Paying for a study abroad trip can be daunting. But by starting early and looking to a variety of sources, many students are able to find full funding for the experience of their dreams.

 

Your Planning Timeline

Imagine the possibilities.

At least a year before you plan to study abroad, look at programs and think about where you'd like to travel, how long your trip will be (a full semester? a few weeks?) and costs.

 

Research scholarships.

Now that you have an idea of your goals and budget, take a look at the more than 40 scholarships listed below. Awards range from $500 to $20,000, and can be combined.

 

Make a plan.

Set up an appointment with the study abroad coordinator to discuss your options and decide which scholarship opportunities are a great fit for you. Deadlines vary widely, so make a spreadsheet of dates and required materials, and set aside regular time in your schedule for working on applications.

 

Scholarship Opportunities

Joy Spencer Johnson Scholarship

>This Scholarship honors Joy Spencer Johnson, who taught for many years in the Business Department at Stephens and headed the Fashion Department for two years. She led several trips for Stephens students to Europe and the UK. The scholarship provides grants from $500 to $2,000 for students to help them pay for study abroad experiences while enrolled at Stephens.It is available to second-semester sophomores, juniors and seniors in any Stephens degree program. To qualify, students must have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.00 or higher and demonstrate financial need. 

Apply Now

Application deadline for Spring 2024 travel:  Friday, Oct. 27, 2023

Application for Summer and Fall 2024 travel:  Friday, Feb. 16, 2024

 
 

Scholarships from Affiliate Programs

Stephens College works with several programs to ensure quality programming and safety while our students study abroad. These affiliates also offer scholarships. Scholarships vary in amount and eligibility. They also have varied application deadlines. Students seeking scholarships should review the following websites and submit applications a year before studying abroad.

 

Outside Scholarships

AASAP/UK Lord Acton Memorial Scholarship
This merit-based scholarship provides a study abroad student with financial support to pursue academic study in the United Kingdom. The award is $1,000 for a semester or full year abroad.

Asher and Lyric Study Abroad Scholarship
This scholarship, valued at over $2,000, is awarded twice a year (fall and spring semesters). Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, full-time students with GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have already applied or been accepted into a study abroad program eligible for college credit.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, gaining proficiency in diverse languages and cultures. The program aims to encourage students to study critical-need languages (those deemed important to U.S. national security). Over 2,900 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates. Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process.

Boren Scholarship
Funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), these scholarships provide up to $20,000 to undergraduate students from the U.S. to study abroad in areas of the world that are underrepresented in study abroad.

Christianson Grant
The InterExchange Foundation Christianson Grant provides awards of up to $10,000 to motivated young Americans who create and carry out meaningful service projects around the world. To qualify, you must plan to participate in a work, internship or volunteer program abroad lasting at least six months.

Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation
The foundation supports Silver or Gold Award Girl Scouts who plan to study abroad as undergraduates. The Scholarship for Study Abroad provides $1,000 directly to the awardees upon verification that they have begun their study abroad experience.

Diversity Abroad
This organization connects students from diverse backgrounds with international opportunities. Several scholarships are available.

Education New Zealand
Education New Zealand offers multiple scholarships to study in New Zealand.

First Trip Scholarships
First Trip offers scholarships from $750 to $1,500 for students traveling abroad for the first time. Your destination must be a country ranked lower than “very high” on the U.N. Human Development Index. You must be willing to provide a brief written account of your experience abroad upon returning to the U.S.

Foundation for Asia Pacific Education
A non-profit organization located in Denver, Colorado, the Asia Pacific Foundation awards scholarships of up to $1,500 to help students obtain international experience in the Asia Pacific region. Students who are from under-represented populations in international education are a priority.

Freeman Awards for Study in 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 awards range from $3,000 per student for summer study and $5,000 per semester, to a maximum of $7,000 for a full year abroad.

Fund for Education Abroad
FEA awards funds to students planning to study abroad with a strong preference for underrepresented students. FEA is expanding access to study abroad by raising awareness of its benefits and by granting scholarships of up to $10,000. In addition to the general scholarships, FEA also offers dedicated scholarships. To be eligible for a dedicated scholarship, students must also meet the general FEA scholarship eligibility requirements and indicate their interest through their application forms. FEA’s dedicated scholarships include:

  • Athletes Abroad Scholarship: Available to applicants who are student-athletes (club, intramural or varsity) participating in any program or subject that confers credits toward degree completion.
  • Hilary Echo Douglas Memorial Scholarship: Awarded to one student each year planning to study abroad in Vietnam or within other Southeast Asian cultures.
  • Rainbow Scholarship: Awarded to a deserving LGBTQI student who aims to participate in a high-quality, rigorous education abroad program.

Gilman-McCain Scholarship
The Gilman-McCain Scholarship is a congressionally funded initiative of the US Dept. of State, named after the late senator John S. McCain from Arizona. It provides awards of $5,000 for child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad.

