By James Cochran, Staff Writer
For any students in need of a financial boost, The Obama Foundation has now begun accepting applications for their brand new 2025-27 Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship. Thanks to funding from Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky, this scholarship provides many benefits, opportunities, and financial aid to students going into their junior or senior years of college.
A total of 100 chosen applicants will receive up to the staggering amount of $50,000 in financial aid all told, receiving up to $25,000 during their junior year of college, and up to $25,000 for their senior year. The scholarship is not limited to just financial aid either, as an added opportunity, by the name of “Summer Voyage” will award recipients with $10,000 plus free housing for traveling students during the summers of their junior and senior years.
The benefits don’t end there, as graduates will receive a yearly $2,000 in Airbnb credit for ten years to maximize their traveling experience for their careers. For housing costs, $4,200 worth of Airbnb travel credits will be provided. Recipients will also have access to a network of leaders, with junior year recipients having the option to attend an in-person event to learn skills including leadership building.
For those interested in applying, the Voyager Scholarship has requirements that all applicants must meet. Students must have at least a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale or an equivalent measurement, and must show that they need financial aid with a FAFSA-like process. Students must also be considered a junior by Fall 2025 or have completed their two-year full time enrollment before gaining a Bachelor’s degree, or, if neither apply to the student, they must plan on attending a four-year college for their 2025-2026 junior year after being enrolled in a two-year college. Potential recipients must also be a U.S. citizen, a national, permanent resident, or have a granted deferred action status from the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program.
Students can arrange their Summer Voyage as they want, but 6 weeks worth of experience is required, as well as individual attendance to every monthly virtual meeting. The in-person Fall Summit event is optional for juniors, but would be important to attend for skills like leadership and public service, as many representatives will be there for students to learn from.
The scholarship also has stipulations applicants should be keeping in mind in case they win. Airbnb listings exceeding the provided $4,200 during the Summer Voyage or stays not listed on Airbnb will be paid by the student. Recipients must also find their own ways to travel as the program will not provide travel coordination for the student. International travels can be arranged as long as it is provided by the program staff, but funding for traveling and documentation will not be provided.
Students who are interested in applying to the Voyager Scholarship must go to the organization’s website (https://www.obama.org/programs/voyager-scholarship/) and apply by no later than Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM Central Time. The applications will be reviewed in May, and the 100 recipients will be notified in July.
