Scholarships and Funding

Funding opportunities exist for international travel! Application requirements, deadlines, and procedures vary, so it is extremely important that you do your research and plan early. So speak with your provider, financial services counselor and study abroad advisor to see how and when to apply.

How can I afford to study abroad?

• Plan ahead! Many study abroad scholarship applications are due 6 months or more before you would even go abroad.
• Consider the cost of living of the region of the world where you want to go.
• Speak with a study abroad advisor on your campus.
• Check with your financial aid office to see what financial aid you might be able to use while abroad.
• You can search various scholarship opportunities through the Programs “Advanced Search” on our COF Studio Abroad website.
• Try an online search for scholarships, for example:
  • borenawards.org
  • collegescholarships.org
  • fastweb.com
  • finaid.org
  • fulbrightscholars.org
  • fundforeducationabroad.org/scholarships
  • gilmanscholarship.org
  • gilmanscholarship.org/program/gilman-mccain-scholarships
  • gilmanscholarship.org/program/stem-supplemental-award
  • gilmanscholarship.org/program/critical-need-languages
  • studyabroadfunding.org
  • University-Based Scholarships
  • Provider Program Scholarships

Fulbright U.S. Student Programs

The U.S. Student Program provides funding for individually designed international study/research projects or English Teaching Assistantships. For more information about applying with COF campus affiliation, click here.

Additional Guidance for Students

To help students navigate funding opportunities, I recommend adding the following instructional text to the page:

1. Contact Your Study Abroad Office – Students should reach out to their respective international/study abroad offices for information about scholarships offered through the provider programs their institution partners with.
2. Contact and Visit the GEO Center – Encourage students to contact the Global Education Opportunity (GEO) Center for personalized assistance with scholarship applications and guidance on available funding options. The GEO Center provides Advising for Gilman, Boren, and Fulbright Scholarship programs.
3. Consult Your Financial Aid Office – Students should meet with their Financial Aid Office to assess how their current financial aid package is allocated and explore whether funding from previous or upcoming semesters can be applied toward study abroad expenses.