Study Abroad Scholarships

Studying abroad is a dream for many students, but the associated costs can put this dream out of reach. Our list of scholarships and grants for students planning to study abroad is a great place to start to get extra funding.

Study Abroad During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Opportunities to travel abroad may be limited during the COVID-19 Global Pandemic. Student’s should review the scholarship provider website regarding any restrictions or limitations of their scholarship opportunities during the pandemic.

Study Abroad Grants

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for English Teaching Assistant Programs or uniquely constructed study/research projects. This program is highly competitive and available to students who have a conferred bachelor's degree or equivalent prior to the start of the grant. For those in the creative or performing arts, four years of professional training and/or experience fulfills the eligibility requirement. Applicants must be citizens or nationals of the U.S. at the time of application. For more information, please visit the program’s website.

Amount: Varies

The Intern Group Scholarships

The Intern Group awards grants to outstanding candidates annually. Grants are offered for merit-based and needs-based applicants. Grant amounts and destinations vary each year, so be sure to visit the scholarship website to see full details and determine if any of the locations and grant opportunities interest you.

Amount: Varies

Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants

Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants help 75 undergraduate students study abroad every year. Applicants do not have to be members of the organization but must attend an institution with an active Phi Kappa Phi chapter in order to apply for a grant. Students must meet the minimum GPA requirement of a 3.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale. For more information on this grant, please check out the organization's website.

Amount: $1,000

Does Pell Grant Cover Study Abroad?

Yes. If your study abroad program is accepted for credit by your U.S. home institution, it is eligible for federal student aid through the home institution. In this case, you could receive the Federal Pell Grant. However, students pursuing an entire program of study at a foreign college or university may not eligible for the Pell Grant, unless their foreign school participates in the U.S. federal student aid programs.

Summer Study Abroad Scholarships

BP Global STEM Academies

BP Global STEM Academies are four-week programs that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and global competence education. These programs are for students interested in STEM, study abroad, and interacting with different cultures. The scholarship covers the AFS program fee, domestic and international airfares, your visa (if necessary), government fees to obtain a passport (if necessary) and all program costs, including meals and housing. Check out the scholarship website for more information on the eligibility requirements and how to apply.

Amount: Varies

Sol Abroad Scholarships

Sol Abroad offers scholarships for high school students attending any of their summer Spanish Immersion programs for at least three (3) weeks. Interested students will have to write an original essay to be considered. Students will have an opportunity to improve their Spanish language skills and understanding of other cultures. Please visit the scholarship website for more information on the Sol Abroad program.

Amount: $100 to $500

High School Study Abroad Scholarships

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange Program

The Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) scholarship permits high school students to get fully immersed into German culture. Scholarship recipients attend a German high school and live with a host family. Additionally, no previous language experience is needed for this scholarship. For more information on this opportunity, please visit the scholarship website.

Amount: Varies

National Security Language Initiative for Youth

Launched in 2006, the U.S. Department of State's National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program encourages critical language learning among U.S. high school students. These summer and academic year programs permit students to live with a host family and undergo intensive language instruction. Please visit the scholarship website for more information on this scholarship.

Amount: Varies

Undergraduate Study Abroad Scholarships

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program

A program of the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA), the Gilman International Scholarship Program permits students with limited financial means to study or intern abroad. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and Federal Pell Grant recipients during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship. For more information, please visit the scholarship website.

Amount: Up to $5,000

Gilman-McCain Scholarship

Named after former Senator John S. McCain of Arizona, this scholarship is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. It supports undergraduate child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs with $5,000. It is available to students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of federal student aid. Please visit the scholarship website for more information.

Amount: $5,000

Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship

Awarded biannually, the Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship is for students who are passionate about exploring the world. On top of the $1,000 scholarship for studying abroad, winners will also receive an exclusive Tortuga travel backpack. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or currently studying in the U.S. on a student visa, be a full-time undergraduate student in good academic standing at a four-year, degree-granting college or university in the U.S., and have applied to or been accepted into a study abroad program eligible for credit by your college or university. Please visit the scholarship website for more details on this scholarship.

Amount: $1,000

Scott’s Cheap Flights Scholarship

Scott's Cheap Flights believes in giving others the opportunity to study abroad because many of team members had their first international travelling experience when they studied overseas. The scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate students who are enrolled at an accredited higher education program in the U.S. and will be studying abroad. To get more information on the scholarship and its eligibility requirements, please visit the scholarship website.

Amount: $1,000

Human Interaction Project - The Giving Back Program

The Giving Back Program, a travel scholarship program under the Human Interaction Project (HIP), works with the international volunteering and learning organization UBELONG to encourage self-growth and global change through foreign immersion. Applicants must be American citizens and 18-30 years old to be considered for the scholarship, and this scholarship opportunity lasts between 10-14 days. Head over to the scholarship website for more details.

Amount: $7,500

Good Colleges Study Abroad Award

This is an essay competition for students who want to study abroad at the college level. Applicants must be enrolled, or seeking to enroll, in an accredited college or university. To enter, applicants must write a 150-250 word essay on the theme. For more information on this scholarship, please visit the scholarship website.

Amount: $2,000

Study Abroad Fully Funded Scholarships

Rhodes Scholarships

The Rhodes Scholarships are competitive international fellowship awards. Annually 32 students from the U.S. are selected as Rhodes Scholars. These scholars receive full financial support to pursue a degree or degrees at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Past applicants have been endorsed by their institution's president, dean or other official who oversees graduate fellowships. Please visit the scholarship website for more information on requirements and how to apply.

Amount: Fully funded

Critical Language Scholarship

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program allows U.S. college and university students to study abroad during the summer as they learn languages significant to America's economic prosperity and national security. The CLS Program covers the following languages: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu. For more information on this scholarship and how to apply, please visit the scholarship website.

Amount: Fully funded

Travel Grants for Students Studying Abroad

AIFS Study Abroad Scholarships & Grants

The American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) has helped over 1.5 million students travel abroad since 1964. With more than 15 scholarships and grants to choose from, there are plenty of opportunities for you to apply for. Please visit the scholarship website to view the list of opportunities and see full details.

Amount: Varies

IES Abroad Grants

For IES Abroad Grants, students do not have to submit a scholarship and aid application. However, students may have to submit additional information to secure funding for certain grants. Grants offered by IES Abroad include the Public University Grant, Boren & Gilman/Gilman-McCain Scholarship Support Grant, and Disability Grants. To see if you qualify for any of these grants and find more information, please visit the IES Abroad website.

Amount: Varies

Study Abroad Grants for Minorities

AIFS Diversity Achievement Scholarship

The American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) also offers scholarships to high achieving students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in study abroad. Scholarships will be awarded to qualified applicants who demonstrate academic excellence and community service. Please visit the scholarship website for more information.

Amount: $5,000

Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship

The Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship is awarded to ten students. Students are first-, second- and third-year students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and from ethnic backgrounds typically underrepresented on study abroad programs. This fellowship will cover the full cost of travel to and from participation in a four-week, 3-credit study abroad program sponsored by CIEE. For more information on this fellowship, please visit the program’s website.

Amount: Full cost of travel

Frederick Douglass Summer Scholars Grant

The Frederick Douglass Summer Scholars Grant is awarded to all applicants who submit a Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship application and meet all eligibility requirements but are not selected for the Fellowship. This grant may be used toward any CIEE summer program in the year they applied for the Fellowship. For more information, please visit the program’s website.

Amount: $1,500

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