as a general rule, merit scholarships and private scholarships can both be awarded to international students. however, some individual scholarships are for us citizens and residents only. and there are other scholarships out there that are only for international students. most scholarships will list their eligibility criteria, either online or in the application materials. so you should be able to check and see if you are eligible as an international student. but if your’e not sure if you can apply for a scholarship, contact the scholarship organization. tell them you are an international student and ask if you are eligible to apply.