Once you decide to participate in a study abroad program, it's a good idea to visit the Financial Aid office as soon as possible.
Financial Aid matters
Some study abroad programs cost about the same as semester at Wilkes with the exception transportation costs, visas (when applicable), and personal expenses. While your Wilkes scholarship may not be applied toward study abroad (except for exchange programs), you can use your state and federal grants and loans to cover your overseas expenses.
The Financial Aid office is not able to offer extra grants or scholarships to help cover the additional costs of study abroad programs. However, but they may be able to offer additional student or parent loans after making adjustments for costs associated with study abroad. For more information on how to apply your financial aid to study abroad contact the Financial Aid office.
At least three weeks before departure, double check with a Financial Aid officer to ensure that all of the necessary paperwork is in order.
Scholarships
There are a variety of scholarship opportunities to assist in your study abroad experience. Make sure to note any listed deadlines.
Wilkes University seeks candidates for the Bierly Fellowship, created to fund unique experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students eager to perform quality work in their field of study outside of the campus community.
Established by Panos and Debi (Stephens) Kalaritis, the Dr. Joseph Donald Stephens DDS Global Scholars Program seeks to fund high impact study abroad experiences for three Wilkes University students. Awards are for $5000 per student.
CIEE Global Access Initiative (GAIN) scholarship:
The CIEE Global Access Initiative (GAIN) is designed to help overcome the main barriers to study abroad, namely, challenges of cost and curriculum requirements. GAIN will aid in diversifying study abroad by providing opportunities for students who are economically challenged, from diverse backgrounds, or in underrepresented fields of study.
The Gilman International Scholarship
The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards for undergraduate study abroad and was established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000. This scholarship provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study abroad programs worldwide. It is specifically for US citizens or Permanent Residents who are recipients of federal financial aid (Pell Grant). The awards are $5,000 per semester or $3,000 for the summer.
Boren scholarship:
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.
Freeman in Asia Scholarship
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. 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. Interested students should apply to Freeman-ASIA in the academic term
before their study abroad program begins.
Applications must also be endorsed by both the study abroad adviser and the financial
aid adviser by the specified deadline. This scholarship is for students on federal
financial aid who wish to study in one of 15 Asian countries. See website for application
and eligibility details.
Bridging Japan Scholarships
The Bridging Project offers scholarships to American undergraduate students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan. About 100 scholarships are awarded each year to assist students with the travel and living expenses they will incur while studying abroad in Japan for a semester or an academic year. Applications are accepted twice a year for Bridging Scholarships, fall and spring. The next application period will be for students studying in Japan beginning in Spring 2013; applications will be accepted until October 10, 2012
Rhodes Scholarship
This highly competitive scholarship is for study at Oxford University for up to two years. All expenses are covered. The deadline is October 12. See their website for details.
FUND FOR EDUCATION ABROAD
The FEA is committed to increasing the opportunities for dedicated American students to participate in high-quality, rigorous education abroad programs by reducing financial restrictions through the provision of grants and scholarships. Preference is given to students participating in programs that include studying the language of the host country (if not English) and/or a sustainable service-learning or volunteering component, programs in non-traditional destinations, and applicants who demonstrate financial need. FEA also strongly encourages students to apply who represent a group that is traditionally underrepresented in education abroad.
DiversityAbroad.com Study Abroad Scholarships
DiversityAbroad.com has partnered with several organizations to offer study abroad grants and scholarships. Scholarships are only available for students studying or interning abroad on programs offered by a Diversity Abroad member organization. Economically disadvantaged students, African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic/Latino and Native-American students are strongly encouraged to apply.
Turkish Coalition of America
TCA provides up to 100 scholarships per year for minority students. Must be full-time undergraduate or graduate student in good standing. Must be accepted to a language program or university study abroad program in Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, or Bosnia and Herzegovina. Applicants should be U.S. Citizens or permanent residents.
Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)
They award scholarships and stipends to students interested in studying or conducting research in Germany.
Boren Scholarships
Funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), Boren Scholarships are open to U.S. undergraduate degree-seeking students studying in world regions critical to U.S. interests and/or studying less commonly taught languages. Students studying abroad in Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are not eligible to apply. Fall, spring, summer (minimum eight weeks - science, technology, engineering, and mathematics students ONLY), academic year.
Bridging Scholarships
The Association of Teachers of Japanese Bridging Project offers scholarships to U.S. undergraduate degree-seeking students studying abroad in Japan. Fall, spring, academic year.
BUTEX Scholarship
BUTEX (British Universities Transatlantic Exchange Association) offers scholarships for students currently registered at an institution in the USA or Canada. To be eligible to apply you must have been offered a place as a study abroad or exchange student at a UK university which is a member of BUTEX for at least one semester. The value of each scholarship is £500 and will be paid to the recipients once they have arrived and registered at their host university.
Education New Zealand
Open to U.S. degree-seeking students studying abroad at a university in New Zealand.
National Society of Collegiate Scholars
Offers multiple types of scholarships to NSCS members, including specific scholarships for students studying abroad (Scholar Abroad Scholarship and Scholar at Sea Scholarship).
