WMI Scholars Program 2026

About the Scholarship: 

The Wells Mountain Foundation, through the Empowerment Through Education (ETE) program, provides undergraduate scholarships to different countries to study in their home country or a neighbouring country.

Wells Mountain Initiative (WMI), fosters social change at the local level by building a global network of grassroots leaders who are catalysing community transformation across 47 developing countries.

Programs of Study:

Your choice of institution in your home country or in another country

Area(s) / Level of Study:

Bachelor’s Degree in any field of study but applications are encouraged from those interested in pursuing degrees that will best help their local communities – medicine & health sciences, community development, law, education, social work, business, information technology, agriculture and engineering.

Scholarship Details:

ETE scholarships range from $300 USD to $3000 USD annually and are provided throughout the undergraduate education of the recipient. The average scholarship amount is $1500. Scholarships may be used for tuition and fees, books and materials, and other related costs (room rent and meals). About 50-60 scholarships per year.

*Scholars planning to study in the United States, Canada, Australia, UK or Western Europe will not qualify for a WMI Scholarship

Eligibility Criteria:

Our Ideal Candidate – A student, male or female, from a country in the developing world who:

• Will be 35 years of age or younger as of August 1, 2025
• Has completed or is in the final year of secondary education, with above-average to excellent grades
• Is applying to university or is currently enrolled and taking classes towards completion of their first undergraduate degree
• Will be studying in their home country or another country in the developing world
• Plans to live and work in their own country after graduation
• Has participated in volunteer service before applying for this scholarship and is committed to volunteering within their community during their studies
• Has some funding available for their education but will not be able to go to university or continue without assistance. The WMI scholarship does not always cover the full cost of tuition and associated educational expenses. The scholarship is not intended to be a full scholarship.

Important Dates

• December 1, 2025 – The 2026 WMI Scholars Program application will be available on our website. Completed 2026 applications will start to be accepted on this date.
• March 1, 2026 – The 2026 WMI Scholars Program application deadline.

Application Guidelines:

To apply for the Empowerment Through Education (ETE) program, you must submit a complete application via the online scholarship application portal (preferred method) or via postal mail to the Foundation’s office. This is yearly Empowerment Through Education online application will be available from 1 December  to 1 March Yearly. The selected WMI Scholars will be emailed on August 1. Their names will also be published on our website homepage and the WMI Facebook page. Those who are not selected will also be notified after August 1.

If you qualify, now is the time to apply for this exciting opportunity! Since 2005, we have supported more than 700 students worldwide. Please note that in our recent years, we have only been able to select approximately 5% of applicants to become a part of this program. The number we select is based solely upon limited funding, as nearly all applicants are extremely deserving. As our organization grows, so will the number of WMI Scholars we can accept each year. We encourage you to apply AND to continue searching for additional ways to finance your education.

There are two ways to apply: Online, or by mailing in a completed application packet to our office.

It is important to visit the official website (link found below) to access the application form and for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website:  http://www.wellsmountainfoundation.org/our-programs/scholarships/

Apply

No matter what you may be told there are NO FEES required to submit a scholarship application to the Wells Mountain Initiative! You only need to submit a complete application through our website, by our one deadline each year of March 1. If someone contacts you saying a fee is required, please forward that email to info@wellsmountaininitiative.org. We would very much like to prosecute this fraud.