Application Instructions

Start the Process

Take the first step toward joining a global community that will shape the future.

The online application form must be completed in English. All requirements must be submitted electronically; we do not accept materials via email or mail.

To begin, create an account to start a new application. The email address provided to create your account will be used for all correspondence about your admissions status. After creating an account, a system-generated email will be sent to you with a temporary PIN to activate your account. If you do not receive this email immediately, check your spam/junk folders. Add admissions@schwarzmanscholars.org to your safe senders list.

Once you have created an account, click “Start New Application” to begin your application. You do not have to complete your application in one sitting; you may access and continue your work as frequently as needed before final submission. To save your work, click on the “Continue” button.

If you created an account in 2021 or later, login as a returning user to start a new application. You may notice some information will be carried over, such as the personal information page, listed schools, uploaded transcripts, and professional experience. Review this information to make any necessary updates prior to your final submission. For applicants who applied or started an application prior to 2021, create a new account.

This section requests applicant biographical and contact information. You must list your legal name, nationality, gender, place of birth, and date of birth exactly as they appear (or will appear) on your passport. You are also required to provide your current address, phone number, and primary native language. You may begin the application without having a passport, but we strongly advise having one before submitting your application as a valid passport is required for candidates admitted to Schwarzman Scholars. For those with dual nationalities, the passport you provide in the application must match the primary citizenship you will use to apply for a student visa to China if you are admitted to the program. Schwarzman Scholars cannot assist applicants in obtaining a valid passport.

Biographical Profile: Provide a biographical profile of up to 100 words summarizing your leadership accomplishments and future aspirations. This is a required field. Your submitted biographical profile will be used throughout the selection process and on the Schwarzman Scholars website if you are admitted to the program. Your biographical profile should be written in third person and end with your country of citizenship. Your submitted bio is final. For reference, review profiles of selected Scholars.

Resume/Curriculum Vitae: Upload your most recent resume or CV. Your resume/CV should include leadership experiences and accomplishments, any professional experiences, education, and other items you wish to highlight that are not stated in the application. Note there is a two-page maximum limit.

Video Introduction: Provide a link to your one-minute video introduction. Refer to the instructions in the application for guidelines. A video introduction is highly recommended, but it is not required. If you are unable to submit a video (e.g., due to technical issues), you must provide a brief explanation. Please note that we are no longer accepting videos shared via Google Drive.

Interests: Select up to two interests that best identify with your professional and leadership aspirations.

Reapplicant Information: If you are a reapplicant, answer the final question with a brief description of your leadership development and changes to your application since you last applied. If you are not a reapplicant, leave this blank.

List only undergraduate and graduate degrees completed (or on track to complete) at the time of application. Do not list any education programs where you did not earn a degree (e.g., short-term study, certificate programs, study abroad, etc). Instead, include non-degree education on your Resume/CV.

Add Institution: In the Institution field, search for your university by typing the school name in English, or in some cases, in the local language. To limit results, type the official full school name using double quotation marks (e.g., “University of X”). If there are multiple results, you may need to click ‘Continued’ at the bottom of the list. Once you have located your school from the list, click the school name to enter it in the Institution field. If your school is not included in any search results, type the official name of the institution and press the “Enter” key. You are required to submit a copy of your university/college transcripts for each institution (see Transcripts section below). To be eligible for the current application cycle, applicants must complete all requirements for an undergraduate degree conferred by August 1, 2025.

Grade Point Average: Most universities provide a numerical average or summary of academic achievement. If your institution uses a numerical system, enter your cumulative grade point average or other numerical score exactly as printed on your transcript. If your institution uses a numerical grading system, you MUST include it accurately in this section. If you are listing a U.S.-style grade point average, this should be the cumulative average for your entire program of study, not the grade point average of your major. If your school does not use a numerical system, input zero and enter the text description as indicated on your transcript (e.g., “First Class Honours”) in the “Degree Designation” field. Academic excellence is an important component of Schwarzman Scholars, so any information or context that you can provide to help the selection committee evaluate your educational experience is appreciated. Additional context or clarification about your academic program can be explained briefly in the Additional Information section of the application.

Transcripts: You are required to upload a transcript for each undergraduate and graduate degree you attended. Your transcript must include your full name, institution name, and, if applicable, the degree conferred and conferral date. If you received study abroad credit during your degree, we do not require a study abroad transcript if those credits are included on your degree transcript. If they are not, upload the study abroad transcript in addition to your degree transcript. It is your responsibility to ensure all semesters of completed study are accounted for in your transcript upload(s). For currently enrolled applicants who are in
the process of completing degree requirements, provide your most updated transcript at the time of application submission. If you transferred from another institution, you should provide a transcript from that institution or the credits should be included in your degree transcript.

