The P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS) is one of the older funding sources open to international women in graduate school in North America. It is run by the International Peace Scholarship Fund of the P.E.O. Sisterhood, a U.S.-based philanthropic organization, and it has been giving need-based awards since 1949. It does not pay for your whole degree. What it does is close a gap: if you are a Pakistani woman already admitted to a master's or PhD program in the United States or Canada and your budget is still short, IPS is a real option to put on your list. You can see the full scholarship details on our scholarship page.
The fit question is simple. If you have not secured a graduate place yet, this is not your scholarship this year. If you have an admission and a funding plan that is mostly in place but not quite enough, it is worth your time.
The P.E.O. peace scholarship in one table
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | P.E.O. Sisterhood, International Peace Scholarship Fund |
| Funding type | Partial, need-based |
| Maximum award | Up to $12,500 per academic year |
| Renewal | Renewable for a second year if you remain eligible and reapply |
| Study level | Master's and PhD |
| Fields | All fields |
| Where you study | Accredited colleges and universities in the United States or Canada |
| Application window | Mid-September to mid-December, for the following academic year |
| Official site | P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund |
Why the $12,500 cap shapes your whole funding plan
The maximum award is $12,500 for an academic year. That is a meaningful sum, but graduate study in the U.S. or Canada usually costs more once tuition and living costs are added together. The program is deliberately designed as supplementary support, not a full ride, and you should plan around that from day one.
In practice, IPS works best stacked on top of something else: a university assistantship, a tuition waiver, a departmental scholarship, or family funding. Use it to fill the space between what you have and what you need. Applicants who present IPS as their only source of money are setting themselves up for trouble, both in the application (where the committee is looking at genuine need within a workable plan) and later at the visa stage, where you have to show you can cover your costs. If you are still working out how to show funds, our guide to bank statements and proof of funds covers the Pakistani side of that.
The award is renewable for a second year. That matters more than it looks. Most one-time international awards leave you hunting again after twelve months. With IPS, continuing students who are still eligible can reapply for another year, which gives a two-year master's student some continuity. Renewal is not automatic, though. You have to reapply and still meet the rules.
What the award covers, and what it does not
The scholarship is a need-based cash award of up to $12,500 per academic year. The source does not break it down into tuition, rent or travel, so treat it as general support toward your study costs and check how it is paid on the official site.
Beyond money, recipients are connected to local P.E.O. chapters. These chapters are a large volunteer network, and many offer mentorship and community connection alongside the funding. For a student arriving alone in a small American or Canadian town, a group of local members who know you by name can be genuinely useful.
There is no field restriction. Engineering, public health, law, literature, education: all fields at master's and PhD level are open. That is unusual, since many fellowships for international women are tied to STEM or development studies.
The eligibility rules, read carefully
IPS is open to women who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States or Canada. A Pakistani woman with a Pakistani passport and no U.S. or Canadian status fits that rule. Men cannot apply.
The full set of conditions:
- You must be a woman who is not a U.S. or Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
- You must be enrolled full-time and in residence at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university for the entire academic year.
- You must have at least one full year of graduate coursework remaining at the time you apply.
- You must show genuine financial need, alongside strong academic standing.
- You must intend to return to your home country and apply your education there.
Why "one full year remaining" trips people up
This rule catches people at both ends. If you are in the final semester of a master's, you will not qualify, because you do not have a full year of coursework left. If you are still waiting for admission decisions, you are too early. The sweet spot is a student who is admitted or enrolled and has at least a year of study still ahead in the year being funded. If your situation is borderline, for example a program with an unusual term structure, confirm with the fund before you put in the work.
"In residence" means on campus, not online
You must be studying full-time and physically in residence for the whole school year. Online or part-time programs do not fit. Neither does a plan to spend a semester back in Pakistan doing fieldwork if that breaks the residence requirement, so check your program schedule.
The return-home commitment is not a formality
The fund was set up in 1949 with a mission of building international goodwill and understanding through education, on the understanding that recipients go home and use what they learned in their own communities. That is the heart of the program. If your honest plan is to stay in the U.S. or Canada permanently, this is probably not the scholarship for you. If you do plan to come back to Pakistan, say so clearly and specifically.
