Many students are very fortunate to have the chance to study abroad for the summer or an entire semester, so they are able to take advantage of a once-in-a-lifetime experience to travel the world, experience new cultures and gain college credit, all at the same time! What is unfortunate for some students is that even though they may be accepted into a study abroad program, they may not be able to afford it.
That’s where study abroad grants, scholarships and fellowships come to the rescue. All three of these are sources of financial aid that you can use to pay for your study abroad experience. And unlike study abroad loans, which have to be paid back, study abroad scholarships, grants and fellowships are fully-funded by the sponsor and will not cost you a dime. Finding and applying for these financial aid sources is free and simple to do; you just need to set aside the time to search for them.
Study Abroad Scholarships
Study abroad scholarships are valuable financial aid resources that are offered to students partaking in a study abroad program. They may be offered directly through your university, or funded by a private resource such as a church, a local business or a town or city organization. The best way to find out about specific scholarships, such as a summer study abroad scholarship, is to first contact your school’s financial aid office and study abroad program director to see what opportunities are offered through your own college.
If your school does not offer study abroad scholarships, then you can contact the overseas host school where you will be studying to see if they offer study abroad scholarships for foreign students. You can also check local organizations that have something in common with your major to see if they offer study abroad assistance.
One of easiest ways to find study abroad scholarships is to check the web. The internet makes searching for study abroad scholarships easy because you can narrow down your areas of study and countries of interest at the click of a button. And with literally thousands of study abroad scholarships offered to students worldwide, such as through the Fulbright Program and The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, you are bound to find one that is perfect for your study abroad program.
Study Abroad Grants
Study abroad grants are another free source of financial aid that can help you pay for your study abroad experience. You can obtain a study abroad grant by applying directly to the government through Grants.gov, or by asking your study abroad program director what grants are offered by your school. You should also check to see if your study abroad program offers a student travel grant, which is a grant offered to students studying abroad in other countries who will be attending conferences, meetings or other types of academic-sponsored programs that are related to their majors.
An example of a student travel grant is the AAG IGIF Student Travel Grant, which is awarded by the Association of American Geographers to full-time students in an undergraduate or graduate degree program related to geographic studies. Student travel grants can be used to help pay for transportation, food and lodging, and even though they may not cover your entire study abroad costs, they will drastically cut down on your student expenses and allow you to have more money for personal expenses.
Study Abroad Fellowships
A study abroad fellowship is another source of free financial aid that is awarded to students based on their personal and academic achievements. Though many fellowships are awarded only to graduate students, they may also be rewarded to students in their last two years of undergraduate study. Study abroad fellowships can be awarded for a semester or a summer abroad, and their main goal is to help students in a study abroad program to get the most of their host country by exchanging valuable research ideas and developing new ways to teach them.
A great example of a study abroad fellowship offered in Germany is the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals, which gives students a better understanding of the social, educational and cultural lifestyles of the people of Germany and the United States.
Another study abroad fellowship offered to students is the Freeman Awards for Study in Asia, which encourages U.S. undergraduates to study overseas in East or Southeast Asia and to return to the U.S. to share their positive experience of the Asian culture. The important thing to know is that study abroad fellowships are very competitive because they offer such great international learning opportunities, so it’s best to apply for them as early as possible.
If you’re excited about your study abroad experience but not so excited about how much it will cost, you can always apply for study abroad scholarships, grants and fellowships to help you get started on your overseas endeavors. Financial aid will always be available to study abroad students, so don’t hesitate to find the type of aid that is best for you.