Go Overseas Scholarships
Go Overseas offers $500 scholarships for volunteering and studying aboard anywhere, plus scholarships of up to $15,000 for study in Ireland, Scotland, Germany, Sweden and New Zealand.

HI USA Explore the World Travel Scholarships
Hostelling International USA (HI USA) is committed to creating a more tolerant world, and these scholarships create a whole new breed of young travelers inspired to make the world a better place. Recipients of the scholarship receive $2,000 to help finance their international trip as long as they have an educational or service component to their itinerary.

Killam Undergraduate Fellowship
This program offers a cash award of $5,000 per semester and many additional benefits for students who want to study at a Canadian university.

Research Internships in Science and Engineering (RISE) Germany
RISE Germany offers summer research internships in Germany for undergraduate students from North America, Great Britain and Ireland. In their internships, students are carefully matched with doctoral students whom they assist and who serve as their mentors. Interns receive a monthly stipend. About 300 scholarships are available each year.

Tortuga Backpacks Study Abroad Scholarship
Tortuga Backpacks offers a $1,000 study abroad scholarship and one really nice travel backpack. Each year two scholarships are offered, one for the spring semester and one for the fall semester.

The Toshizo Watanabe Study Abroad Scholarship
This scholarship provides financial assistance for a semester or year-long study abroad program in Japan. A gift from Mr. Watanabe to the U.S.-Japan Council makes it possible to award scholarships to students for whom study abroad would not be possible without financial support. The scholarship will support up to the full cost of attendance to the study abroad program of the applicant’s choice.

US-Japan Bridging Foundation Scholarships
The Bridging Project offers scholarships to American undergraduate students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan. It assists students with the travel and living expenses they will incur while studying abroad in Japan for a semester or an academic year.

 

Scholarships for Graduates

American-Scandinavian Foundation
The ASF offers fellowships (up to $23,000) and grants (up to $5,000) for individuals to pursue research, study or creative arts projects in one or more Scandinavian countries for up to one year. Awards are made in all fields.

Churchill Scholarship
The Churchill Scholarship and Kanders Churchill Scholarship provide funding to American students for a year of master’s study at the University of Cambridge. The program was set up at the request of Sir Winston Churchill in order to fulfill his vision of US–UK scientific exchange with the goal of advancing science and technology on both sides of the Atlantic.

Critical Language Scholarship
The CLS Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students. Students spend 8-10 weeks abroad studying one of 15 critical languages: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish and Urdu. The program includes intensive language instruction and cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains. The scholarship program includes international airfare, tuition and all program costs, as well as meals and living accommodations (often with a host family).

DAAD Study Scholarship

Highly qualified undergraduate students in their final undergraduate year or those who have received an undergraduate degree in any discipline may apply for the DAAD Study Scholarship for a full Master’s degree program at a State or State-recognized university in Germany or for study at a German university as part of a postgraduate or Master’s degree program completed in their home country.

Davies-Jackson Scholarship
Graduating seniors are eligible to apply for a fellowship that supports up to two years of study at St. John’s College at the University of Cambridge in England. The scholarship, valued at approximately $50,000, is offered annually and is administered by the Council of Independent Colleges. It is expressly intended for first-generation college students in the humanities, social sciences and the arts.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The Fulbright U.S. Student Program is the largest U.S. exchange program, offering opportunities for students and young professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching and primary and secondary school teaching worldwide. The program currently awards approximately 1,900 grants annually in all fields of study, and operates in more than 140 countries worldwide. Students interested in this program should begin planning for it during their sophomore year.

Luce Scholars Program
The Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive fellowship program sponsored by the Henry Luce Foundation to enhance the understanding of Asia among potential leaders in American society. The program provides stipends, language training and individualized professional placement in Asia for 15-18 Luce Scholars each year, and welcomes applications from college seniors, graduate students, and young professionals in a variety of fields who have had limited exposure to Asia.

Marshall Scholarship
Named for Secretary of State George C. Marshall, the Marshall Scholarship program began in 1953 as a gesture of gratitude to the people of the U.S. for the assistance that the U.K. received after World War II under the Marshall Plan. Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in any academic subject at U.K. universities for up to three years.

Senator George Mitchell Scholarship
The Mitchell Scholarship is a nationally competitive award that offers students an opportunity to pursue one year of post-graduate study in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Up to 12 Mitchell Scholars are chosen annually. Applicants are judged on academic excellence, a record of outstanding leadership, and a sustained commitment to community and public service. The scholarship provides tuition, accommodation and a stipend for living expenses and travel.

Find Out More

Office of Study Abroad

Alexandra Bryan,
Assistant Vice President of Student Experience
(573) 876-7212, Ext. 4230 [email protected] Stamper Commons Office of Study Abroad

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