The following study abroad scholarship opportunities are offered by foundations and organizations outside PSU. Unlike the Program Provider Scholarships, these can be applied to a variety of programs abroad, regardless of provider. Click on the links for scholarship information and application details.
The scholarship program sponsored by TheBackPackerCo is open for all students who are passionate about traveling. For this scholarship, applicants need to make a personalized video of any destination where he/she has traveled, and the best one will be awarded with $500. If you don’t know what to submit, there’s plenty of time to make some new memories before you apply! Take out your camera and start shooting; let the whole world know your story.
Boren Scholarships and Fellowships (also known as NSEP scholarships) are available for undergraduate and graduate study in countries of priority to U.S. national security, largely focusing on the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Note that Boren awards include a service obligation. Information sessions are held on the PSU campus throughout the academic year. For a schedule of information sessions or further information, contact Debra Clemans at clemansd@pdx.edu or check the events page of the Office of Global Engagement & Innovation (OGEI) and Education Abroad websites.
The Association of Teachers of Japanese Bridging Project offers scholarships to American undergraduate students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan. Undergraduate students majoring in any field of study are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Japanese language study is not a prerequisite. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must be enrolled as undergraduates in a college or university in the United States before and during the time they are studying abroad.
The Bilateral Program includes a full or partial scholarship established by MOE in accordance with educational exchange agreements or consensus between the Chinese government and governments of other countries, institutions, universities or international organizations. The call for applications is generally announced each January.
Statistics show that hate crimes based on sexual orientation represent 16.7%, the third-largest category after race and religion. LGBTQ+ students face a variety of obstacles that includes a lack of support from their families, high demands on their college expenses, and fears of selecting a gender while filling out FAFSA. In an effort to support these students, the team at BestColleges.com has curated a scholarship guide for the LGBTQ+ community.
The Critical Language Scholarship (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.
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.
Critical Language Scholarships (CLS) provide group-based summer intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for eight to ten weeks. CLS institute dates will be posted once finalized, but the institutes generally begin within the first three weeks in June, and end within the first three weeks in August. All expenses are covered by the scholarship.
The application deadline is in early-to-mid November for the following summer.
Campus information sessions occur each Fall term. For more information, contact Debra Clemans, clemansd@pdx.edu
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 semesters as well as summer term. Five scholarships are available for each semester and two scholarships are available for summer. Students going abroad for the full fall, spring or summer terms are eligible to apply. Economically disadvantaged students, first-generation, students with disabilities and ethnic and racially diverse students are strongly encouraged to apply.
Search for more Diversity Abroad Scholarships here.
The Explore the World Scholarship Program is open to residents of Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties, ages 18 - 30, who lack the financial resources to go abroad. This $2000 award is to be used for an overseas trip and must involve an educational or service-learning component. The application deadline is typically in mid-March every year
FACS launched a Study in France fellowship in 2017, in collaboration with the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, a financial need-based grant benefiting graduate and undergraduate students eager to benefit from a study abroad experience.
The Foundation for Global Scholars sponsors a GRIT (Globally Remarkable Intentional Talent) Scholarship program. More details, including the application form, can be found on their website. Applications are accepted yearly, in early February. Awards can be up to $3,000.
Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. Awards can vary between $3,000 - $7,000, depending on length of time abroad.
Fulbright Student programs are for graduating seniors, graduate students, and alumni. For a schedule of information sessions or further information, contact Debra Clemans at clemansd@pdx.edu. For more information, go to pdx.edu/fellowships.
FEA scholarships were designed by professionals in the field of Education Abroad to meet the growing need for financial resources to enable more students to go abroad. Scholarships will be up to $5,000 per semester and are not limited to specific programs, destinations, or fields of study. FEA awards funds for students planning to study abroad on academically rigorous programs with a preference for underrepresented students. The deadline for FEA scholarship applications is generally in early January of each year.
The extensive DAAD scholarship database for foreign students, graduates, and academics offers a wide range of scholarships and additional information to help them with their application.
Provides assistance for undergraduates with Pell Grant eligibility for study abroad. Apply online. There are typically two application cycles each year (deadlines in March and October, respectively). View this video for insights into the Gilman scholarship. Also, check out these resources by PSU students and Gilman recipients:
Maria Krueger: Short Movie: Maria's Study Abroad Experience in Chile
Maria Krueger: Sample Service Project
Matthew Lents: Informational presentation
Isaiah Mendoza: How to Write an Outstanding Scholarship Essay
Isaiah Mendoza: The Gilman Scholarship and Studying Abroad: What to Expect and How to Prepare
Jacklyn Ogden: My Time as a Disabled Student Studying Abroad in Spain!
GO! Overseas is proud to support international education through scholarships available to students participating in study abroad programs. $500 scholarships are awarded each academic year. The scholarship is awarded based on the creativity and analytical thinking displayed through writing samples and/or video submissions.
The Optimal scholarship is unlike most conventional scholarships because applicants are judged based on their innovation and reasoning. They wanted to take a new/fresh approach to financial aid and allow students to be creative while expressing a compelling and well-substantiated argument. This is a general study abroad scholarship, not program-specific, and there is no minimum time frame for the student’s length of travel. The scholarship award is for $2000.
Jay Z’s foundation, the Shawn Carter Foundation, has teamed up with the Institute for International Education (IIE)/Gilman International Scholarship Program to expand the global experiences and leadership opportunities for underserved students through the establishment of full study-abroad scholarships. The scholarships are a part of the broader Shawn Carter Scholarship Fund (SCSF). According to the website, the fund “was founded on the belief that any motivated individual in need should have the opportunity to further his or her education. By removing some of the financial burdens associated with going to, surviving in, and graduating from college, the SCSF plays a vital role in increasing college access and success for many motivated yet underserved youth and young adults.”
The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) annually awards scholarships to outstanding students in the summer for use during
the following academic year. The awards will be made on the basis
of academic merit. Applications are generally due in March
and winners are announced in May.
Pride Foundation provides essential financial resources and community support to LGBTQ+ student leaders in the Northwest—particularly those who face barriers due to race, economic circumstances, identity, ability, location, or lack of family support. These scholarships can be used in Study Abroad Programs.
Offers $1000 grants for undergraduates with high academic achievement (GPA’s of above 3.75). Applications are generally due in March.
One of the missions of the Rainbow SIG is to provide resources for students studying abroad who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer (LGBTQ+). For more details on the Rainbow Scholarship, click here.
This site features 25 scholarships specifically for API students and offers tips on how to improve your chances of receiving a grant. Find out if you qualify for any of the awards below or learn what you can do to land other scholarship awards.
Funding is available to any Japanese or U.S. citizen (including permanent residents) who is enrolled in a credit-bearing, academic content course at a college, university of approved study center in Japan. Students must be studying in Japan for at least one semester in order to qualify for funding. Applications are generally due in mid-February of each year.
The Student Travel Fund offers U.S. students studying abroad in Europe the opportunity to win a free rail pass and €1,500 spending money. The Fund gives students the chance to explore Europe by rail, broadening their cultural and academic horizons. Applicants must be currently enrolled on a year abroad program in Europe. The deadline for applications
is typically in late January of each year.
TCA awards up to 100 scholarships per year for African American, Hispanic American and Native American students studying in Turkey. These scholarships are awarded to eligible undergraduate and graduate students who have been accepted to a university in Turkey. Awards range between $500 and $2,000.
Information on several multi-year scholarship programs for students, especially minorities, interested in international careers.
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