Scholarships and Grants for Study Overseas

Scholarships and Grants for Study Overseas

For those fortunate enough to spend a year, a semester, or even a summer session abroad, the time spent there will be priceless. There is nothing like totally immersing in a culture to learn to speak the language like a native, learn the customs, develop respect for their history, and to really absorb everything around you! Studying overseas has become more and more common, due to ease of travel and the ability to communicate with folks back home like you’re right next door!

It goes without saying, however, that this kind of educational adventure is expensive. Not only is there the actual cost of schooling, there are the expenses incurred for travel, room and board, and — you’re going to want to travel around the area while you’re there — money to spend just being a tourist. This is where financial aid – scholarships, grants and possibly a loan – comes in. Fortunately, there are a lot of opportunities out there, and if you are the kind of student who is interested in taking this step, chances are you are also the kind of student who can qualify for financial assistance. We’ve listed a number of the better known opportunities here for you, but don’t hesitate to contact your counselor at school to discover more. Many universities and colleges now offer “a semester in . . .,” and they have the financing to help eligible students take advantage of it!

Academic Year Ambassadorial Scholarship – Rotary Clubs International

Multiple awards are offered annually by Rotary Clubs International. You must have completed at least two years of college to qualify, however, scholarship may be used for undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, or non-degree study, and must be achieved in a country where Rotary has chapters of their organization. You must be proficient in the language of the destination country, and have a demonstrable interest in peace and understanding other cultures for world betterment. You must have an outstanding academic record, a history of community service, and be serious in your approach to life. The amount of this award is $25,000, which is intended to cover expenses including tuition, room and board, books, fees, and transportation to the destination country. An additional amount can be used to cover a one-month intensive language course, if needed. There is no designated field of study required for this scholarship. Application details and other eligibility requirements may be found on line at www.rotary.org.

Anna K. Meredith Fund

If you are an undergraduate art student majoring in general art or art history, this award is intended for you. It is for study in Florence, Italy, at a Studio Art Centers International (SACI) institution. You must have been accepted by the SACI in order to be eligible for this scholarship. To be eligible you must have a record of outstanding academic achievement, and be able to substantiate financial need, by completing the FAFSA free application on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is a federally sponsored website that evaluates your application, producing a SAR score which determines your level of need for assistance. Along with your application, you are required to submit at least 20 labeled slides of your work in a portfolio, or, as an alternative, two major art history papers as samples of your writing. The amounts of the awards range from $500-$2,000, and the number given each year varies. Get on the website for more details: www.saci-florence.org.

Clare Brett Smith

This award, like the one above, is awarded by the SACI for study in Florence, Italy. It can be used for undergraduate or graduate study by a student majoring in photography. Submission requirements are the same – a portfolio of 20 pieces of work on CD, or two papers written by you on the subject. You must be accepted by the SACI in order to be eligible for this scholarship. Eligibility requirements include high scholastic achievement and proof of need for financial assistance. To substantiate your need, complete the FAFSA free application on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is a federally sponsored website that evaluates your application, resulting in an SAR score which determines your level of need. The amount of the award is $1,000, and the number given each year varies. Complete information may be found on the website: www.saci-florence.org.

International Semester

This scholarship is intended for a semester or the summer session, and is sponsored by the American Institute for Foreign Study. Prizes per semester are $1,000, and for the summer, $500. There are 40 awards given each semester, with 50 awarded in the summer. If you are an undergraduate student who is avidly interested and involved in multi-culture studies, and have at least a 3.0 GPA, with strong leadership abilities, this opportunity might be of interest to you. Funds may be utilized for study at institutions with AIFS programs in Argentina, Australia, Austria, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, England, France, India, Ireland, Italy, Peru, Russia, South Africa, or Spain. For details regarding deadlines, more eligibility requirements, and application information, get on line at: www.aifsabroad.com.

Hispanic College Fund

This fund oversees multiple scholarships that may be used in the United States, but to study in Puerto Rico, by full-time students of Hispanic descent. They are for different fields of study, and often for varying classifications of students. Details for all of these may be found on the website: www.hispamnicfund.org.

ALPFA

Students should have major interest in business, finance, or accounting. Award may be used for pursuit of either your bachelor’s or master’s degree. To apply you must have at least a 3.0 GPA. Application requires an essay, proof of financial need, letters of recommendation, a transcript, and proof of American citizenship. Awards range in amount from $1,250 to $1,500.

Kaiser Permanente College to Caring Program

Students who are majoring in nursing or in healthcare, in their third or fourth year of college may apply for this scholarship. You must be able to demonstrate financial need, be a U.S. citizen, and have at least a 3.0 GPA. Amounts of these awards range from $5,000 to $8,000.

Sallie Mae Fund – First in My Family Scholarship

This applicant must be the first in their immediate family to attend college. They must demonstrate financial need, and have a GPA of at least 3.0. There is no major field of study designated for this award. Amounts of scholarships range from $500 to $5,000.

Global Studies Grants for Student Travel and Study Abroad

If you are already fortunate to be studying abroad, sponsored by your institution in the United States, to advance your language or other foreign studies, this may be an opportunity to supplement your funds. Eligibility requirements include current enrollment in an accredited program for studies abroad, an outstanding academic record, letters of recommendation, and review of some of your past major achievements. In addition to your reference letters, you must submit a letter of endorsement from the current overseas program in which you are a participant. As with all GSF program participants, you are expected to share your experiences with as vast an audience as possible upon your return home. For deadline and other information, go to the website: www.globalstudiesfoundation.org.

