Scholarships and Awards for Study Abroad
There are many opportunities for funding study abroad, but you will have to start your search very early, and be creative and persistent. Many scholarships have certain requirements, or must be used at specific schools or for specific programs, so be careful to read the “Requirements” section of each scholarship carefully.
Some scholarships are connected to your cultural or racial heritage e.g., Italian-American, Native American, Hispanic-American, African-American, etc. On a search engine, type in words such as—Your heritage American Scholarships—and see what happens. There are many cultural organizations supporting students of various backgrounds.
Explore the possibility that your place of worship, your parents’ club, or their
employer(s) may offer scholarships. Ask everyone about scholarships—your family,
your friends, your friends’ older siblings who went to college, anyone who may be of
help to you!
Here is a short list of some of the places you can search for scholarships. But this is only
the beginning—keep looking!
IIE PASSPORT STUDY ABROAD FUNDING
This is a website that offers information about many scholarship opportunities. It allows you to search by country or subject to find study abroad funding information.
CCIS STUDY ABROAD
This is a website that provides information and student resources about scholarships specifically for students using a CCIS program to go abroad.
BENJAMIN A. GILMAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants for U.S. citizens, undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. The program aims to encourage students to choose nontraditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe and Australia. The Gilman Scholarship aims to support students who have been traditionally underrepresented in study abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in underrepresented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, students with disabilities, and students of nontraditional age.
THE GILMAN-MCCAIN SCHOLARSHIP
The Gilman-McCain Scholarship offers grants for U.S. citizen, undergraduate students who are recipients of any type of Title IV Federal Financial Aid and are a dependent child of a military member who is in active duty in one of the following branches: Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard (which includes currently active Reserve Forces, Air National Guard, and Army National Guard). This scholarship was designed to give opportunity to the children of active duty military members in honor of the late John S. McCain, former senator of Arizona, while honoring McCain’s legacy and his commitment to public service.
BOREN SCHOLARSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP
You are eligible for a Boren Scholarship or Fellowship if you are an undergraduate or graduate student who is a citizen of the United States at the time you submit your application; and a matriculated student in a degree program at an accredited U.S. college or university located in the U.S. With a Boren Scholarship or Fellowship, you can study in and about areas of the world critical to U.S. national security where most U.S. students do not study—such as Africa, Asia, Eastern and Central Europe, Latin American and the Caribbean, and the Middle East. The grants do not fund study in Western Europe, Australia, Canada, or New Zealand. These scholarships are aimed at students who are interested in language training and working for the U.S. government upon graduation.
FREEMAN-ASIA
The Freeman-Asia program awards scholarships to students studying abroad in East or Southeast Asia, either during summer or during the academic year. Students must be a U.S. citizen or permanent citizen upon turning in the application, have at least a 2.8 GPA, show financial need, and have little to no previous experience with the country that the student selects to study in. The program awards up to $3000 for a summer, up to $5000 for a semester and up to $7000 for a year of study. The deadlines for eligible students to apply are: early October for study in spring, late February for study in summer, and early April for study in fall.
CLS PROGRAM
The Critical Language Scholarship is a 7-10 weeks summer program funded by the U.S. Department of State. CLS is a fully funded, culturally enriching, language program that occurs for approximately one year. CIS entails 4-5 hours of language instruction for 5 days a week. Common, target languages that they offer are Chinese, Turkish, Korean, Hindi, Arabic, and many more. The application deadline is November and entry is available to U.S. citizens who are undergraduate or graduate students.
BRIDGING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDY IN JAPAN
The Association of Teachers of Japanese (ATJ) Bridging Project offers scholarships to American students participating in study abroad programs in Japan. Funding from private foundations and major U.S. corporations has made it possible for ATJ to award 100 scholarships annually to assist students with the travel and living expenses they will incur while studying abroad in Japan. Undergraduate students majoring in any field of study are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Japanese language study is not a prerequisite. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and be enrolled in a college or university in the United States.
COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE
The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) is a nonprofit organization that provides study abroad programs in 40 countries. A student who is enrolled in one of CIEE’s programs may apply for a scholarship.
SIT STUDY ABROAD
SIT Study Abroad, a program of World Learning, located in Brattleboro, Vermont, offers study abroad programs in nearly 50 countries. A student who is enrolled in one of SIT Study Abroad programs may apply for a scholarship.
NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION
The National Italian American Foundation offers scholarships to U.S. citizens who are of Italian-American heritage—the area of study is open.
WORLDSTUDIO FOUNDATION
Applicants must be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in the fine or commercial arts, design, or architecture. Though not a requirement, minority status is a significant factor considered in jury decisions.
LEOPOLD SCHEPP FOUNDATION
The Foundation grants approximately 200 awards each year to undergraduate and graduate students. Awards are based on demonstrated financial need and may be used for study abroad.
DEUTSCHER AKADEMISCHER AUSTAUSCHDIENST (DAAD)
GERMAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE SERVICE
The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), the German national agency for the support of international academic cooperation, offers scholarships to undergraduates to enable them to study at a German university. The scholarships are for college sophomores and juniors and are for 4-10 months in duration.
CONGRESS-BUNDESTAG YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAM FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS
This scholarship program has a strong focus on cultural experience and is designed to give participants an understanding of life, education, and professional training in Germany. It is intended primarily for young adults (ages 18-24) in business, technical, vocational, and agricultural fields. Seventy-five Americans and one hundred Germans participate in the program each year. For American participants, the twelve-month program begins in late July, and consists of two months of intensive German, four months of classroom instruction at a German university or college of applied sciences, and a five-month internship.
FINLAND FOUNDATION
Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate students, sophomore or higher. Students studying subjects related to Finnish culture receive special consideration. Individual scholarships in the past have generally been in the $500 to $3,000 range.
HISPANIC SCHOLARSHIP FUND
The Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is designed to help students of Hispanic heritage study. Scholarships can be applied to various costs associated with study abroad. Eligibility entails that students must be a U.S. citizen; a legal permanent resident; have a passport stamped I-551; have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA). Application opens January 1st and is due on March 30th , it is to be completed every year of study during the following academic year.
DIVERSITY ABROAD OVERSEAS AMBASSADOR SCHOLARSHIP
The Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador Scholarship is a $500 dollar scholarship awarded each semester to students studying abroad. First generation students, ethnic and racially diverse students, financially troubled students, and students with disabilities are all very encouraged to apply. The deadline is usually June 1 st , but check their website before you apply.
FLIPKEY STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIP
The FlipKey Study Abroad Scholarship is awarded to one student every year. The awarded student receives $1000 to cover various fees associated with studying abroad, such as plane tickets, study expenses, etc. Eligible students must submit a 1,000 word essay on why travel is important to them. Students must be 18 or over and enrolled, or about to be enrolled, in a study abroad program.
TORTUGA STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIP
The Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship is awarded to one student biannually, for the fall and spring semester. Each student receives $1000 dollars in scholarship money that can go towards room and board, tuition, books, or travel expenses. Each student will also receive one (1) Tortuga Travel Backpack. For entry, students will need to compose a 500-word essay on what they hope to learn by experiencing another culture and how they will use this knowledge when they return home. Eligible students must be a U.S. citizen, a full time undergraduate student, and have applied or been accepted to a study abroad program. There is a December deadline for spring and a May deadline for fall.