Any hesitation about studying abroad is typically related to the cost. However, what most of us don’t know is that we can actually apply our current on-campus financial aid package to our study abroad trip in addition to scholarships. In fact, for some students, particularly those who pay out-of-state-tuition, studying abroad can sometimes be cheaper than a traditional on-campus semester.A study abroad scholarship is a monetary award for students to use toward the expenses of their program such as travel, course credits, books and lodging. Students must apply for scholarships and some can be very competitive while others are underutilized. There are several types of study abroad scholarships to apply for such as:
Merit-based:
These awards are based on a student's academic, artistic, athletic or other abilities, and often factor in an applicant's extracurricular activities and community service record. It’s important to note that qualifications will vary based on the particular scholarship.
Student-specific:
These are scholarships for applicants who initially qualify based on factors such as gender, race, religion, family and medical history, or many other student-specific factors. Minority scholarships are the most common awards in this category, but qualifications will vary based on the particular scholarship.
Destination-specific:
These are scholarships awarded by a country to students planning to pursue a study abroad program in that particular country. They are awarded as an incentive to study in that country instead of elsewhere. Check with government-sponsored travel websites of the country where you wish to study to see what scholarships are available.
Program-specific:
Program-specific scholarships are offered by individual study abroad programs and/or the colleges and universities where they may be associated to qualified applicants. These scholarships are often given on the basis of academic and personal achievement, but qualifications will vary based on the particular scholarship. Check with your study abroad program and university to see what scholarships are available.
Subject-specific: Subject-specific scholarships are awarded by study abroad programs or institutions to students based on their particular major or field of study. These scholarships may require the recipients to enroll in subject-specific courses while abroad or conduct subject-specific research while abroad, but it’s important to note that qualifications will vary based on each scholarship.
