Graduate Study Abroad Scholarships: Opportunities to Fund Your Global Education

Studying abroad as a graduate student can be a transformative experience, offering unparalleled opportunities for personal and professional growth. However, the cost of international education can be a significant barrier. Fortunately, numerous scholarships and grants are available to help aspiring graduate students finance their studies abroad. This article explores a range of graduate study abroad scholarship opportunities, providing valuable information to help you pursue your academic dreams on a global scale.

The Landscape of Study Abroad Scholarships

Navigating the world of study abroad scholarships can be overwhelming, but understanding the different types of funding available is the first step. Scholarships can be need-based, merit-based, or targeted towards specific fields of study, destinations, or student demographics. Many scholarships go unclaimed every year simply because no one applies for them.

Organizations Supporting International Education

Several organizations are dedicated to promoting and facilitating international education through various programs and scholarships.

IIE (Institute of International Education): IIE manages over 200 programs with participants from more than 180 countries. In the last year alone, more than 29,000 people participated in IIE managed programs. IIE also presents the Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education to universities excelling in international education initiatives.
AFS-USA: Through generous donors, AFS-USA offers students significant scholarships for summer, semester, and yearlong study abroad programs.

Finding Scholarship Opportunities

Common places to find scholarships you qualify for are through study abroad program providers, third-party organizations, and through your home university's international or study abroad office.

General Scholarship Programs for Graduate Students

These scholarships are not specific to any particular country or field of study and are open to graduate students pursuing various disciplines:

Read also: Funding Your Graduate Education

Fulbright U.S. Student Program: This prestigious program sponsors American graduate students, teachers, and researchers to conduct academic work in over 140 countries. The grant includes travel costs, incidental coverage, and health benefits. Strong preference for those who have not previously held a Fulbright grant.
AAUW (American Association of University Women): The AAUW supports women pursuing a variety of graduate academic opportunities.
Golden Key Scholarship: The Golden Key International Honor Society offers scholarship awards to both undergraduate and graduate students with outstanding academic, leadership, and service achievements.
IPS Global Engagement: IPSL Global Engagement offers an automatic $5,500 grant for Graduate degree programs in International Development and Service (IDS MA) and the Community Organizing and Social Activism Degree (COSA MA) to any AmeriCorps Alum, Peace Corps returnee or Veteran. All accepted students with demonstrated qualifications will be automatically considered for available awards.
Erasmus Mundus Scholarship: Funded by the European Union, the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship is an exclusive award for masters or doctoral students of the EU.

Government-Sponsored Programs

Government agencies in various countries offer scholarships and fellowships to promote international exchange and research. These programs often have specific eligibility requirements and priorities.

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program: Funded by the U.S. Department of State, the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad.
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program: The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs provides American students with the opportunity to enjoy fully-funded overseas summer language and cultural immersion programs through the awarding of Critical Language Scholarships (CLS) each year. Applicants are selected based on their commitment to studying non-traditional languages abroad, including Arabic, Japanese, Swahili, and Russian.
Boren Awards for International Study: Sponsored by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), Boren Awards provide funding for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. national security.
Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) Fellowship Program: The Fulbright-Hays DDRA Fellowship Program provides opportunities to doctoral candidates to engage in full-time dissertation research abroad in modern foreign languages and area studies. Grants are given in all world areas except Western Europe as the program aims to encourage the study of regions and cultures that are not commonly explored.
Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships: Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships provide opportunities for outstanding undergraduate and graduate students to engage in area studies and world language training at schools that have established a FLAS fellowship program.

Program-Specific Scholarships

Many study abroad program providers offer their own scholarships and grants to students participating in their programs. These scholarships are often specific to certain destinations or fields of study.

CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE awards study abroad scholarships and grants to college students across three categories: need-based, merit-based, and other areas of funding.
IES Abroad: IES Abroad commits millions in study abroad scholarships and aid because they firmly believe that financial limitations should not prevent a qualified student from participating in an IES Abroad program.
SIT (School for International Training): The School for International Training (SIT) offers scholarship funding to qualified students interested in participating in one of SIT’s many study abroad programs around the world.
CEA (Cultural Experiences Abroad): CEA is committed to changing students’ lives by providing them with essential financial aid needed to study abroad. CEA Study Abroad scholarships are divided into three categories: merit, need, and diversity.
AIFS Abroad: At AIFS Abroad, they believe study abroad and international internship experiences are an essential component of a well-rounded university education and are committed to providing financial assistance to as many students as possible in support of their goal to study or intern abroad.
Arcadia Abroad: Arcadia Abroad offers need-based scholarships. Around 70% of students who apply for aid money through Arcadia Abroad receive some form of award. Arcadia Abroad values equity, diversity, and inclusivity when awarding scholarships.
Global Experiences: Global Experiences offers scholarships for both summer and semester terms in any of the organization’s global cities.
Semester at Sea: Semester at Sea is committed to fostering inclusivity among the shipboard community. They offer a number of need-based and merit scholarships for prospective students, including the Inclusive Engagement Scholarship, which gives a preference for underrepresented identities.
CET: CET is a study abroad provider with locations in Brazil, China, Colombia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, Jordan, and Taiwan. CET offers scholarships and financial assistance for its high school abroad, gap year abroad, and college study abroad programs.
IFSA: IFSA is deeply committed to making study abroad accessible to as many students as possible. Financial assistance is available for IFSA January term, semester, year, and summer programs. Scholarships include the IFSA First-Generation Scholarship and IFSA Diversity Scholarship, as well as program-specific scholarships in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the UK.

