Scholarships
Outside Sources for Study Abroad Funding
Students should discuss their study abroad plans with both the study abroad and financial aid advisors at Vassar. Students who receive scholarships/grants from non-Vassar sources must report those scholarships to the Office of Financial Aid.
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program
This program offers a competition for awards for study abroad, for US citizen students who are receiving federal Pell Grant funding at a 2-year or 4-year college or university. Selected by competition, recipients are awarded up to $5000 to defray the costs associated with studying abroad; up to $3K additional may be awarded to those studying critical need languages.
As part of the Gilman Program, the following scholarships are also available:
- Gilman-McCain Scholarship: The Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for child dependents of active duty service members who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs.
- Gilman-Israel Scholarship: The Embassy of Israel to the United States has generously provided funding to support at least 5 U.S. students to study in Israel through the Gilman Program. The Embassy of Israel to the United States is also providing funding for Gilman Scholars to study Hebrew under the Critical Need Language Award (CNLA), which is part of the Gilman application. The Gilman Program will also continue to support the study of Arabic through the CNLA in Israel. This additional funding supports a wider effort between the United States and Israel to increase and diversify international student mobility among Israeli and American higher education institutions.
- Gilman-FLAD Portugal Scholarship: The Gilman Scholarship Program is proud to partner with the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) in establishing the Gilman-FLAD Portugal Scholarship, a highly selective award for underrepresented U.S. students to study in Portugal. Students also have the opportunity to study Portuguese, a critical need language. This partnership builds cooperation between Portugal and the United States and promotes Portugal as a destination for learning.
- Gilman-France Scholarship: The French Embassy in the United States and Gilman Scholarship Program partnership offers a highly selective award for those studying or interning abroad in France. This scholarship supports the overall effort between the United States and France to increase and diversify international student mobility among French and American higher education institutions.
- Gilman-Education New Zealand Scholarship: Education New Zealand (ENZ) is New Zealand’s government agency for building international education and promoting New Zealand as a study destination. This partnership sustains a wider effort to support students who have traditionally been underrepresented in study abroad, including those of Native American heritage, and will commit $250,000 over the next five years to support Gilman Scholars who study or intern abroad in New Zealand. Funding is matched by the U.S. Department of State.
- Gilman-Global Wales Scholarship: The Global Wales program is a partnership consisting of Universities Wales, the Welsh Government, the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, and the British Council. This scholarship is committing $25,000 over the next two years to support Gilman Scholars to study at Welsh universities. Funding is matched by the U.S. Department of State.
beGirl.world Scholarship
beGirl.world is a global education organization that elevates and equips Black girls through global education and travel. beGirl.world offers two beGirl.world Scholarships ($2K each) to black female-identifying college students who have been accepted to a study abroad program. Vassar students are eligible to apply for their “All Country” scholarship, which is for one black female-identifying college student (U.S. citizen) enrolled at an accredited college or university in the United States of America, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. Specific questions about the scholarship should be directed to info@begirlworld.com.
Boren Awards for International Study
Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin American, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. View a complete list of countries.
Boston University Scholarships for Non-BU Students
Boston University offers grants and scholarships to non-BU students for any full-year, fall, spring, or summer program offered by Boston University Study Abroad. Awards are made based on both need and merit, with an emphasis on need. The dollar amounts vary and typically range from $500 to $5,000 (and may occasionally exceed this level depending on the student’s eligibility and the cost of the program.)
In order to be awarded a grant or scholarship, you must be admitted into a Boston University Study Abroad program. You may, however, begin the grant/scholarship application process while your Study Abroad application is under review.
Bridging Scholarships for Study in Japan
The US-Japan Bridging Foundation offers 65 scholarships annually to assist undergraduate students to study in Japan. Undergraduate students, who are U.S. citizens, majoring in any field are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Japanese language is not a prerequisite.
BUTEX Scholarship for Study Abroad in the UK
The scholarship is open to all undergraduate students currently enrolled at an institution in the US or Canada. To be eligible to apply, you must have been offered a study abroad or exchange place at a UK institution that is affiliated with BUTEX. Please see the BUTEX website for a full list of host institutions who participate.
CIEE
Each year CIEE awards scholarships and grants to students who plan to study overseas. Please read the eligibility criteria and the application procedures for each scholarship carefully. Competition for the CIEE scholarships and grants is keen and the quality of the materials submitted is very important.
Critical Language Scholarship (Summer Study)
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) institutes provide fully-funded group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for seven to ten weeks for U.S. citizen undergraduate, Master’s and PhD students.
- Arabic and Persian: Advanced beginning, intermediate and advanced levels;
- Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Punjabi, Turkish, and Urdu:
Beginning, intermediate and advanced levels; - Chinese, Japanese, and Russian: Intermediate and advanced levels.
The CLS Program is part of a U.S. government effort to expand dramatically the number of Americans studying and mastering critical-need foreign languages. Students of diverse disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers. Please visit the CLS Program page for more information.
Countries may include: Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Russia, South Korea, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, or others where the target languages are spoken.
DAAD Undergraduate Scholarships
Provide funding to sophomores or juniors for a 4 to 10 month period in Germany for study, research or an internship during the German academic year.
DIS Danish Institute for Study Abroad Scholarships
DIS offers need-based scholarships allocated from various funds including the Mary Dau Foundation to study abroad with DIS.