Paperwork to prepare before September
The application is not huge, but each piece needs care:
- The completed P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship application form
- Proof of current graduate enrollment or admission at a U.S. or Canadian institution
- Academic transcripts
- A financial need statement and supporting documentation
- Letters of recommendation
- A personal statement on your academic and career goals and your intent to return home
Pakistani transcripts and degrees often need extra preparation before you send them abroad. If you have not done this yet, read our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide and check whether the fund needs any particular format.
The financial documentation deserves the most thought. Award decisions are explicitly need-based, so be thorough and honest. Show what your program costs, what you already have (assistantship, waiver, family support, savings), and the gap that remains. A vague statement that you "need money" will not compete well against a clear, numbered budget.
How an application moves through P.E.O.
IPS does not work like a typical online portal where you click submit and wait. The process runs through the P.E.O. network.
- Confirm you are enrolled at an accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university with at least one year of study remaining.
- Request application materials through the International Peace Scholarship Fund. This is often facilitated by a local P.E.O. chapter or your university's international office.
- Submit the completed application, transcripts, financial documentation and recommendation letters within the September to December window.
- Local and state or provincial P.E.O. committees review the application before it is forwarded to the national IPS committee.
- Award decisions are communicated in the spring ahead of the funded academic year.
- If you are still eligible the following year, you can reapply for a second year of funding.
Because chapters are involved early, it helps to contact a local P.E.O. chapter near your university well before the deadline. Many chapters actively help identify and support applicants. Your international student office may also know who to contact.
The September to December window and what follows
The timeline runs roughly like this:
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| Mid-September | Application window opens |
| Mid-December | Application deadline |
| Winter | Local and state committee review |
| Spring | National award decisions |
The dates are given as "mid" months rather than fixed days, so confirm the exact deadline for the current cycle on the official website. Late applications are not typically considered. Note also that you apply in the autumn for the following academic year, so think a full year ahead. A student starting a two-year master's could, for example, apply during the first year for funding in the second, as long as a full year of coursework remains.
Mistakes that cost Pakistani applicants
Applying without a confirmed place is the most common one. A confirmed graduate admission or enrollment letter is a strict prerequisite. Do not send an application on the strength of a pending decision.
The second is a weak financial picture. Some applicants understate their other funding to look needier, others overstate it to look secure. Neither helps. Be accurate, and show the committee exactly how $12,500 or less would fit into your budget.
Third, a personal statement that treats the return-home commitment as a box to tick. Write about what you will actually do in Pakistan with your degree: the sector, the institution type, the problem you want to work on. Concrete beats grand.
Fourth, ignoring the chapter network. Since review starts at the local and state or provincial level, a chapter that knows you and your goals can make a real difference to how your file is read.
Finally, leaving it too late. Recommendation letters from professors in Pakistan can take weeks. Ask early, give your referees a clear summary of the scholarship, and follow up. Our documents checklist for international scholarships is useful for organizing everything in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Is the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship fully funded?
No. It is a need-based supplementary scholarship with a maximum award of $12,500 per academic year, and it is meant to be combined with other funding such as assistantships or university scholarships.
Can Pakistani women apply?
Yes, as long as you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or Canada and you meet the enrollment, financial need and return-home requirements. The scholarship is for women only.
Do I need to be admitted before I apply?
Yes. You must be enrolled full-time at an accredited U.S. or Canadian institution with at least one full year of graduate study remaining. Apply only once you have a confirmed admission or enrollment letter.
Can I renew it for a second year?
Yes. Continuing students who remain eligible can reapply for a second year of funding. Renewal requires a fresh application, so it is not guaranteed.
Which subjects are eligible?
All graduate fields are eligible, at both master's and PhD level, from the sciences to the humanities.
When are decisions announced?
Applications close in mid-December, local and state committees review them over the winter, and national award decisions are communicated in the spring before the funded academic year.
Before you start, check the current cycle's dates and forms on the official P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund website, and keep our P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship page handy for the summary.