Are there any? Or is it just for in-state and/or American citizens?
You need to be able to pay all costs if you come from another country.
Very little merit money from UW, even for instate students, and especially for freshmen. The reality is that students often attend their instate (or in country in your case) schools because of finances. UW has not needed to offer financial incentives to get top students to attend. They do sponsor some National Merit Scholarships but those are very few- many more NMS finalists than awards. UW is increasing merit aid I have heard, but do not count on it.
Do not assume that a school is better because it offers merit aid. Be aware that public flagship U’s will have a top tier comparable to elite private colleges and also have a next tier of good students. You might find just as many students with stats comparable to some much smaller schools even if the percentages differ a lot. You are likely to find an academic peer group even if top students are not rewarded with merit aid. Sometimes absolute numbers matter more than percentages.
Check with the international students’ organization on the UW website and contact someone for information on possibilities. Someone may know of organizations from your home country that offer scholarship money to study at UW.
@wis75 Thank you so much for your in-depth response. I am completely aware of the prestige of this public university, and would definitely find smarter people than myself - which is one of the reasons for applying to this place. However, the overall cost is too much (although less than an elite private university). I am looking for some merit aid, not full, which might put less burden on my family.
There are no merit scholarships available from the country I come from. But I would be sure to check from the university’s office to ensure if any merit scholarships are available.
There’s the King Morgridge scholarship which covers pretty much all costs. Suuuuper competitive but it’s a good opportunity. Look it up