Financial Aid, Scholarships, and Fundraising

For many students, paying for their study abroad program is a top concern. Make sure you are finding funds everywhere that you can:

• Start early (12-18 months before travel) so you have time to plan and save
• Know your costs (see “Costs” section for your program):
  • Tuition
  • Travel cost
  • Passport/visa
  • Discretionary spending
• Be aware of payment deadlines
• Know what you're committing to at each stage of the process:
  • Applying for an SU travel course is free
  • Paying the deposit is nonrefundable and commits you to paying the full travel cost
  • Getting financial aid applied requires that you be registered for the course

Savings and budgeting

• Look for places in your personal spending where you might be able to cut back: food delivery, coffee orders, monthly subscriptions
• Consider working extra hours or starting a side hustle
• Set up a dedicated study abroad savings account and automate your savings: direct deposit some of your earnings to your study abroad account

Fundraising

• Crowdfunding with sites like this one: https://www.fundmytravel.com/
• Old school fundraisers like a car wash or fish fry
• Letter-writing campaign to communities you belong to (your house of worship, company, community organization, etc.)
• Friends and family: encourage people close to you to contribute to your study abroad fund, perhaps in place of holiday or birthday gifts

Financial aid and scholarships

• If you are eligible for federal financial aid, talk to the financial aid office. Have them add the trip cost to your cost of attendance and recalculate your aid package.
• Check the requirements to see if you are eligible for a Gilman or Boren scholarship.
• Many external organizations offer scholarships that either are specifically for study abroad or can be applied toward study abroad. These websites list some possibilities:
  • https://studyabroad.state.gov/us-government-scholarships-and-programs/us-college-and-university-students
  • https://www.gooverseas.com/blog/study-abroad-scholarships-grants (see “General study abroad grants and scholarships” on the bottom half of this page)
• Check the search engines linked under “Private Scholarships” here: https://www.stevenson.edu/admissions-aid/scholarships-financial-aid/types-of-aid/scholarships-grants/. You’ll likely find general scholarships there (not study abroad-specific) but you should still be able to use the funds toward study abroad unless the scholarship specifically excludes it.
• If you are studying abroad through a provider organization affiliated with Stevenson, the affiliate probably offers scholarships for their programs. Be sure to ask!