Below are some of the most popular scholarships for U.S. students, regardless of where you go to school. In addition to these scholarships, there are many free, popular scholarship databases, including Fastweb, Scholarships.com, College Board, and Cappex. We also encourage students to ask about additional local, regional, or major-specific scholarships through their home institution’s Financial Aid or Off-Campus Study Office.

STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. The program aims to encourage students to study and intern in a diverse array of countries or areas and world regions. The program also encourages students to study languages, especially critical need languages (those deemed important to national security).

Over 2,900 scholarships of up to $5,000 are awarded yearly for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study or intern abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need.

Gilman-McCain Scholarship (For undergraduate children of Active Duty Service Members)
The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for undergraduate child dependents of active duty service members (Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Coast Guard) to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs. Developed under the framework of the State Department’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the John McCain International Scholarship for the Children of Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is open to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid.

Fund for Education Abroad
The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) invests in promising students with financial need who wish to study abroad. Potential applicants who meet the eligibility requirements may participate in any international education program that meets their academic objectives. FEA gives preference to applicants from groups underrepresented in study abroad, including minority, community college, and first-generation college students.

Scholarships range from $1,500 – $10,000. Award amounts vary depending on the length of study and student need.

Ashley Soulé Conroy Study Abroad Scholarship
Ashley’s Foundation first began in 2006 as a way of honoring the life of Ashley Soulé Conroy and as a way for Ashley’s family and friends to heal in the wake of her passing. Ashley loved travel, so her loved ones envisioned a small foundation, something that could offer scholarships in Ashley’s name to a few deserving university students planning to study abroad. They envisioned a way of helping these students realize their dream of studying in the far-flung corners of the globe that Ashley so dreamed of visiting herself someday.

Scholarships are awarded for the fall and spring semesters in the amount of $4,000.

Explore the World Travel Scholarship
The Explore the World Travel Scholarship is awarded yearly by Hostelling International USA (HI USA) to help fund travel with an educational or service component. Applicants must be between the ages of 18-30, be a U.S. citizen or green card holder, demonstrate financial need as outlined in the application guidelines, and reside or attend school in one of the select metropolitan areas where HI USA has a community presence.

Scholarships are in the amount of $2,000, paid in $1,000 installments pre- and post-travel.

Scott’s Cheap Flights Scholarship
Scott’s Cheap Flights, which can be helpful as you start looking for flights to study abroad, offers a scholarship to help make those study abroad dreams possible. Many of the Scott’s Cheap Flights team members had their first international travel experience when they studied abroad.

The Scott’s Cheap Flights Scholarship awards $1,000 two times per year.

Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship
The Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship is awarded biannually to passionate students who want to explore the world. The scholarship may be used for tuition, room and board, books, or travel. Scholarships are awarded for fall, spring, and summer terms.

The winner of the Tortuga Scholarship will receive a $1,000 scholarship for studying abroad and one travel backpack.