Finances
We get it—higher education isn’t cheap. And now, you’re considering adding a study abroad/away experience on top of that. Is it possible? Is it worth it? you’re probably asking. We’re going to do our best on this page to show that it absolutely is possible and at a variety of budgets. As for whether it’s worth your time and money, studies show that students who study abroad earn more (this article reports an extra $6,000 per year!) or are more likely to be accepted into their first or second choice graduate programs—just to name a few benefits. So, yes, it’s an investment, but one with proven returns!
Before you dive into the resources and tools below, check out these tips:
- Start preparing your budget as early as possible—the more time, the more opportunities for funding you will likely have.
- Keep in mind that costs depend on a number of factors, including program type and duration, time of year, destination, and exchange rate.
- Be aware that financial aid can usually be used for program costs of credit-bearing study abroad experiences AND don’t rule out need-based aid if you haven’t received it in the past—many students apply and qualify for financial aid the year they go abroad.
- Apply for as many grants and scholarships as you can—there are scholarships out there for practically every country, region, language, duration, student identity, and experience type, including ones here at home from the Stout Foundation and for Wisconsin residents!
- Be creative—use crowdfunding sites or start asking for contributions to a study-abroad savings account instead of gifts!
- Remember you can always meet with an advisor to discuss programs that best fit your budget and interests. Please visit this link to schedule a meeting. We’re here for you!
LOANS AND GRANTS
Financial aid travels with you! You can apply most forms of federal, state, and institutional aid—including loans and grants—for which you qualify and are awarded to support your study abroad or National Student Exchange program.
- If you haven’t received aid in the past, you may still be eligible for financial aid to help with your study abroad expenses. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for information and application forms.
- If you already receive aid, you may qualify for additional funding to offset the extra costs sometimes associated with study abroad. Talk with your counselor at the Office of Financial Aid to calculate your eligible aid amount. Bring along the Cost Estimate for your program to help determine whether your award can be adjusted to consider increased costs, such as airfare.
- If you are a Wisconsin resident and are accepted into a UW-Stout study abroad program, you are automatically eligible for an international study grant. Keep in mind that the Financial Aid Office will award the grant based on the cost estimate for your program and financial need based on results from your FAFSA.
GI BILL
You can use the Post-9/11 GI Bill to help pay for study abroad. You can read guidance here.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Note: Under each scholarship below, we highlight one or two key requirements and the estimated amount. The list is not exhaustive. (It may be hard to believe, but there are even more scholarships out there!) Although we try to keep the information up to date, details often change. So, we encourage you to verify all requirements. If you wish to download and print the list, you can do so here: Study Abroad Scholarships.pdf and Study Abroad Scholarships.docx.
UW-Stout Scholarships
The Stout Foundation offers a variety of scholarships and a few are specific to study abroad. There is one application for all of the scholarships they offer. Applications are open from October to February each year for the following academic year. Visit this link for a complete list of scholarships.
Scholarships specific to study abroad:
Scholarships for Underrepresented Students
API Scholarships
Note: Student must participate in an API program. Student may apply to multiple scholarships, including first generation, DACA, STEM, student athlete and diversity scholarships. Student participating in an API program who receives a Gilman Scholarship is eligible to receive up to $1,000 in a matching contribution.
Amount: Up to $3,000
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
The Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.
Note: Student must be a Federal Pell Grant recipient.
Amount: Up to $5,000.
CEA Diversity Scholarships
Note: Student must participate in a CEA program.
Amount: Up to $2,000
CIEE College Study Abroad
Note: Student must participate in a CIEE program.
Amount: Up to $4,000
- Gilman Go Global Grant
- Qualified applicants for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship are eligible for a Gilman Go Global Grant, regardless of whether they are selected as a Gilman Scholar.
- GAIN Travel Grant
- This grant helps cover outbound and return airfare to all CIEE program locations for students who demonstrate financial need. All students who receive a Federal Pell Grants are guaranteed a GAIN Travel Grant.
Fund for Education Abroad Scholarship
FEA is committed to increasing the number of underrepresented American college students studying abroad through the provision of scholarships. There are dedicated scholarships through FEA in addition to scholarships through their Access Partner Scholarship programs such as USAC (a UW-Stout study abroad partner). Students with financial need who are participating on USAC programs may apply for FEA-USAC Access Scholarships of up to $5,000 and will also be considered for FEA’s general scholarships.
Note: Program must be at least 4+ weeks (28+ days) in country/countries.
Minority Scholarship in Classics and Classical Archaeology
Note: Student must be from a historically underrepresented ethnic or racial minority group and study classics or classical archaeology during the summer.