For transcripts not in English, you must provide accurate and complete translations with the original transcript. We accept English translations issued by the institution of origin (e.g., university registrar’s office) or by professional and certified translation services. We do not require translations from a paid translation service; however, English translations must be accurate and complete in order to be reviewed by the selection committee. For information on qualified translators in your area, refer to the American Translators Association (www.atanet.org) or another recognized translation service such as University Language Services (www.universitylanguage.com).

Ensure the transcript file is not password-protected and can be opened by the selection committee. If your transcript file is inaccessible, your application is deemed incomplete and will not be reviewed. For applicants who are offered and accept admission, a hard copy of your final transcript(s) will be required prior to the start of the program.

List up to three additional languages and indicate your level of proficiency for each. If you have skills in more than three languages, list the three that you consider your strongest languages. The native language you listed on the “Personal Information” page does not need to be included in this section.

If your native language is not English, official English proficiency test scores must be submitted with the application, as English proficiency is a requirement of the program. This requirement is waived for applicants who studied for at least two years in English at an undergraduate or graduate level. You will be asked to identify yourself as 1) a native speaker of English; 2) having studied in English at the post-secondary level for at least two years; or 3) reporting an English language proficiency test score. If you select the third option, you must indicate the test type (listed below), the date of the exam, and your scores on the “English Language Test Scores” page. This page will only appear for applicants required to report an English language proficiency test score. Note that English proficiency exams are only valid for two years. In addition to listing your scores in this section, you must upload your examinee score report under Test Score Report Upload. This section will appear once you add your test details. The minimum score requirements for applying to Schwarzman Scholars are:

TOEFL iBT: 100
IELTS: 7
Cambridge Advanced (C1): 185
Cambridge Proficiency (C2): 185

This section is an opportunity to showcase up to five leadership roles that illustrate your demonstrated leadership experience to the selection committee. Each item should provide insight into your leadership trajectory and experience. For each entry, include a concise explanation of why the role is significant to your leadership profile, as well as your distinct contribution, outcome, or initiative. These activities will be displayed in order by the most recent start date.

This section is an opportunity to showcase up to five awards, scholarships, recognitions, or publications that are of distinction in your demonstrated leadership trajectory. For each entry, include a concise explanation of why the activity is significant to your leadership profile, as well as your distinct contribution, outcome, or initiative. These activities will be displayed in order by the most recent start date.

List up to two full-time work experiences. If you are a student and have no full-time employment, you are not required to complete this section. Having no full-time work experience does not count against you as an  applicant. If you are a young professional with full-time, post-bachelor’s work experience, select the category most relevant to your employment. If you have military experience (military student, active duty, or veteran) you may include these in this section and select either Military or Military, Student. Do not list part-time work, internships, or volunteer experiences; these may be highlighted in your Resume/CV. For full-time remote work or full-time work in more than one country or city, list the location where you spent most of your time in the position. Provide a brief description of the role and most notable accomplishment(s). Lastly, select an Experience Category that best describes your professional experience as Business, Government, Non-Profit, etc.

Each applicant is required to provide two essays and two short answer responses. The two required essays are a Leadership Essay (750 words) and a Statement of Purpose (500 words). The essays are a critical component of the application, designed to help the selection committee understand you as an individual and get a sense of your demonstrated leadership abilities and potential, as well as your writing and analytical skills. Detailed descriptions of what is expected from each essay are included in the application form. Essays can be uploaded as PDF or Word document. The two Short Answer responses have a 100-word limit each. Word counts are strict and any essays that exceed the limits may be disqualified. Footnotes, headers, and titles all count towards an essay’s total word count. You can preview your uploaded essays at any time before submitting your application.

For more information about what is expected from the essays, refer to the resources available on the Admissions Webpage and the Frequently Asked Questions.

Register three recommenders by providing their names, professional titles, and contact details. You can change how your name is displayed to your recommender if they know you by a different name or nickname. Once you enter the recommender’s details and click “Send to Recommender,” a system-generated Recommendation Request email with a unique submission link will be automatically sent to the recommender. Recommenders should know you well and be able to speak to your intellectual abilities, personal characteristics, and demonstrated leadership using specific examples from their direct experience working with you. Family members or relatives cannot be selected as recommenders. Recommenders should follow the instructions in the Recommendation Request email to submit their letters. We will not accept emailed or mailed letters, or letters uploaded by applicants.

