Studying abroad provides students with a unique opportunity to discover another culture, broaden their horizons, and make lasting memories. Unfortunately, studying abroad can be expensive; many students struggle to raise enough funds for participation. Scholarship resources provide much-needed help making studying abroad accessible regardless of financial standing.
While it is essential to budget and plan for expenses, don’t allow cost concerns prevent you from exploring study abroad opportunities! With some research, scholarships that meet your unique needs may become available allowing you to experience life abroad. Start searching early – the earlier your scholarship search starts, the greater your chances are of finding something suitable that covers at least part of your expenses!
As you begin your scholarship search, narrow in on scholarships specifically offered for your destination or subject area. Pace can assist with this step as well as external scholarship databases. In addition, look for scholarships with eligibility requirements that fit you better – such as regions or minority groups – so as to reduce competition and increase your odds of receiving one of them.
There are also a number of specific scholarships for students looking to participate in long-term, faculty-led international education programs. For instance, the Gilman International Scholarship Program aims to encourage U.S. undergraduate students with limited financial means to undertake studies or internships overseas while the Fund for Education Abroad provides scholarships that invest in high-quality study abroad programs for U.S. undergraduate students across disciplines who demonstrate financial need.
Students should check with both their home university and individual program to learn what scholarships may be available to them for specific international education programs, especially programs at highly renowned foreign universities that may cost more but offer unique educational experiences.
At last, it should be mentioned that scholarships differ from grants and student loans in that grants and loans provide gift aid without needing to be repaid, while scholarships are awarded on merit based awards. When searching for study abroad scholarships it is important to keep this distinction in mind, as some scholarships only open up to local or international students, or those from certain regions or minorities only – an essential consideration when searching abroad scholarships!