Amount: Up to $4,500.
USAC Access Scholarships
USAC offers several scholarships that are intended to support access to study abroad opportunities among students historically underrepresented in study abroad.
Amount: Up to $5000 for Access Scholarships
Scholarships for Short-Term Programs
Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation
Note: Student must be a sophomore or junior pursuing a research career in natural science, mathematics, or engineering. To use the award for a summer study abroad program, student must submit a request to the Foundation.
Amount: Up to 1/3 of the award granted or $2,500 for summer program.
Critical Language Scholarships (CLS)
Note: Undergraduate student willing to complete rigorous academic instruction and cultural immersion activities overseas over 8-12 weeks in summer, though equivalent to approximately a full academic year of language study, to increase language fluency and cultural competencies in 1 of 15 critical languages.
Amount: Almost all expenses covered - roundtrip flight, visa application fees, language instruction, room, board, program-sponsored travel within the host country, all entrance fees for program activities, and Oral Proficiency Interview language assessments, among others.
Freeman-ASIA Award
Note: Student must study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
Amount: Up to $3,000 for summer program.
Fund for Education Abroad Scholarship
Note: Program must be at least 4+ weeks (28+ days) in country/countries.
Amount: Prorated by number of weeks in-country (minimum of $1,250).
Garden Club of America Awards for Summer Environmental Studies
Note: Student must pursue summer coursework in environmental studies.
Amount: $3,000.
Gilman Scholarship
Note: Student must be a Federal Pell Grant recipient. No program length requirement.
Amount: Up to $5,000.
Gilman-McCain Scholarship
Note: Student must be a child dependent of an active duty service member and receive at least one type of Title IV federal financial aid.
Amount: Up to $5,000.
Minority Scholarship in Classics and Classical Archaeology
Note: Student must be from a historically underrepresented ethnic or racial minority group and study classics or classical archaeology during the summer.
Amount: Up to $4,500.
Scott's Cheap Flights Study Abroad Scholarship
Note: Program can be a summer (or longer) program.
Amount: $1,000 two times per year.
iVisa Scholarship
Note: Program has no length requirement.
Amount: $1,500.
Note: If you are participating in a short-term program from one of the following study abroad providers, see their scholarship information in the section below: API, CEA, CIEE, USAC, and World Endeavors.
Organization Scholarships for Long-Term Programs
API Scholarships
Note: Student must participate in an API program. Student may apply to multiple scholarships, including regional, first generation, DACA, STEM, student athlete and diversity scholarships. Student participating in an API program who receives a Gilman Scholarship is eligible to receive up to $1,000 in a matching contribution.
Amount: $250-$1,000 per summer student or up to $2,000 per semester/academic year student.
Ashley Soulé Conroy Foundation Scholar Program
Note: Student must be enrolled in a program that is at least 14 weeks.
Amount: $4,000.
Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation
Note: Student must be a sophomore or junior pursuing a research career in natural science, mathematics, or engineering. Recipient may study abroad during an academic term, though Goldwater funding is based on the home U.S. institution’s educational expenses. Student must consult with the Foundation prior to signing up for an overseas program.
Amount: $7,500-$15,000. A sophomore Goldwater recipient will receive up to $7,500 in both junior and senior years. A junior recipient will receive up to $7,500 for just the senior year.
Boren Scholarship
Note: Undergraduate student must focus on geographic area, language, and field(s) of study deemed critical to U.S. national security.
Amount: Up to $20,000 for 25-52 weeks (preferred), up to $10,000 for 12-24 weeks, up to $8,000 for 8-11 weeks (STEM majors only).
Boren Fellowship
Note: Graduate student must conduct research and language study in world region(s) critical to U.S. interests.
Amount: Up to $24,000 for 37-52 weeks abroad (preferred), up to $20,000 for 25-36 weeks abroad (preferred), up to $12,000 for 12-24 weeks, and up to $12,000 for domestic language study (optional).
CEA Scholarships
Note: Student must participate in a CEA program. Student may apply to only one merit or diversity-based scholarship, in addition to one need-based scholarship. Other scholarship types include custom and faculty-led program scholarships.
CIEE Grants and Scholarships
Note: Student must participate in a CIEE program.
Amount: Up to $4,000 per semester or up to $2,000 per summer.
Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation Scholarships
Note: Student must be a silver or gold Girl Scout. Student must be pursuing a degree in the study of language or studying in a foreign country as enrichment for the college program. Study abroad program can be for the summer, semester, or year.
Amount: $1,500 per academic year (renewable three times, for a maximum amount of $6,000) for the Study of a Foreign Language Scholarship and $1,000 for the Study Abroad Scholarship.
