North Korea

“The desire for freedom, like the dignity of the person, is universal…. The North Korean people are pleading in silence for their freedom. And the world needs to listen. And the world needs to respond.”
— President George W. Bush

The Bush Institute works to advance policies that integrate human rights with national security and provides scholarships to North Korean refugees living in the U.S.

Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship

Established in 2017, the Lindsay Lloyd North Korea Freedom Scholarship is designed to help North Korean escapees and their children pursue higher education and build productive, prosperous lives. The scholarships are granted to students for vocational school, community college, university, and graduate-level studies. To date, nearly $400,000 has been awarded in the form of 93 scholarships.

Administered by Communities Foundation of Texas, these scholarships will support escapees in pursuing a range of educational opportunities, helping them to succeed and to build new lives in freedom.

North Korean scholarship eligibility requirements:

Applicants must be born in North Korea or be the child of someone born in North Korea; they must permanently reside in the United States as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or refugee; or be a North Korean escapee with South Korean citizenship pursuing a degree in the United States. Previous applicants and recipients are welcome to reapply.

Next year’s scholarship application period will open in early 2026.