Benjamin A. Gilman

This award was created to encourage the untraditional study-abroad student to go for it! These include students who might not ordinarily be selected for foreign study. Some of these include those from diverse ethnic backgrounds, students with great financial need, those attending community colleges, and those majoring in underrepresented fields of study. Those students with critical foreign language skills, such as Arabic, Turkic, Russian, or Swahili, to name a few, are particularly of interest. Scholarships are intended for study in countries such as China, Egypt, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Costa Rica. Awards are generous! Last year over 1,500 students received awards averaging $4,000 each. There is also an additional award for language study given under specified circumstances. If you feel you are one of the special students who would love to participate in a program such as this, go to the website for complete details. www.iie.org/en/Programs/Gilman-Scholarship-Program.

John T. Petters Foundation

This foundation awards approximately 30 scholarships each year in the amount of $5,000 each to qualified students who plan to study abroad. To qualify you must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university that agrees to give credit for the year of study in another country. You must be majoring in International Business. You must be a U.S. citizen, and must be able to prove the need for financial assistance to participate in this program. If you would like more information and application details, go to www.johntpettersfoundation.org/scholarships.

Study Abroad in Japan: Bridging

The Association of Teachers of Japanese Bridging Project, in conjunction with private foundations, and various international corporations, oversees this scholarship fund. Each year, 60-100 undergraduate students receive awards based on length of study: $2,500 for a semester; $4,000 for the academic year. There is no specified field of study for these students, and Japanese language study is not a pre-requisite. Full application and eligibility instructions may be found on line at: www.aatj.org.

Multi-Year Ambassadorial Scholarship – Rotary International

This award provides funds in the amount of $12,500 per year for up to two years for study abroad. Student must be language proficient in the country where he or she chooses to study. Student does not need to be a currently enrolled college student, but must have completed at least two years of undergraduate study to qualify. Spouses or dependents of Rotary Club members are ineligible. If you would like complete information about this opportunity, go to the website: www.rotary.org.

Fulbright Programs

Some of the most respected programs in continued study abroad are those funded by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs – the Fulbright Programs. These differ from regular scholarships in that they support research conducted by those who have just received their doctorates – both our citizens to other countries and vice versa. Also, through the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program, our young teachers may go to a myriad of countries in the world and teach English to secondary education students, and young teachers from those countries may come here to teach American students. If you think you might be interested in participating in one of these programs, the website has more information: www.iie.org/en/Fullbright.

Boren

This group of awards gives undergraduate students the opportunity to study abroad in countries that are critical to the future security of our country. In exchange, recipients must agree to careers with the federal government upon graduation. Boren scholars may choose from over 90 countries or regions of the world; pick from over 60 languages; and, major in such fields as agriculture and food sciences, history, international affairs, business and economics, health and biomedical science, law, sciences and engineering, and political studies, to name a few. A world of opportunity awaits the right applicant who want to have a place in the development of the world as it regards the United States in the future. At least two semesters of study are encouraged to allow the student enough time to absorb the culture, and assimilate the language like a native. The award for two semesters is $20,000. There are limited opportunities for one-semester study, with a prize amount of $10,000. There are also some summer programs, lasting for 8 weeks, but fields of study for those courses only include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship, current enrollment in an accredited university or college, a desire to study abroad in an area other than Western Europe, New Zealand, Australia, or Canada. To find all the information you’ll need to apply, as well as an application, and to decide if you might be a ‘good fit’ for the Boren Scholarship, go to the website at: www.borenawards.org.

DAAD German Academic Exchange Service Undergraduate

If you are an outstanding undergraduate student eager to study in Germany to sharpen your language skills learn more about the culture, and work toward your degree, you might like this opportunity. You must be a sophomore or junior college student, at the time of application. You should be planning at least one or two semesters in Germany. You are required to have an outstanding academic history, pass a language proficiency examination, have a well-developed plan for your time spent in the country, and have an avid interest in Germany and Europe, and how they will impact the world of the future. The amount of the award is a monthly stipend of either 650 Euro per month for one semester (4 months), or two semesters (10 months). Additional funds are available for travel, insurance, and other expenses. Application must be accompanied by an acceptance letter for a study abroad program, two letters of recommendation from professors in both of your major fields of study, language evaluation certificate, and plan for study while in Germany. Go to the website at www.daad.org for complete information.

Other Resources

Since most scholarships for study abroad are granted to second or third year college students, the first thing to do is see your advisor. They will have all of the information about programs offered through your current university or college, as well as those from other resources. A great example of one of those would be Texas Tech University’s TTU Study Center in Seville, Spain, where students can go for total language immersion studies for a summer, a semester, or an entire academic year for full college credit, with generous scholarships available to defray the costs of tuition, room and board, and travel.

Next, there are many valuable websites out there that offer tons of information about scholarships attached to schools, specific majors, or areas of study. One of the most informative is www.internationalscholarships.com where you can cross-reference based on your qualifications, financial needs, field of study, where you would like to go to school, length of program you require, and – best of all – it’s free!

Good hunting and bon voyage!