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Note: Senior undergraduate student or graduate student must complete a year-long or 9-12 month program, through one of multiple program types.
Amount: Benefit varies, but all Fulbright grants include round-trip transportation to host country, funding to cover room, board, and incidental costs in the host country, along with other benefits.
Fund for Education Abroad Scholarships
Note: Program must be 4+ weeks (28+ days) in country/countries.
Amount: Up to $10,000 for a full academic year program and up to $5,000 for a fall or spring semester program.
Fund for Education Abroad - Rainbow Scholarship
Note: Student self-identifies as LGBTQ+ on the Fund for Education scholarship application and aims to participate in a high-quality, rigorous education abroad program.
Amount: Up to $10,000.
Gilman Scholarship
Note: Student must be a Federal Pell Grant recipient.
Amount: Up to $5,000.
Gilman-McCain Scholarship
Note: Student must be a child dependent of an active duty service member and receive a type of Title IV federal financial aid. Program must be 3+ weeks.
Amount: Up to $5,000.
Good Colleges Study Abroad Award
Amount: $2,000.
Groove Life College Scholarships
Note: Student must be in a business, entrepreneurship, or graphic design related field.
Amount: $3,000 for first prize and $2,000 for second prize.
HI USA Explore the World Travel Scholarship
Note: Student must officially reside in a metropolitan area where HI USA has a presence (the closest is Minneapolis).
Amount: $2,000.
iVisa Scholarship
Note: Program has no length requirement.
Amount: $1,500.
Rotary Grants and Scholarships
Note: Student must pursue full-time study for one academic year abroad. Student must apply based on deadline set by individual Rotary Clubs.
Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship
Amount: $1,000.
USAC Scholarships
Note: Student must participate in a USAC program. There are multiple scholarship types, including first generation, military service, and STEM scholarships, among others.
Amount: Varies but typical amount is $750-$1,000.
World Endeavors Scholarships
Note: Student must participate in a World Endeavors program.
Amount: Up to $250.
Region-Specific Scholarships
ASIA
Asia Institute - International Engineering Program Scholarships
Note: Student must study in Asia and have a minor, major, masters, or doctoral degree in the field of engineering.
Amount: $1,000.
Blakemore Foundation Language Grants
Note: Student must complete an academic year of advanced level language study in East or Southeast Asia at a Foundation-approved institution. Eligible languages are Burmese, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Thai, and Vietnamese.
Freeman-ASIA Award
Note: Student must study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
Amount: Up to $3,000 for summer program, up to $5,000 for semester/quarter, and up to $7,000 for academic/calendar year.
LATIN AMERICA
Organization of American States (OAS) Scholarships
Note: There are a number of scholarship types including those for graduate students in the fields of engineering, science, and health to study in Mexico and for Master’s and doctoral students to study in Brazil.
UNITED KINGDOM
BUTEX Scholarship
Note: Student must study at one of a selected list of institutions in the United Kingdom for a semester or academic year.
Amount: £500.
Country-Specific Scholarships
AUSTRALIA
API - Macquarie University Scholarship
Note: Student must participate in the API program at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.
Amount: AU$500.
CHILE
API - Rose Simonsen Franke / La Gringa Loca Memorial Scholarship
Note: Student must complete a fall semester through API in Chile.
Amount: $1,500.
COSTA RICA
API - Instituto San Joaquin de Flores Partner Scholarship
Note: Student must complete a semester or academic year program through API at Instituto San Joaquin de Flores.
Amount: $1,650 for Spanish Language or Latin American Studies program or $2,500 per term for Sustainability and Environmental Studies program.
DENMARK
Upper Midwest Rebild Scholarship
Note: Student must study for a minimum of one semester in Denmark.
Amount: $1,000–$2,000.
ENGLAND
London School of Economics - John C. Phelan General Course Scholarship
Note: Student must be accepted to the General Course at LSE.
Amount: Up to £21,336.
FINLAND
Finlandia Foundation Scholarships
Note: Student of Finnish-American heritage is given primary consideration as well as a student studying subjects related to Finnish culture.
Amount: $1,000-$3,000.
GERMANY
Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals Scholarship
Note: Student must complete two months of intensive German language training, one semester of classes in the student’s academic/career field at a university, technical or professional school, and three-month internship in the student’s career field.
Amount: Includes airfare from Washington DC, language school costs, tuition costs, housing costs, monthly stipend, program-related travel within Germany, and more.
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Note: Student must conduct study and/or research in Germany.
Amount: Monthly stipend.
ITALY
ItaliaRail Scholarship
Note: Student must be enrolled in a full semester (12-16 weeks) program in Italy.
