Voyager Scholarship

About

The Voyager Scholarship was created by the Obamas and Brian Chesky, Airbnb CEO, to help shape young leaders who can bridge divides and help solve the biggest challenges in the globalized world. The scholarship was created in 2022 to alleviate the burden of college debt, provide meaningful travel experiences that expand student horizons, and to set up a network of mentors and leaders to support them.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, a student must meet all of the following criteria:

• 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 2022. Eligible students are: 
  • Finishing sophomore year in Spring 2022
  • Or transferring from a two-year  to a four-year college for their 2022-2023 junior academic year
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent
• Have demonstrated a commitment to public service
• Plan to pursue a career in public service upon graduation
• Be a US citizen, US permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card), or an individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA)

Value of the Award

Voyagers will receive the following:

• Financial aid up to $50,000: Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in “last dollar” financial aid to cover remaining tuition and/or living costs for their junior and senior years of college. This last-dollar approach builds on other financial aid programs and helps ensure the students can pursue a career in public service and are not constrained by crushing student debt.
• Summer Voyage: President Obama and Brian have different backgrounds, but share the fundamental belief and lived experience that exposure to new places and experiences broaden our horizons and redefine what we believe is possible. With a budget of $10,000, students will design their own summer voyage between their junior and senior year of college. The experience will allow students to pursue internships or mentorship opportunities anywhere in the world that will broaden their horizons and prepare them for careers in public service. Students will also be able to stay in homes on Airbnb using credits provided by Airbnb.
• 10-year travel stipend: After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 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.
• Fall Summit: Voyagers will be invited to an annual Fall Summit. This fall, the summit will include a meeting with President Obama, Brian Chesky, and other leaders. They will also get access to a network of other Voyagers and alumni with whom they can connect with at the summit and beyond.
• A network of leaders: 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.

Contact

Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship

obama-chesky-scholarship@scholarshipamerica.org

507-931-0773