Global Education

Plan for the full cost of your program by utilizing the Study Abroad Budget Planning Tool.

Many of these scholarships have early deadlines--to secure this funding, you'll need to plan ahead!

When seeking scholarships for study abroad programs, keep in mind that most scholarships that would apply to a regular semester of school will also be applicable towards a semester of classes abroad!

There are, however, a few scholarships that are geared specifically toward study abroad.  These have a range of deadlines and eligibility requirements: see the individual websites for details.

Fund for Education Abroad (FEA)

https://fundforeducationabroad.org/scholarships/

The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population. FEA makes life-changing, international experiences accessible to all by supporting students of color, community college, and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs.

One online application leads to many opportunities. Applicants are considered for all of the FEA scholarships they meet the criteria for, along with the FEA General Scholarships, including The Rainbow Scholarship.

Eligibility:

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate at a college or university in the U.S. (graduate students are not eligible)
• Study abroad program must be eligible for credit at the student’s home institution
• Study abroad program must be during Fall, Spring, Summer or Academic Year

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

Applicants must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship. All program lengths are eligible as long as the study abroad program meets the other eligibility requirements.

Awards of up to $5,000 are made for up to one academic year of undergraduate study abroad. Award amounts will vary based on student’s recommendation group in the selection process, their financial need and length of program. Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and must use the award to defray eligible study or intern abroad costs. These costs include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance, international airfare, passport and visa fees.

Eligibility:

• A citizen or national of the United States;
• An undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States
• Receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship;
• In the process of applying to, or accepted to, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship program. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
• Applying for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country or location with an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System

HI USA Scholarship

https://www.hiusa.org/travel-scholarships/explore-the-world-scholarship

At HI USA, we think travel should be as much about making a difference in the world as it is about seeing it. That’s why we’ve created Explore the World Travel Scholarships. Recipients receive $2,000 to help finance their international trip that includes an educational or service component.

Eligibility:

• Be 18-30 years old
• Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Have a demonstrated financial need
• Reside or attend school in one of the 13 metropolitan areas where HI USA has a community presence
• Be planning an upcoming international trip that involves an educational and/or volunteer service component

Going Scholarship 

https://www.going.com/scholarship

Our mission at Going is to help people travel and experience the world. Since 2017, we've helped young travelers get out there and get going. Twice a year, four outstanding students will win $1,500 scholarships toward their upcoming study abroad program.

Eligibility:

• Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
• Must be a student and attend an accredited institution of higher learning

Tortuga Scholarship 

https://www.tortugabackpacks.com/pages/study-abroad-scholarship

Young people deserve to experience the world beyond their college campuses, but not everyone can afford to travel, especially if you’re on a student budget. The Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship is awarded biannually to passionate students who want to explore the world. At Tortuga, our mission is to make travel easier, including for study abroad and gap year students. Winners will receive a $1,000 scholarship for studying abroad. The scholarship may be used for tuition, room and board, books, or travel. Funds will be sent directly to the winner's study abroad program or university, if possible.

Eligibility:

• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or currently studying in the United States on a student visa
• Be a full-time undergraduate student in good academic standing at a four-year, degree-granting college or university in the United States
• Have applied to or been accepted into a study abroad program eligible for credit by your college or university

iVisa Scholarship 

https://www.ivisa.com/visa-blog/ivisa-annual-scholarship

The iVisa Annual Scholarship was created in 2017 to help students while promoting their love for travel and the different cultures around the world. The founders created the annual iVisa Scholarship in the hope of promoting among young people the importance of knowing different cultures and understanding and respecting them.

Eligibility:

• Have a 2.5 GPA or the equivalent of a 2.5 GPA
• Be a student at the time of application and when the scholarship is awarded in May

Butex Scholarship - UK

https://butex.ac.uk/scholarships/

BUTEX brings together universities, colleges and other HE institutions across the UK that have a shared interest in learning abroad. Each year BUTEX awards a number of scholarships to students studying abroad for a semester or a whole academic year, and students undertaking an overseas work/internship/traineeship placement of varying lengths of time.

The Scholarship is open to all undergraduate students who are affiliated to a BUTEX Full Member institution. You may be affiliated as an incoming or an outgoing study abroad student. The value of each scholarship is £500. 

Eligibility:

• You must have been offered, currently undertaking or already completed, a study abroad or exchange placement or a work/internship/traineeship placement at a member institution (members are in the UK only)
• Your study abroad, exchange or work placement takes place in the calendar year in which you apply
• Your placement must be for either one semester or one year
• You must be enrolled in your undergraduate course when you apply for, and receive a scholarship

DAAD Scholarships - Germany

https://www.daad.de/en/study-and-research-in-germany/scholarships/daad-scholarships/

Every year, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) supports well over 100,000 German and international students and researchers around the globe – making it the world's largest funding organisation of its kind.

DAAD scholarships are aimed primarily at graduates, doctoral students and postdocs and are awarded for study and research visits to universities and non-university research institutions in Germany. In some programmes, internships and bachelor students are also funded.

Eligibility:

• Varies depending on scholarship

Bridging Scholarship - Japan

https://www.bridgingfoundation.org/scholarships

The Bridging Scholarship is a life-changing opportunity to study abroad in Japan in a credit-bearing semester or academic-year program. Each year 75-100 academically outstanding, financially deserving U.S. undergraduate students are selected as Bridging Scholars. In addition to receiving a cash stipend, Bridging Scholars participate in cohort programming designed to assist students build a future as a global citizen with a lifelong connection to Japan.

Bridging Scholars come to the program from disparate academic backgrounds and interests, often from traditionally underrepresented communities. Each class of scholars represents students from large public universities, small liberal arts colleges, and community colleges across the U.S. Scholar majors range from biochemistry to fine arts but all students share a common interest in Japan, its society, and its language and culture.