- DIS Scholarship: need-based up to $5,000 per semester; $250–1,000 per summer depending on course/program selection
- Work-Study Scholarship: up to $500 per semester (limited number)
- Diversity Scholarship: DIS seeks to promote a diverse student body by providing need-based financial support to academically excellent students from populations traditionally underrepresented in study abroad. Such students may have diverse ethnic, racial, cultural, economic, sexual orientation and educational backgrounds and experiences. First-generation college students (meaning neither parent has a college degree from any country) are also encouraged to apply. Funding is available up to $5,000 per semester, $250–1,000 per summer depending on course/program selection.
Diverse International Women of Color Scholarship
Diverse International Women of Color believes the lack of funds should not be an obstacle for a student to achieve their study abroad goal. Therefore, it is the vision of the DIWC to provide scholarship opportunities to women of color wishing to study abroad.
Diversity Abroad Inclusive Ireland Scholarship
Diversity Abroad is proud to partner with Education in Ireland to announce the creation of the Inclusive Ireland Scholarship Program. Ireland is committed to providing academically rigorous and culturally immersive study abroad experiences for students from all backgrounds and identities. Diversity Abroad and Education in Ireland believe that diversity among visiting students serves to enrich their society and their campuses.
Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador Scholarship
The DiversityAbroad.com Overseas Ambassador Scholarship was formerly known as the DiversityAbroad.com/AIFS Blogging Scholarship. Diversity Abroad, in cooperation with the AIFS Foundation, will offer $500 scholarships for fall and spring semester. Five scholarships are available for each semester. Economically disadvantaged students, first-generation, students with disabilities and ethnic and racially diverse students are strongly encouraged to apply. Visit the Diversity Abroad website for application details and additional information.
Freeman-Asia
A Freeman-ASIA Award provides need-based funding to assist the recipient with the cost of the study abroad program and related expenses, including airfare, basic living costs, local transportation, books, etc. Freeman-ASIA accepts applications from U.S. citizens or permanent residents studying at the undergraduate level at a two-year or four-year college or university who demonstrate financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
Interested students should apply to Freeman-ASIA in the academic term before their study abroad program begins. Applications must be certified by the approved campus Study Abroad Adviser, prior to submission; Vassar’s approved adviser is Greta Decker, Associate Director of OIP.
Fund for Education Abroad
Fund for Education abroad is committed to increasing study abroad opportunities to participate in high-quality, rigorous education abroad programs by reducing financial restrictions through the provision of grants and scholarships. FEA offers both general and dedicated scholarships for study abroad, including the Rainbow Scholarship for LGBT students. Please visit the FEA website for more information.
Sub-Saharan Africa Fellowship for Study Abroad and Internships
This Vassar fellowship will support international travel to and study in Ghana for Vassar students in their junior year who are members of groups underrepresented in undergraduate international study; the students will be in good standing and enrolled full-time at Vassar College.
The Sub-Saharan Africa Fellowship for Study Abroad and Internships is funded through gifts from Paula Williams Madison '74 and Lynai Williams Jones '92, to provide Vassar students of African heritage, from across the African Diaspora, with the opportunity to study and work in Sub-Saharan Africa. The donors' intent is to encourage and support students who wish to learn firsthand about the continent and people of their ancestral heritage while studying and working with projects and programs in their field of interest. It is hoped that through this experiential model, the fellows will be better prepared to understand and contribute to solutions to the global, environmental, economic, health, and social needs and priorities of the 21st century.
The Toshizo Watanabe Study Abroad Scholarship
The Toshizo Watanabe Endowed Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to Japanese and American undergraduate and graduate students pursuing study abroad program or international study in either the United States or Japan. A generous endowment gift of $10 million from Mr. Toshizo (Tom) Watanabe to the U.S.-Japan Council makes it possible to award scholarships to students for whom international study would not be possible without financial support.
Beginning in 2016, this scholarship program has allowed Japanese students to study in the United States, and since 2019, has allowed American students to study in Japan. The scholarship will support the cost of attendance to the institution or study abroad program of the applicant’s choice and grants awards to recipients in amounts determined by financial need and other qualifications.
To learn more about the scholarship, please visit the Toshizo Watanabe Endowed Scholarship website.
IES
IES offers merit-based scholarships of up to $3,000 to students enrolling in IES-sponsored programs.
IFSA-Butler Scholarships
IFSA-Butler offers 14 different scholarships and annually gives over $1,000,000 in financial awards to students enrolling in Institute for Study Abroad Programs. Among these is the First Generation Scholars Program, which awards up to $2,500 for study abroad-related expenses for students who are first-generation college students, and the IFSA Diversity Scholarship.
IFSA also offers a Fill the GAP (Global Account Program) that allows students to get a head start on study abroad by saving early for an IFSA-Butler program. Friends and family are also allowed to contribute to a student's Fill the GAP account. Participating students receive a matching scholarship of up to $1,000. Complete this Fill the GAP enrollment form to participate.
Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarships
Rotary scholarships support study abroad at a university in any country in which there is a Rotary Club. Students should contact their hometown Rotary Club to determine application procedures.
SIT Study Abroad
SIT Study Abroad offers both need-based and merit scholarships for students enrolling in their international programs.
SPFFA - Scholarship for Study in France
The Société de Professeurs Francaise et Francophone d'Amerique offers a number of scholarships for undergraduate students enrolled in an American College who wish to study in France. Please check their website for details.
World Learning - School for International Training
SIT Study Abroad awarded $750,000 in scholarships in 2009. About one-third of scholarship applicants receive financial assistance to participate in our programs. Only SIT Study Abroad participants can be considered for SIT Study Abroad scholarships. Awards generally range from $500 to $5,000 for semester programs and $300 to $3,000 for summer programs. Financial need is a primary consideration for all of our scholarship decisions.
Other Resources
The following website provides useful information about study abroad funding.