Deadline: April 1, 2025
Applications are open for the Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service 2025-2027. The Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service supports students who have a passion for helping others, experience serving their communities, and can demonstrate an expansive view of what’s possible through public service.
An increasingly globalized world needs young leaders who can bridge divides and help solve our biggest challenges. The Voyager Scholarship was created by the Obamas and Brian Chesky, Co-Founder and CEO of Airbnb, to help shape such leaders. Even though they come from different backgrounds, President Obama and Brian both believe that exposure to new places and experiences generates understanding, empathy, and cooperation, which equips the next generation to create meaningful change.
They are looking for young people from every corner of this country who share a curiosity about the world and the conviction to want to make positive change within it—just like the scholarship’s founders. Students should have a passion for helping others, experience serving in or building community, and an expansive view of what’s possible through public service.
Benefits
- Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in “last dollar” financial aid for their junior and senior years of college. This financial aid should alleviate the burden of college debt so that students can afford to pursue a career in public service.
- Students will receive a $10,000 stipend and free Airbnb housing to pursue a summer work-travel experience between their junior and senior year of college. The students will design their own Summer Voyage to gain exposure to new communities and experience in a chosen field.
- After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 Airbnb travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000. This will allow students to continue to broaden their horizons and forge new connections throughout their public service careers.
- During their Junior Year, Voyagers may have the option to attend an in-person convening where they will engage in community building activities with fellow Voyagers, build their leadership skills, and learn from experienced leaders in public service.
- Throughout the program, students will be invited to an ongoing speaker series, giving them access to a network of leaders. This network of leaders will expose them to new areas of service and innovations happening in their fields. After graduation, they will join The Obama Foundation’s global community, providing them with Foundation resources and programming.
Eligibility
Applicants must meet these eligibility requirements both at the time of application and enrollment for the Fall 2025 term.
- Current college Sophomores who plan to enroll full-time in their junior year of study at an accredited four-year college or university in the United States in Fall 2025. Eligible students are:
- Finishing sophomore year in Spring 2025. Applicants should be considered “juniors” based on the total number of earned credits at their institution by Fall 2025 or having two years of full-time enrollment remaining before earning your Bachelor’s degree
- Or transferring from a two-year to a four-year college for their 2025-2026 junior academic year.
- Demonstrate financial need—this is calculated using a similar formula to the FAFSA.
- Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent. Students are required to upload unofficial transcripts as part of the application process.
- Have demonstrated a commitment to public service.
- Plan to pursue a future career in public service upon graduation.
- Be a United States (U.S.) citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident (holders of a Permanent Resident Card), or individuals granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA).
- Able to commit to fully participating in once per month programming including individual meetings with coaches and network connections as well as developing an actionable Summer Voyage plan.
Application
Applications close on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at 11:59 PM Central Time (UTC-6).
For more information, visit Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship.
