Global Education Office

External Scholarships

Study Abroad Scholarships
Here you can find information on specific scholarships for study abroad and search engines to help identify scholarships that match your program destination and subject area. Many scholarships sponsored by outside organizations are available to VCU students and you may apply for more than one scholarship. Please refer to individual websites for deadlines, eligibility and application procedures. This is by no means an exhaustive list of available scholarships. There are a lot of study abroad scholarships that you can find with a bit of searching and persistence. Know your finances, use available resources, apply for scholarships, look at your habits, use your social network, virtual ideas, crowdfunding, get creative!

Program-Specific Scholarships
The following scholarships are available to students who participate in programs offered through the sponsor. 

Scholarship	Amount	Description
Academic Programs International (API)	$250-$1,000	Must be accepted into an API study abroad program, submit two essays, letter of recommendation and have a 3.0 GPA.
AIFS Study Abroad	$1,000	High academic achievement, essay and application to the AIFS program.
Amideast Scholarships	Varies	For students on Amideast programs.
CAPA Scholarships	$500 – 5,000	For students participating on CAPA programs.
CEA Scholarships	$250-$3,000	Eight scholarships for students in CEA programs with various purposes; requires a 3.0 GPA and written essay.
CIEE Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship	Full cost of travel, housing, program trips, course abroad.	For students participating in select CIEE Summer Program (Summer 2021, Dublin, Ireland). Scholarship is for students of color, freshman, sophomore, junior, GPA 3.0 - emphasis on leadership, social justice, agitation for positive change and cross-cultural understanding.
CIEE GAIN Scholarship	Varies	For students participating in CIEE programs, focuses on helping students overcome the major barriers to studying abroad, namely costs and curriculum requirements.
CISAbroad scholarships	Varies	For students participating in CIS programs.
Cooperative Center for Study Abroad	Varies	For students in CCSA programs.
DIS Scholarships	Varies	For students on DIS programs (Scandinavia)
ISA Scholarships	Varies	For students participating in ISA programs.
USAC Scholarships	Varies	For students participating in USAC programs.
SAI Scholarships	Varies	For students participating in SAI programs.
School for Field Studies Scholarships	Varies	For students participating in SFS programs.
Semester at Sea Scholarships	Varies	For students participating in Semester at Sea.
SIT Scholarships	Varies	For students participating in SIT programs.
SRISA Scholarships	Varies	For students participating in SRISA programs.