National Welsh American Foundation
The NWAF offers a scholarship provided through the Lloyd Family Travel Scholarship fund. Scholarship awards are up to $1,000 to cover travel to Wales and expenses incurred in undertaking studies related to Welsh American history and culture. Find information on the NWAF website, under "Funding Projects."
SR Education Group Study Abroad Scholarship
Open to U.S. degree-seeking students. No minimum requirements regarding the duration of travel. $2,000 awards.
St. Andrew's Society of Washington D.C.
The St. Andrew Society of Washington D.C. awards the Donald Malcolm MacArthur Scholarship of $2,500 to an American student studying in Scotland. Students do not need to be a member of this society to apply, but must be a resident in the Mid-Atlantic region (District of Columbia, the States of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, West Virginia, and the Commonwealths of Pennsylvania and Virginia) and be of Scottish birth or descent. There are multiple chapters of the St. Andrew Society for those that do not reside in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Killam Fellowships Program
The Killam Fellowships Program provides an opportunity for exceptional undergraduate students in the United States to spend either one semester or a full academic year as an exchange student in Canada. The award is $5,000 per semester.
Global Links/Australearn
GlobaLinks Learning Abroad provides numerous scholarships to students applying for one of their semester or year abroad programs. Students are required to fill out a full scholarship application for all GlobaLinks Learning Abroad specific scholarships by the required deadline to be eligible for award consideration.
The Education Abroad Network scholarships
The Education Abroad Network awards thousands of dollars each year in scholarships
to participating students each year. In addition there are are scholarship opportunities
available through several host universities and external organizations.
American Institute for Foreign Study Scholarships (AIFS)
This scholarship is for students who participate in one of AIFS programs abroad.
School for International Training (SIT) Scholarships
This scholarship is awarded to students who take part in a SIT program. SIT scholarships and grants are available for all terms of study: semester, summer, and academic year. Awards generally range from $500 to $5,000. SIT scholarships and grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. SIT’s Financial Assessment form must be submitted to your home institution’s financial aid office before your SIT program’s admission dateline (see details on their website.
AACN PARTNERSHIP & STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
CertifiedBackground.com and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) have enjoyed a successful partnership since 2005.
The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Annual Scholarship
Award amounts: $ 2,000-12,000.
StudyAbroadFunding.org
Find Scholarships and Grants for Study Abroad. Search for scholarships by country or your field of study.
CollegeScholarships.org
General Search Engine- Search by Major.
Study Abroad Scholarships
Provides a database with access to various study abroad financial aid websites.
Please look at specific scholarship offer for deadlines.
Fund for Education Abroad
Mission: FEA is committed to increasing the opportunities for dedicated American students to participate in high-quality, rigorous education abroad programs by reducing financial restrictions through the provision of grants and scholarships.
Global Studies Foundation
Designed to support foreign language training and other academic studies abroad, this grant provides supplemental funds for American students who already are studying abroad under the auspices of an official study abroad program conducted by an accredited academic institution.
Critical Language Scholarship Program
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program offers fully funded intensive summer language institutes overseas in critical need foreign languages for U.S. citizen undergraduate, Master's and Ph.D students. Students of diverse disciplines and majors are encouraged to apply. The CLS Program does not have any government service requirement upon completion, however, it is expected that participants will continue to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period and later apply their critical language skills in their future academic and professional careers.
MIEA Scholarship
The Maryland 2000 Commission established a scholarship fund for MIEA to award to Maryland college students participating in study abroad programs. Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen, a resident of the State of Maryland, enrolled in a degree-seeking program at a Maryland institution of higher learning, hold at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, and have completed at least 12 credits in his/her program. Scholarships are available for fall, spring, academic year and summer programs (minimum of 6 weeks in length). The average award level is approximately $500 - $1,000.
GO! Study Abroad Scholarship
GO! Overseas is proud to support international education through scholarships available to students participating in study abroad programs. Scholarships are awarded each year. The scholarship is awarded based on the creativity and analytical thinking displayed through writing samples and/or video submissions. The award for each scholarship is $500.
Other Financial Considerations
Select someone to have Power of Attorney
While you are away there may be additional documents that require your signature, such as checks, award letters, financial aid verification forms, and residence hall contracts. Power of attorney will give authority to another person - preferably a member of your immediate family - to sign documents on your behalf.
Visit the University Business office
You may be expecting a refund check before you depart. If so, the University Business Office will need a letter from you to request that the check be mailed to an off-campus address. Make sure that your semester account is paid in full or that proper payment arrangements have been made. Any outstanding debt to the University may block future registration.
Prepare for taxes and FAFSA
Students traveling during the spring semester must file their tax returns before departing the country if they choose to file. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must also be completed. Without a completed FAFSA, you cannot receive financial aid for the next school year. Wilkes University will begin awarding financial aid in Mid April.
Special Note: Students who in the past have received a dependency override must once again supply supporting documentation to a financial aid officer for approval before the FAFSA is submitted.
Student loan status
Your loan service may try to verify that you are a full-time student for the period you are abroad, whether you are registered at Wilkes or another outside institution. As a result, your loan agency will probably send you a letter requiring that you prove your full-time status. If you or your family receives such a letter, contact the Registrar's Office requesting that the loan agency be provided with proof of enrollment.