EXTERNAL FUNDING RESOURCES FOR STUDY ABROAD

The following is a sample of scholarship and grant opportunities available to students studying abroad. If interested, please take the initiative to pursue these external funding opportunities to help defray the cost of studying abroad. The Study Abroad Office is available to provide guidance and assistance. Be sure to pay attention to the qualifications, application deadlines, and requirements for each scholarship as many are  specialized or specific.

• Affiliate Scholarships
• General Scholarships
• Scholarships for Specific Destinations
• Scholarship Opportunities for Minorities
• Search by Databases

Affiliate Scholarships

• API, IPSL, Kripalu, Lorenzo de Medici, The American University in Paris, and American University's Washington semester are among the Lesley affiliates that offer scholarships and/or tuition reduction to Lesley students.  Details vary based on funding available and the number of Lesley applicants to the particular program. Be sure to check with Lesley's study abroad advisor for current details.

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General Scholarships

• The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program - offers intensive summer language study overseas in 11 critical need foreign languages. This program is part of the U.S. government's effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering critical need foreign languages. The CLS Program does not have any government service requirement upon completion. All program costs are covered for participants. The deadline for Summer 2010 is November 2009.
• Sally Whitcher World Travel and Peace Awards - is part of the educational mission of Hostelling International USA (HI-USA) to promote world peace through local and global travel. The Eastern New England Council of HI-USA supports responsible and meaningful travel through two $500 travel grants, awarded each semester to college students within our region who best demonstrate a commitment to educational and intercultural experiences in their travel plans.
• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships Program - offers a competition for awards for undergraduate study abroad. Awards of up to $5,000 are made for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need; the average award is $4,000. Students who are receiving federal Pell Grant funding at 2-year or 4-year undergraduate colleges or universities are eligible to apply.
• Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships – aim to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas. The program sponsors several types of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students. You must apply through a local Rotary Club. While abroad, scholars serve as goodwill ambassadors to the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share their experiences that led to a greater understanding of their host country.
• InterExchange Foundation Christianson Grant - provides grants to young Americans who wish to help further cultural awareness through meaningful work abroad experiences. The InterExchange Foundation offers two grant options, the Working Abroad Grant and the Christianson Grant to defray the costs of transportation, participation fees, travel insurance, housing, and meals related to a work, internship, or volunteer abroad program.

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Scholarships for Specific Destinations

• Boren Scholarships and Fellowships – provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to add an important international and language component to their educations. Funding is available to students studying abroad in geographic areas, languages, and fields of study that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad (including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America & the Caribbean, and the Middle East). The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.
• Bridging Scholarships – available for students who study in Japan for one semester or a full year. Scholarship winners will receive a stipend of $2,500 for a semester or $4,000 for a one year program. Eligible participants are undergraduate students majoring in any field of study. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
• The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) - offers scholarships for study, research, and/or internships in Germany. Scholarships are available either as part of an organized study abroad program or as part of an individual, student-designed study abroad semester or year. Funding is offered for the academic year 2009/2010 and includes a monthly stipend, health insurance, and a lump sum for travel. The application deadline is January 31, 2009.

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Scholarship Opportunities for Minorities

• Diversityabroad.com - Scholarships are available for students studying or interning abroad on programs offered by a Diversity Abroad member organization. Economically disadvantaged students, African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic/Latino and Native-American students are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Institute for International Public Policy – aims to provide quality education and opportunities for minority students.
• Black Excel – a compilation of scholarships for minorities.

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Search by Databases

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators - provides financial aid information for undergraduate students interested in studying abroad. 
• Goabroad.com Scholarships Directory - a resource of hundreds of scholarships, grants, fellowships, and other sources of funding for studying and interning abroad. Use the drop-down menus to narrow down your results by type of award, field of study, academic level, and country of choice. The directory is constantly being updated and expanded, so it's a great resource for study abroad financial aid information.
• Studyabroad.com - provides information about study abroad scholarships, financial aid, grants, and fellowships.
• Studyabroadfunding.org - allows you to search by country or subject to find the study abroad funding information that you need. This is a comprehensive database of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, and grants to help make studying abroad a financial possibility.
• Finaid.org – a comprehensive resource of student financial aid information, advice, and tools.

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