Scholarship	Amount	Description
Allianz Scholar Trips	$2,500	For students seeking to enrich their education through international travel.
American Association of University Women Fellowships	$18,000-$30,000	Non-U.S. citizen full-time graduate, doctorate and postdoctoral women.
American Councils: Study Abroad Assistance Fund	$300	Open to American Councils program finalists who are US citizen or permanent residents with demonstrated financial need, and that are willing to provide a testimonial. Scholarship covers passport fees, medical exams, luggage, and other incidentals.
American Councils for International Education: ACTR/ACCELS	Up to $40,000 and full research costs	Grants for research and language training in Eurasia and Eastern Europe for graduate, postdoctoral and faculty members.
American Jewish League for Israel	Varies	For study abroad in Israel.
American-Scandinavian Foundation Awards	$5,000-$23,000	The American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF) offers fellowships (up to $23,000) and grants (normally $5,000) to individuals to pursue research or study in one or more Scandinavian countries for up to one year. Awards are granted in all fields.
Asian Cultural Council Grants		Grant opportunities for individuals seeking aid to undertake activities in Asia.
Babbel Language Scholarship	$2,500	Open to students studying the following languages: Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Russian, Polish, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish and Indonesian.
BestValueSchools.org	$500	400 word essay on making a difference in your community
Blakemore Foundation Language Grants	Tuition, tutoring, travel, living, study expenses	Advanced proficiency in the Asian languages, studies after undergraduate.
Boren Awards for International Study	Up to $30,000	Scholarships for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study world regions critical to U.S. interests.
Bridging Scholarships	$2,500-$4,000	Undergraduates interested in studying in Japan. Application form, essay, transcripts and recommendation required.
BUTEX – British Universities Transatlantic Exchange Association	£500	Eight scholarships available to North American students studying in the UK for either a semester or for an entire academic year.
Chinese Government Scholarships	Varies	For students studying at Chinese universities that are affiliated with CGS.
College Consortium for International Studies	Varies	Brief information regarding financial aid and study abroad.
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation	Varies	Funded scholarship program for Japan and China, and other scholarships.
Critical Language Scholarships for Intensive Summer Studies	All-inclusive (state department funded)	Seven- to 11-week summer studies in Arabic, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish and Urdu.
Delta Phi Alpha	Varies	For Delta Phi Alpha members who are German language students.
Diversity Abroad & CISI Planning Scholarship	$2,000	Variety of scholarships offered to diverse and under-represented high school, undergrad and graduate students.
Explore the World Travel Scholarships	$2,000	Hostelling International USA (HI USA) offers scholarships to help finance an international trip with an educational or service component to the itinerary.
Foundation for Global Scholars	$500 - $2,500	The foundation offers 4 scholarships to North American students studying, researching, or interning abroad for any length of time. The scholarship is open to undergraduate and graduate students.
Foundation for International Education Scholarships	$2,000	Merit-based scholarships to qualified students on FIE programs.
Freeman-ASIA	Varies	Freeman Awards for Study in Asia provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
Fund for Education Abroad	Up to $10,000	General Scholarships for students planning to spend 4+ weeks abroad plus dedicated scholarships including the Hilary Echo Douglas scholarship for study in Vietnam and Rainbow Scholarship for LGBTQI students.
Fulbright Scholarships	Travel, books, research, health insurance, tuition, living costs	Purpose: to increase mutual international understanding. Department of State-funded, highly competitive and prestigious for one academic year of study. Grants include full grants, travel grants, business grants and English teaching assistantships.
The Gates Cambridge Scholarships	Full tuition, travel, living costs	For non-UK students interested in studying at Cambridge University. Highly competitive: high GPA, strong references and a commitment to helping others required.
German Academic Exchange Service	Varies	Information on various kinds of DAAD funding for foreign students, graduates and postdocs, faculty and researchers to study in Germany.
Gilman Scholarship (please also review our page dedicated to the Gilman here)	Up to $5,000	For undergraduate students on Pell Grants with limited financial means. Department of State-funded and highly competitive, for fall/winter/spring, four weeks or longer only.
Gilman-McCain Scholarship	$5,000	For child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs.
Golden Key International Honor Society	Up to $5,000	Golden Key Society offers $1,000,000 is scholarships and awards each year for both undergraduates and graduates.
Go Overseas Scholarships	$500 and up to $25,000	General study abroad scholarships and country specific scholarships to Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia
Harlem Bling	$600	Applicants must write an essay to be considered for 1 of the 2 scholarships.
Hispanic Association of College and Universities and Southwest Airlines scholarships		For students enrolled at a college or university at least 200 miles away from their home. Additionally criteria include at least a 2.5 GPA, a legal U.S. resident, and direct or parental ties to Hispanic origin.
Hispanic Scholarship Fund	From $500 to $5,000	For students with Hispanic heritage, 2.5 GPA, and U.S. citizenship.  Emphasis on STEM majors.
Hosteling International	$2,000	For aspiring global travelers who want to give back while they experience another culture.  See HI at 7 North Second Street for details. Be 18 - 30 years of age. Be a permanent, legal resident of the USA . Live close to a HI facility.
