Study Abroad and Financial Aid

Many students do not realize that they can take most, if not all of their financial aid and use it towards study abroad opportunities.  It is important to understand and realize that financial aid is an individual entity – what is available to one person may not be available to another. In addition, some financial aid may not be able to be used outside of FAU. As such, it is important that students make contact with the financial aid study abroad advisor early and remain in contact throughout the process.

The Offices of Financial Aid and Study Abroad have an online brochure to help you understand how the financial aid process works for study abroad students.

Please take a moment to review the guide.

http://www.fau.edu/finaid/special_programs/study_abroad.php.


Most important: You must have a current FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) on file in order to be considered for any financial aid through FAU. In addition to the FAFSA, students applying for summer financial aid need to complete the summer Financial Aid Application that becomes available online beginning February 1 each year. Summer financial aid is first come first serve, so complete the online application early.

Study abroad Scholarship, Grant, & Fellowship Directories

There are numerous funding opportunities available to students, provided they are willing to take the initiative and research those opportunities, and then follow through with the requirements and deadlines for those opportunities. Note that some funding opportunities will require a current FAFSA on file with the Financial Aid Office. To begin, let’s define the different opportunities available:

Scholarship - A scholarship is an award of access to an institution and/or a financial aid award for an individual for the purposes of furthering their education. A scholarship is generally awarded based on any number of arbitrary criteria, including: financial need, academic achievement, athletic achievement, public service, nationality or ethnicity.

Grant - Financial assistance awarded to a student that does not have to be repaid, usually based on need.

Fellowship - An award made directly to an individual in support of specific educational pursuits; recipients may be subject to service and/or payback requirements after the fellowship terminates.

http://www.studyabroadfunding.org is a comprehensive directory of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, and grants to find funding for study outside the US at an undergraduate, graduate, or professional level of study.

Fastweb (http://www.fastweb.com) a popular, no-fee American college scholarship database. Registration required.

International Education Financial Aid (http://www.iefa.org) IEFA is an Internet resource for financial aid information for students wishing to study in a foreign country. At this site, you will find a comprehensive listing of grants, scholarships, loan programs, and other information to assist students in their pursuit to study abroad.

GrantNet (http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/funding?CFID=211918&CFTOKEN=43391292) Funding Opportunities for Training in the Biological and Medical Sciences.

Scholarships, Grants, and Fellowships.

Gilman International Scholarship Program (http://www.iie.org//programs/gilman/index.html) The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State and administered by the Institute of International Education. This program seeks to lower barriers to undergraduate study abroad by offering scholarships to students with financial need, and we encourage those underrepresented in study abroad to apply. The award is up to $5,000 for semester or academic year programs.

Fulbright Scholarships (www.iie.org) For both Americans going abroad and incoming foreign students. Grants are made to citizens of participating countries, primarily for: university teaching, advanced research, graduate study and teaching in elementary and secondary schools.

National Security Education Program (NSEP) (http://www.iie.org/programs/nsep/default.htm) Offers undergraduate scholarships to U.S. citizens of up to $16,000 for summer, semester or academic year study abroad.

Freeman Asia Grant (http://www.iie.org/programs/Freeman%2DASIA/default.shtm) The primary goal of Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) is to increase the number of U.S. undergraduates who study in East Asia, by providing them with the information and financial assistance they will need.

British Council (http://www.britishcouncil.org/eis/assfinan.htm) lists funding and scholarship information for study in the United Kingdom

DAAD - German Academic Exchange Service (http://www.daad.org) The DAAD Undergraduate Scholarship is a flexible scholarship program which offers SHORT-TERM scholarships for participation in summer study abroad, internships, senior thesis research or summer courses at German universities and LONG-TERM scholarships for semester or year study abroad.

American Association of University Women (http://www.aauw.org/fga/index.cfm) The largest source of funding exclusively for graduate women in the world, supports aspiring scholars around the globe, teachers and activists in local communities, women at critical stages of their careers, and those pursuing professions where women are underrepresented.

Rotary Foundation Scholarships (http://www.rotary.org/foundation/educational/amb_scho/index.html) The Ambassadorial Scholarships Program of The Rotary Foundation is the largest privately funded international scholarships program.

U.S. Department of Education (http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html) The Student Guide is the most comprehensive resource on student financial aid from the U.S. Department of Education. Grants, loans, and work-study are the three major forms of student financial aid available through the Department's Student Financial Assistance office.

National Science Foundation (www.iie.org/cesri) With support from the National Science Foundation, the Central Europe Summer Research Institute (CESRI) will provide ten U.S. graduate students in the sciences and engineering with a high-quality international research experience in Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland or Slovakia.

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) Scholarship (http://www.nscs.org/scholarships/index.cfm) The NSCS Scholar Abroad scholarship program funds one $5,000 award each fall and spring semester and one $2,500 award each summer.

Rhodes Scholarship (http://www.rhodesscholar.org) The Rhodes Scholarships, the oldest international fellowships, bring outstanding students from many countries around the world to the University of Oxford.

