Study Abroad Scholarships

For students who would like an affordable way to experience the world as part of their education, study abroad scholarships are easy to find online. Some students may think that study abroad is out of reach because of the high cost, but with a little research and hard work, it is possible for any student to fund an educational trip abroad.

What Type of Study Abroad Scholarship Do You Need?

First, the student should think about the type of program for which he or she needs a study abroad scholarship. Is it a summer program? Is it a semester abroad? Perhaps it is even a yearlong program. Where is it? What kinds of expenses and commitments are involved? Who runs the program? Does this program have specific study abroad scholarship opportunities? After researching the program, the student can begin to put together a strategy for funding it through study abroad scholarships.

Various options for study abroad scholarships exist, and there are lots of sites all over the web that provide information about these important scholarships. The easily personalized Fastweb is a good place to begin a scholarship search. Students can sign up for an account that will match them with specific scholarships based on their interests and characteristics. There are many kinds of scholarships available on Fastweb with deadlines spread throughout the year. Although not all of the awards advertised on Fastweb are specifically study abroad scholarships, an enterprising student will be able to apply for enough funding to cover a summer, semester or even a year abroad by entering essay contests, drawings, and other scholarship competitions.

For academically accomplished students who are also involved leaders on their campuses, the Rotary Club provides study abroad scholarships for year-long programs abroad. These study abroad scholarships are available to both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as some others. It is best to apply as early as possible for these scholarships, which are very competitive and have early deadlines. Information about the Rotary Club’s Ambassadorial Scholarships can be found on their site.

Study Abroad Scholarship for U.S. Citizens

For students with financial need who qualify for the Pell grant, there is a special program which provides study abroad scholarships. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is open to U.S. Citizens who meet certain qualifications. There are two deadlines per year, but students should apply before they make plans to leave. This study abroad scholarship can be applied to various academic programs throughout the world, and can even be used for summer study abroad, as long as the trip is more than four weeks long.

Because the Gilman International Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, applicants should check their qualifications for the program carefully. These study abroad scholarships are not available for travel to Cuba. The State Department’s travel warning list is also off-limits. Still, this study abroad scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for students who may not have the financial resources to study abroad.

For students interested in archaeological fieldwork experience as part of their time studying abroad, opportunities spread throughout the world are available on the Archaeological Institute of America’s website. Fortunately, the AIA also provides study abroad scholarship money–the Jane C. Waldbaum Archaeological Field School Scholarship can be applied toward archaeological field schools across the globe. Most of these schools run during the summer, which is the standard season for archaeological fieldwork.

Depending on what program a student chooses to study with, there may be study abroad scholarships available through their program, college, or university. If a student chooses to arrange their program through their home university, the International Studies or Study Abroad Office are usually a good place to start. Certain majors and minors may award scholarships for language study or field research, so department chairs and professors are often good resources for study abroad scholarship information.

Study abroad programs such as AIFS (which is affiliated with many individual programs through different universities) offer competitive study abroad scholarships that require the submission of a simple essay. AIFS awards 40 of these $1000 study abroad scholarships each year.

Students should also check to see if their heritage or affiliation can help them acquire a study abroad scholarship. AIFS has a program for students of Hispanic descent that pays up to half of the program fees to one of their programs. Another program supplements the Gilman grants, and a third gives out study abroad scholarships to students from historically black colleges. All AIFS study abroad scholarship information can be found on this page.

AIFS is not the only organization concerned with increasing diverse participation in their programs. IES Abroad runs similar study abroad scholarships for under represented minorities.

While diversity and financial need are important, there are still more scholarships for other deserving students. Students in IES programs can apply for merit aid to supplement financial aid from their home university. These IES Study Abroad Scholarships are available for multiple regions and majors

All students who want to study abroad should have the opportunity. Fortunately, this is within reach, since there are many places all over the web to apply for study abroad scholarships.