Hungarian Diaspora Scholarship Program	Covers tuition and housing	Established by the Hungarian Government for those who live in a Hungarian diaspora outside of Europe and wish to study at a Hungarian higher education institution to develop their personal, professional and cultural relations to Hungary.
Includifi	$1,000	For first-generation students participating in summer programs
ItaliaRail Scholarship	$1,000	For students with a minimum 3.0 GPA and studying in Italy.
iVisa Annual Scholarship	$1,500	2.5 GPA and 500 word story, for undergraduate and grad/post-grad students.
Turkish Coalition of America	Varies	Scholarship for Turkish American students or American minority students studying in Turkey.
International Research and Studies Program	$50,000- $200,000 a year up to three years	U.S. Department of Education-funded grants. For the development of educational materials to strengthen foreign language and related studies areas.
Ito Scholarships	Varies	Study in Japanese in Japan.
Japanese Student Services Organization	$500-$2,200/ month	Scholarships for students to study in Japan.
JASSO Short-term Student Exchange Scholarship	Stipend of ¥80,000 per month, and a relocation allowance of about ¥150,000 upon arrival	Scholarship for students participating in a Japanese academic-year exchange program through their university.
Kosciuszko Foundation	$1,000-$7,000 waived tuition	Scholarships for students of Polish descent or in Polish studies studying in Poland.
LATUTORS Innovation in Education Scholarship	$500/monthly	LA Tutors awards students who showcase their creativity and make positive impacts with a $500 Innovation in Education scholarship. On an ongoing monthly basis, this scholarship is open to all currently enrolled college students (with a 3.0 GPA that are US citizens or permanent residents) who showcase their creativity while helping those around them (whether that be in a creative fundraiser, inventive new app, series of blog posts on a particular theme, or another idea). The application deadline is 11:59 pm PST on the 20th of each month.
Language Flagship Program	Tuition, a modest stipend, and support for health insurance and travel costs	Scholarship for U.S. citizens who have an advanced-low proficiency in the appropriate foreign language and a superior proficiency in English. Must hold an undergraduate degree and cannot be employed by the federal government.
Lord Acton Memorial Scholarship	£500 – 1,000	For students accepted to a study abroad program offered by an AASAP/UK member and minimum 3.0 GPA.
Mandarin Language Enrichment Scholarship	25,000 NTD	To encourage international students to undertake Huayu courses in the Republic of China (Taiwan)
Marshall Scholarships	All-inclusive	Highly competitive and prestigious scholarships for U.S. students to earn a master’s or doctoral degree in U.K. requires a minimum GPA of 3.7.
Masa Israel Grants	Varies	For Jewish young adults to study in Israel.
Organization of American States	Up to $30,000/year	Scholarship opportunities for studies in OAS-member states.
Outdoorsy	$1,000	Encourages students to pursue outdoor recreation opportunities.
Pacific Prime Scholarship	$1,000	1,000 words on the impact technology has had on healthcare.
Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant	$1,000	Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants are designed to help support undergraduates as they seek knowledge and experience in their academic fields by studying abroad. Fifty $1,000 grants are awarded each year.
Pimsleur Approach Study Abroad Scholarship	$1,000	Scholarship for students participating in an immersive study abroad language program.
Rhodes Scholarships	All-inclusive	Highly competitive and prestigious scholarships for U.S. citizens to earn graduate degrees at Oxford.
Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships	$10,000- $23,000	Application through local Rotary clubs for international study.
The Going Abroad Scholarship	$1,500	For citizens or resident of the United States (and its territories and possessions) who are enrolled full-time at an accredited institution of higher learning. Film your Video Essay. Scholarship application deadlines in March & October.
St. Andrew’s Society of Washington, D.C.	$500-$2,500	For graduate students of Scottish descent intending to study in Scotland.
My Slumber Yard's Scholarship	$1,500	College student in the U.S. with a 3.0 GPA
UNESCO Laura W. Bush Traveling Fellowship	$2,500	Must be a U.S. citizen, 18-25 years old.
United Negro College Fund Scholarships	Up to full costs	A general application will match you with many UNCF scholarship opportunities.
US-Ireland Alliance	Tuition, housing, a $12,000 stipend and international travel	Scholarship for students enrolled in a graduate degree program or certificate program offered by an institution of higher learning, in Ireland or Northern Ireland.
U.S.-Japan Council; Toshizo Watanabe Study Abroad Scholarship	Varies	U.S. citizens (or permanent residents) in good academic standing enrolling in a credit-bearing study abroad course in Japan. Priority will be given to undergraduates, although graduate students can apply.
Virginia Credit Union Scholarship Program	$2,500	For undergraduate students enrolled in 9 credits, 3.0 GPA, and a Virginia Credit Union member.
Volunteer Forever Scholarship	$500 - $1000	Since 2014, Volunteer Forever has been offering a $500 to $1000 travel scholarship to help participants defray the cost of volunteering, studying, interning, teaching, or working abroad.
William Jefferson Clinton Scholars Program	Tuition and housing	Study full-time at the American University in Dubai, 2.0 GPA.

Scholarship Search Engines 
These websites offer extensive information about education abroad funding opportunities.

Creative Funding Ideas
Local, regional, national groups and friends and family are all great sources to look for funding to help you achieve your goals. Set aside time each week to research scholarships and contact individuals and groups to look for funding support. Remember to thank everyone who helps to make your study abroad experience possible.