Financial Aid

Financial assistance for summer study abroad programs is limited, but in the past some students have secured financial aid for ieiMedia programs. Check first with your campus financial aid office AND your international programs office for more information about what funding is available through your school.

Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Program

NEWS ALERT: In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship Program, the Institute of International Education (IIE) has announced the expansion of its summer awards to include all academic majors, making it possible for ieiMedia students to apply!!!! For more information about the Gilman Scholarship please visit the Gilman website.

For 2011, The Gilman Scholarship program gave out approximately 500 scholarships for summer 2011 alone. These scholarships ranged from $1,000 to $5,000. One student who participated in our 2011 Istanbul program received a $5,000 scholarship. Over 2,300 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study abroad.

Deadline: TBD

Average grant: $3,000

Online application: https://gilmanapplication.iie.org/IIE/public/Default.aspx

For students applying for any academic term (Academic Year, Fall, Spring or Summer) please find the eligibility requirements below:

• Enrolled as an undergraduate student at a two or four-year U.S. Institution
• United States citizen
• Receiving a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of study abroad
• Participating in a study-abroad program that is no less than 4 weeks in one country
• Receiving academic credit
• Study in any country not currently under a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning or Cuba

Other Organizations

• Go! Overseas offers $1,000 scholarships for students planning to study abroad in any program. The deadline for applications is Jan. 15.
• The Fund for Education Abroad offers scholarships for U.S. citizens interested in studying abroad.
• The Overseas Press Club offers 12 $2,000 scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students who aspire to become foreign correspondents. Applications, including a 500-word essay, a cover letter and a resume, are due Dec. 1, 2010.
• The Sons of Italy Foundation offers National Leadership Grants to undergraduate and graduate students who are U.S. citizens of Italian descent (at least one Italian or Italian American grandparent). Applications are due Feb. 28, 2011.
• Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society offers 45 $1,000 scholarships for high-achieving students to study abroad.
• The Turkish Coalition of America offers several scholarships for students interested in studying in Turkey.

School-Specific Scholarships

A number of schools have scholarships specifically for study-abroad programs. Among them:

• Iowa State University Liberal Arts and Sciences Study Abroad Scholarships
• University of Texas at Austin
• Michigan State University
• Kansas State University Office of International Programs
• University of Minnesota
• Northern Michigan University

Ask your international programs office if your school has any special scholarships for study abroad.

Other Funding Sources

Local, regional and national groups sometimes provide scholarships for independent study projects or study-abroad programs. These include:

• Heritage groups that have interests in specific countries (e.g. National Italian American Foundation)
• Civic groups (Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions Clubs)
• Agencies and foundations
• Professional and business clubs
• Sororities and fraternities (local and national chapters)
• Charitable, ethnic, religious and campus organizations

Some students have also had luck applying directly to a relative, friend or other private donor.

Write a letter to the group or individual specifying how you intend to spend the funds (airfare, program fee, tuition, personal travel, etc.) and what you hope to gain from the program. In exchange for the financial support, you should pledge to give something back, such as regular updates while you are abroad or making a presentation about your experiences when you return.

Other Fundraising Ideas Include:

• Requesting financial gifts or loans instead of holiday, birthday or graduation gifts
• Finding out if your parents’ employers or your employer have a scholarship program
• Asking family members to donate frequent flyer miles