An applicant may send a reminder to their recommender via the application system by clicking “Edit” to open the recommender’s details. Click “Send Reminder” to immediately send an auto-generated reminder message. Applicants should remind recommenders to also check their spam folder.

In extenuating cases when a recommender has informed an applicant that they are no longer able to provide a letter of recommendation by the deadline, an applicant may need to remove and replace a recommender. In this circumstance, click “Edit” to open the recommender’s details and click “Exclude.” This action will exclude the recommender and will be reflected under their status on your recommender list; they will no longer have access to their unique link. Once excluded, the applicant may add a new recommender. It is also possible to reinstate a previously removed recommender. Click “Edit” to open the excluded recommender’s details and click “Reinstate.” This action will reinstate the recommender and they will regain access to their unique link. It is the applicant’s responsibility to inform your recommender(s) of any changes to their status.

Note: while the exclude/reinstate functionality is available for applicants to make edits to recommenders directly, we advise to reserve this action for extenuating circumstances only. You are responsible for communicating with your recommenders to ensure their letters are submitted properly and by the deadline.

You can submit your application before all recommendation letters are received. Applicants may check the status of recommendation letters by returning to the “Recommendation” page of the application even after submitting the application via the “Status” page. Applicants will be notified by email when a recommender has submitted their letter.

Answer all four questions. Indicate any academic or criminal disciplinary action on your record and provide an explanation.

Interviews: : In-person interviews will take place on October 29, October 30 in London, November 6, and November 7, 2024 in New York. Indicate where you will be during this period. If you are invited to an interview, the anticipated location you indicate will help us determine the most appropriate interview date and location for you.

Clarification Comment: If you wish to clarify any information provided in the application, please do so in this section. You may also include any impacts due to the global pandemic that you feel are important for the selection committee to know. For example, if you took a leave of absence or faced unusual circumstances in your studies or in your career, you may provide a brief explanation here.

Military Service: If you are currently serving or previously served in the military, provide your current military status and select a description. If this is does not apply to you, select “I am not currently serving and have never served in the military.”

Applicants are required to confirm and certify that all information provided in the application, including information provided in any supplemental materials submitted, is complete and accurate; that all submitted essays are your own work; and that all factual representations made therein are true and correct. Once you are ready to submit your application, acknowledge your understanding of the terms for final application submission by providing your electronic signature. An electronic signature involves typing your full legal name in the required field. Once you have typed in your full name, click “Continue” to proceed.

Application submission requirements and warnings will be displayed on this page. Missing submission requirements are indicated below this message: We have detected the following errors with your application. These errors must be corrected before submission. Review the list of missing required fields or errors and click on the section to return to that part of your application. Once all required fields or errors are cleared, you will see the button to submit your application. Potential application issues and warnings are indicated below this
message: We have detected the following potential problems with your application. Review the items on the warning list to ensure you have provided your intended items. Warning items do not need to be cleared in order to submit your application. To submit your application, click “Submit Application.”

All application submissions are final. After submission, you are unable to reopen a submitted application for any further edits.

This page will appear after you have submitted your application. You can review your submitted materials and edit your email address or mailing address. The application checklist status may take twenty minutes to update. You can monitor the status of your recommendation letters on the Status page. You may return to the recommendation page to “Send Reminder” any time prior to the application deadline. A PDF version of your submitted application can be downloaded (recommendation letters excluded). To download your submitted application, click “Preview Application Proof.”

Next Selection Cycle
U.S. / GLOBAL APPLICANTS
  • Application Period: Apr 2025 - Sep 2025
  • Selection Cycle: Oct - Nov 2025
  • Program Begins: Aug 2026
APPLICANTS WITH CHINESE PASSPORTS
  • Application Period: Jan 2025 - May 2025
  • Selection Cycle: Jun - Jul 2025
  • Program Begins: Aug 2026

The application window for the class of 2025-2026 is now closed. The U.S. and Global application for the class of 2026-2027 will be open from April 2025 to September 2025. Sign up to receive updates.

Check Your
Eligibility

Answer a few simple questions to see if you are eligible to apply for Schwarzman Scholars Class of 2026-2027.

Question 1

Were you born after August 1, 1997?