-professional plans; and a description of the academic program or internship that will be completed in the Middle East.

2. Proof of institutional arrangements made in the Middle East for the academic program or internship, e.g., signed letter of invitation; letter of admission and course registration documentation.

3. A budget detailing expected expenses (e.g., cost of airfare, cost of lodging). If you are applying for, or are expecting to receive other sources of funding to support your Middle East experience, please show, in your budget, what expenses will be covered by these other sources of funding, and what expenses would be covered by the Wildman funds.

Submit three hard copies of your completed application to the Center for International Trade and Security, 110 E Clayton St #614, Athens, GA 30602.

Application deadline: 2025 DEADLINE TO BE ANNOUNCED. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

No later than one month after the completion of the program for which this scholarship is awarded, the successful applicant will provide a 1-page report on their experience, documenting how the scholarship was spent. Receipts will be expected as part of this package to corroborate expenses.

Please contact Justin Conrad ([email protected]) with any questions.

The Jane Willson Scholars Program was established to support students interested in advancing the goal of international understanding.  Recipients will be selected on the basis of merit from the group of students admitted to the Master of International Policy (MIP) program.  Acceptance to the MIP will automatically qualify students for consideration for the Willson Program.  The award will be provided in the form of an assistantship, and the selected recipient(s) will be referred to as “Jane Willson Scholars of International Relations.”

Information on applying for the MIP program can be found here.

Any questions about the program can be directed to Josh Massey ([email protected]) at the Center for International Trade and Security.