Amount: $1,000 and a 3-day Italy Rail Pass.
National Italian American Foundation Scholarship
Note: Student must have at least one ancestor who immigrated from Italy. Student must be a member of NIAF or have a parent, grandparent or guardian with an active NIAF membership (individual may also join NIAF to qualify).
Amount: $2,500–$12,000.
IRELAND
Trinity College Dublin STEM Study Abroad Excellence Scholarship
Note: Student must be a declared major in a STEM subject and study at Trinity College Dublin for a semester or year.
Amount: €1,000.
JAPAN
Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) Scholarship
Note: Student must complete a year-long program in Japan.
Amount: Roundtrip airfare, monthly stipend, and one-time settling-in allowance.
Monbukagakusho (MEXT) Scholarships
Note: Scholarship types include research student, undergraduate student, specialized training college student, and Japanese studies, with varying eligibility requirements. Those applicants living in Wisconsin should apply to the MEXT Office in its jurisdiction: the Consulate-General of Japan in Chicago.
Amount: Monthly stipend, roundtrip airfare, and a settling-in allowance.
Study Abroad in Japan: Bridging Scholarship
Note: Student must spend three months studying in Japan. Knowledge of the Japanese language is not a prerequisite.
Amount: $2,500 stipend for semester-long program or $4,000 for academic year.
Toshizo Watanabe Scholarship
Note: Student must study for a semester or a year in Japan. Preference is given to applicants raised by a single parent or lost both parents, without significant international travel or study experience, are the first generation to attend college, and/or are studying abroad for a year or less.
Amount: Varies, but up to the full cost of attendance.
NEW ZEALAND
API - AUT Scholarship
Note: Student must participate in the API program at AUT University in Auckland.
Amount: $500.
API - University of Otago Scholarship
Note: Student must participate in the API program at University of Otago in Dunedin.
Amount: $500.
Go Overseas - New Zealand Scholarship
Note: Student must be directly enrolled in one of eight participating New Zealand universities or three participating institutes of technology and polytechnics.
Amount: Full semester tuition up to NZ$15,000 and roundtrip airfare.
New Zealand Generation Study Abroad Excellence and Travel Awards
Note: Student must attend a semester at a New Zealand university or institute of technology or polytechnic through a study abroad or exchange program.
Amount: $2,000 for travel award and $500 for excellence award.
NORWAY
Sons of Norway Foundation Scholarships
Note: Student must be studying abroad in Norway; additional requirements vary based on scholarship type.
Amount: $3,000.
SCOTLAND
Scotland’s Saltire Scholarships
Note: Student must be full-time in a Master’s program.
Amount: £8,000.
SWEDEN
Lilly Lorenzen Scholarship
Note: Student must be a Minnesota resident who carries out scholarly or creative studies in Sweden and has a working knowledge of the Swedish language, among other requirements.
Amount: $1,000.
Internship Scholarships
API - Intern Scholarship
Note: Student must participate in API internship program for a semester or summer.
Amount: $500.
API - Gilman Matching Contribution Intern Scholarship
Note: Student must be a Gilman Scholarship recipient who participates in an API internship program.
Amount: $500.
Creative Fundraising Ideas and Crowdfunding Sites
Fundly.com
Note: Basic plan is free, with up to 7.9% fees for donations received online.
Fundmytravel.com
Note: Sign-up is free, with up to 8.9% fees for donations received online.
GoEnnounce.com
Note: Sign-up is free, with 3.5% fees for donations received online.
GoFundMe.com
Note: Sign-up is free, with 7.9% fees for donations received online.
Indiegogo.com
Note: Sign-up is free, with 4% fee if you reach your goal amount and 9% fee if you do not reach your goal.
Plumfund.com
Note: Sign-up is free, with 5.2% fees for donations received online.
Financial Aid Tools from Peer Universities and Professional Organizations
Arcadia University – College of Global Studies
Extensive Scholarship List
College Board
General Scholarship Search
Diversity Abroad
Scholarship List
Expatistan
Cost-of-living comparison tool
Go Overseas
The Ultimate Student Guide to Financing Your Life Abroad
Scholarship List
International Education Financial Aid
Scholarship Search Engine
InternationalScholarships.com
Comprehensive list of scholarships, grants, loan programs, and other resources
KU Study Abroad Scholarship Handbook
Extensive list of scholarships by category
Study Abroad
Scholarship Database
United States Department of State Language Programs
Searchable list and description of many generously funded language programs offered through the DoS
University of Minnesota Learning Abroad Center
Funding Search Engine
Comparing Costs Video