Undergraduate students majoring in any field of study are eligible to apply for Bridging Scholarships. Japanese language study is not a prerequisite. Semester scholarships are valued at $3,500.

Eligibility:

• Applicants must be U.S. citizens and enrolled as undergraduates in a college or university in the United States before and during the time they are studying abroad
• Students must study in a semester (at least 3 months) or an academic-year program in Japan and must earn credit that will transfer to their home campus in the U.S.
• Scholarships must be used for travel or daily cost-of-living expenses

Tanaka & Green Scholarship - Japan

https://jaswdc.org/tanaka-green-scholarship/

In 2014 JASWDC established the Tanaka and Green Academic Scholarships to support short-term academic study (one semester or one academic year) at colleges and universities in Japan. The scholarships are made possible thanks to the Society’s H. William and Lily Tanaka Scholarship Endowment and the Marshal and Lispenard Green Educational Endowment.

The Society will give up to $5,000 for one academic year and up to $4,000 for one academic semester. The scholarship may be used for any combination of tuition and other academic fees, room and board, travel and transportation (including travel within Japan), and other approved expenses.

Eligibility:

• Must be enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate school in the United States
• Must provide proof of acceptance at a college or university in Japan as a full-time foreign exchange student for either one semester or one academic year
• Must provide proof that the program in Japan is an approved student exchange program of the applicant’s home college or university in the US
• Must intend to return to the college or university in the United States
• May be majors in any subject, but must demonstrate that they have taken or plan to take academic courses related to Japan, whether in the US or at the college or university in Japan
• Must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States

Freeman-ASIA Scholarship

https://www.iie.org/programs/freeman-asia/

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures. Award recipients are required to share their experiences with their home campuses or communities to encourage study abroad by others and fulfill the program’s goal of increasing understanding of Asia in the United States. Awards are up to $3,000 for Summer, and up to $5,000 for a semester.

Eligibility:

• Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application
• Must currently receive need-based financial aid or demonstrate a verifiable need for financial assistance to participate in the proposed study abroad program
• Must be an undergraduate student with a minimum GPA of 2.8, pursuing his or her first bachelor’s degree (or associate’s degree), at a two-year or a four-year institution of higher education in the United States
• Must apply through the U.S. home campus and have at least one term of enrollment remaining at the home institution in the U.S. upon returning from studying abroad in Asia
• Must have applied or have been accepted to a study abroad based program in: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
• Must have applied to or have been accepted by a study abroad based program that awards academic credits through the home campus or other U.S. accredited college or university
• The proposed length of study in the host country must be a minimum of 8 weeks for a summer term, 10 weeks for a quarter term, and 12 weeks for a semester term
• Must have little or no previous experience in the country in which he or she plans to study

First Trip Scholarship - Non-Traditional Locations

https://www.firsttrip.org/first-trip-scholarship

First Trip values the philosophy of global citizenship and promotes travel to non-traditional study abroad destinations. In recent years, international educators have begun challenging students to consider more meaningful international experiences over cliche Western European excursions. First Trip proudly participates in this initiative. First Trip may provide funding for individuals traveling to countries ranked lower than Very High on the United Nations' annual Human Development Index (HDI).

Eligibility:

• Be a first time traveler (first time ever traveling outside of the United States)
• Be a student in an accredited US college/university
• Pursue a college facilitated trip in an eligible destination (see website for list of current countries)
• Provide an account of your travels upon return to the US

Boren Awards

https://www.borenawards.org/

The Boren Awards fund the intensive study of language and culture abroad by U.S. undergraduate or graduate students. All eligible applicants have the option to either apply for a Regional Flagship Language Initiative or select/design their own study program.

The Boren Awards promote long-term linguistic and cultural immersion. Proposed programs of two or more semesters are strongly encouraged. Preference will be given to Boren Awards applicants proposing overseas programs of at least 25 weeks’ duration. The minimum duration of an eligible program is 12 weeks for most Boren Awards applicants.

Boren Scholarships Maximum Award Amounts:

• 8-11 weeks: $8,000 for a summer program (STEM majors only)
• 12-24 weeks: $12,500
• 25-52 weeks: $25,000

Eligibility:

• U.S. citizens at the time of the national application deadline
• A high school graduate, or have earned a GED
• At least 18 years of age or older at the time of the national application deadline
• Planning an overseas program in a country outside of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand
• Planning to study in a country of which they are not a citizen
• Matriculated for the duration of their Boren Awards-funded program in an undergraduate or graduate degree program located within the United States and accredited by a body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education

Critical Language Scholarship Program

https://clscholarship.org/

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion group-based program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. Students spend eight to ten weeks abroad studying one of 14 critical languages. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. 

Most languages offered by the CLS Program do not require applicants to have any experience studying critical languages. The CLS Program seeks participants with diverse interests, and from a wide range of fields of study and career paths, with the purpose of representing the full diversity of the United States. Participants are selected based on their commitment to language learning and plans to apply their language skills to their future academic or professional pursuits.

Eligibility:

• Be a U.S. citizen or national at the time of application
• Be at least 18 years old by May
• Be enrolled in an accredited U.S. degree-granting program at the undergraduate (associate, bachelor's) or graduate (master's, doctoral, professional degree) level at the time of application
• Applicants must be enrolled in a program that results in a degree
• Applicants in an undergraduate program (associate or bachelor's) must complete at least one full year of study (two semesters or three quarters) by the beginning of the CLS Program in Summer
• Applicants must be enrolled at this institution in the fall term
• Applicants must meet the language requirements of the program to which they apply

Additional Scholarship Databases

https://www.gooverseas.com/scholarships

https://umabroad.umn.edu/funding

https://www.studyabroad101.com/scholarships