Community and civic organizations

• Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis, Lions Clubs, Elks Lodges (Many offer small local scholarships with surprisingly little competition.)
• Local credit unions and community banks (not just big banks)
• Your local library system (Some have foundations that fund education.)
• Chambers of Commerce in your hometown

 

Employer and family-linked sources

• Parents’ or your own employer (Many firms have education benefits or scholarship programs for employees and/or their children.)
• Labor unions
• Parents’ professional associations
• Your employer’s competitors (Some offer scholarships specifically to attract future talent.)
• Ask family members to donate frequent flyer miles.
• 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.
• Request financial gifts or loans instead of holiday, birthday or graduation gifts.

 

Heritage, identity and niche interest groups

• Ethnic and cultural heritage organizations (e.g., Sons of Norway, Hellenic societies, Japanese American Citizens League)
• Religious denominations and specific congregations
• Hobby or niche interest organizations (Equestrian associations, chess federations, ham radio clubs, quilting guilds — these often have surprisingly generous, underused funds.)
• Scholarships for unusual qualities as well as ones with oddly specific criteria exist, and they’re worth exploring. 

 

Study-abroad specific

• Country-specific scholarships for foreigners (e.g., DAAD for Germany, Chevening for the UK, Fulbright, Erasmus+ if EU-adjacent)
• Airlines and travel companies
• Language-learning organizations tied to the country you’re visiting
• Your destination country’s alumni associations of your home university

 

Corporate

• Local grocery chains, gas stations or regional retailers (Publix, HEB, Meijer, etc. often run scholarship programs.)
• Insurance companies (Some car/home insurers have scholarship programs for policyholders’ children.)

 

Crowdfunding and micro-grants

• GoFundMe education campaigns and other crowdfunding options to share with family and friends (This works better with a specific, compelling story. Before choosing a crowdfunding platform, be sure to review its fees, payment policies and terms.)
• Micro-grant sites like Scholly that aggregate niche awards
• Reddit communities like r/scholarships that sometimes post lesser-known opportunities

 

Institutional but overlooked

• Sororities and fraternities (local and national chapters)
• School departments (not just the financial aid office) 
• Professors with knowledge of “hidden” or small funds
• School scholarships specifically for study-abroad programs
• Alumni associations of your school
• State-level “unclaimed scholarship funds”