Destination-Specific Scholarships

Some scholarships are specifically for students studying in a particular country or region.

Bridging Scholarships for Study in Japan: Undergraduate students living in the United States who study abroad in Japan are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Awards are typically US$2,500 for semester programs and US$4,000 for academic-year programs.
Freeman Asia: This scholarship provides funding for students to spend up to eight weeks in one of 15 Asian countries.
IDB King Abdullah University International Scholarships: KAUST Fellowship supports individuals during their graduate studies at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. That includes full tuition support, a monthly living allowance and more.
Taiwan Fellowships & Scholarships (TAFS): Offers international students the chance to study for a bachelor’s, master’s, or PhD degree in Taiwan-with tuition covered and a generous monthly stipend to help with living costs.
Schwarzman Scholars: Fully funded, one-year master’s degree in Global Affairs at Tsinghua University in Beijing-designed to prepare the next generation of global leaders.
German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Scholarships: Each year, DAAD offers a variety of scholarships to encourage students to study abroad for a semester or postgraduate degree in Germany.
East-West Center Scholarships & Fellowships: Almost any student interested in studying abroad in the Oceania region can find a fellowship or scholarship opportunity through East-West Center.
Holland Scholarship: The Holland Scholarship is provided by Study in Holland and financed by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science as well as multiple research universities based in the Netherlands. The Holland Scholarship offers funding for non-European Economic Area (EEA) students that wish to study in Holland.

Scholarships for Specific Groups

Many organizations offer scholarships specifically for students from underrepresented groups or those with specific backgrounds.

IFSA First-Generation Scholarship and IFSA Diversity Scholarship: These scholarships are specifically for first-generation students and students from diverse backgrounds.
Stipends of Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador: Stipends are available for those who successfully apply to become a Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador.
The Fund for Education Abroad: The Fund for Education abroad prides itself on providing accessible scholarships to students who are traditionally underrepresented. Students of color, first-generation, community college students, and more will be given preference in the application process.
Generation Google scholarship: While continuing to break down barriers by inspiring and helping students to become the future of the technology industry, Google established the Generation Google scholarship in order to fund study abroad for American and Canadian students who aspire to become the best computer scientists of their generation.
Scholarship for the Visually Impaired to Study Abroad (SVI-SA): The Scholarship for the Visually Impaired to Study Abroad (SVI-SA) supports visually impaired Japanese nationals or special permanent residents of Japan in graduate English-based study abroad.

Additional Funding Resources

Besides scholarships, there are other avenues to explore for funding your graduate studies abroad:

Read also: Graduate Fees at CMU

Federal Financial Aid: Many students don't realize that these government grants and loans may be used towards study abroad.
Crowdfunding: Crowdfunding platforms can be a way to raise funds for your studies. When choosing a crowdfunding platform to raise your funds, you should consider the process to receive funds.
Home Institution Resources: Visit the study abroad or financial aid office at your institution for more information about other sources of scholarships and grants for study abroad.
Private Loans: Private loans are also a viable option.

Tips for Scholarship Applications

Applying for scholarships can be a competitive process, but following these tips can increase your chances of success:

Start Early: Scholarship deadlines can come up faster than you think. Apply early, and apply often.
Tailor Your Applications: Avoid the temptation to mass-apply for multiple scholarships. You need to create individualized, unique cover letters for each and every scholarship that you apply for.
Highlight Your Unique Perspective: Connect it to your heritage. If you are going to a region or continent that is linked to your family history, why not use your study abroad experience as a way to get better acquainted with your second, third, and fourth cousins?
Proofread Carefully: Ensure your application is free of grammatical errors and typos.
Showcase Your Passion: Many students fail to recognize their semester or summer of studying abroad as a smaller piece to their life puzzle; however, life will go on after you return. How do you anticipate being different? How do you plan to incorporate the lessons you learn while abroad onto your university campus or into your life in your home communities?

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