Phi Kappa Phi Grant (http://www.phikappaphi.org/Web/Scholarships) The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi's ongoing commitment to excellence is reflected in its scholarships and awards programs. More than $700,000 is awarded each year to outstanding Phi Kappa Phi members and chapters through the Society's various awards competitions.

John E. Bowman Travel Grants (http://www.ciee.org/study/scholarships.aspx) The Bowman Travel Grants were established in memory of John E. Bowman, Executive Director of CIEE from 1952 to 1979. These awards provide assistance to students participating in CIEE study abroad programs in non-traditional locations. They help to defray the costs of travel.  Students need to be going on a CIEE Program.

Scholarships and Grants through the French Government (http://www.edufrance.fr/en/a-etudier/bourse01.htm) The French Government funds approximately 22,000 students each year. Most of the money is administered by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hispanic Study Abroad Scholars (HSAS) (http://www.studyabroadscholars.org/index.html) Over $8 Million in scholarships for Hispanic study abroad. The HSAS Scholarship offers $1,000 per semester to students of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) attending Global Learning Semesters programs.

Institute of Turkish Studies (http://www.turkishstudies.org) Founded and incorporated in the District of Columbia in 1982 and currently located at the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service of the Georgetown University, the oldest and largest school of international affairs in the country, the Institute of Turkish Studies (ITS) is the only non-profit, private educational foundation in the United States that sports the development of Turkish Studies in American higher education.

The Ayn Rand Institute (http://www.aynrand.org) Essay contest.

Affiliate Scholarships

Are scholarships offered by our affiliate partners to FAU students taking part in the affiliation agreement.

AIFS Minority Scholarships (http://www.aifsabroad.com/css/scholarships.htm) Scholarships are awarded one per semester, full tuition for an AIFS study abroad program. One hundred AIFS International Scholarships are awarded annually---$1000 toward an AIFS program.

AustraLearn (http://www.australearn.org/AdvisorSection/advscholarship.htm) In each academic year, AustraLearn will award more than $275,000 in scholarships and grants to help students who may otherwise be unable to study abroad and ensure that students have an affordable international experience in Australia and New Zealand.

CEA (Cultural Experiences Abroad) (http://www.gowithcea.com/financing/scholarships.html?WhatsNew1) You will find several unique scholarship opportunities available to CEA students. These scholarships are open to all CEA program participants that meet the eligibility requirements.

ISA(International Studies Abroad) (http://www.studiesabroad.com/admissions/document/scholarships?quickjump) ISA awards $40,000 in scholarships each year to students from affiliated universities who are participating in ISA's language-based programs.

CCIS (College Consortium for International Studies) (http://www.ccisabroad.org/finaid.html) CCIS offers scholarships each term to students at member institutions. If your school is a CCIS Member you are eligible to be nominated by your study abroad advisor for a CCIS scholarship.

CentralCollegeAbroad  (http://www.central.edu/abroad/financialAid/index.html) There are two scholarships available for non-Central College students. They are the Vance Scholarship for students from cooperating institutions who have been accepted to one of Central Colleges study abroad programs, and the Merit Scholarship for students who have achieved a 3.6 GPA or above, have excellent recommendations, and have a high motivation to study abroad.

Student Loans

A loan is a type of financial aid that must be repaid, with interest. The federal student loan programs (Federal Family Education Loan Program and Federal Direct Student Loan Program) are a good method of financing the costs of your study abroad program. These loans are better than most consumer loans because they have lower interest rates and do not require a credit check or collateral. The Stafford Loans and Perkins Loans also provide a variety of deferment options and extended repayment terms. For these types of loans, please visit the Financial Aid Office and speak with the Study Abroad Financial Aid Advisor. 

For those students looking for alternative loans not secured through your home institution there are two mentioned below. Please note that those options are not the only ones available to students.

International Education Finance Corporation (http://www.iefc.com) The International Education Finance Corporation (IEFC) has developed a range of international student loan programs for the growing population of students who wish to study in foreign countries. To date, our programs have helped over 10,000 students reach their goal of an international education.

Salliemae (http://www.salliemae.com) is the nation’s leader in providing student loans.

Books on Financial Aid

• Free Money for Foreign Study: A Guide to More Than 1,000 Grants and Scholarships for Study Abroad by Laurie Blum.

• Financial Resources for International Study: A Guide for US Students and Professions by Marie O’Sullivan and Sara J. Steen (Editors)

• Peterson’s Scholarships, Grants & Prizes 2007 by Linda Seghers (Book intended for minority students or students with financial need)

Financial Aid Study Abroad Workshops

Study Abroad Financial Aid Workshops will be held each year according to the following schedule:

January – Targeting summer students

April – Targeting fall students

October – Targeting spring students

The specific dates and times of these workshops can be found on the OIP website (www.fau.edu/goabroad) and via flyers both in the Financial Aid Office and OIP.