USF Education Abroad Funding

Studying abroad does not need to be an expensive experience. Florida and federal financial aid may be used by students participating in USF-sponsored study abroad programs, and many study abroad scholarships exist as well. Students should speak with USF Financial Aid to determine what current aid can be applied.

Below, students will find information about various sources of funding. Students interested in study abroad are encouraged to also check with the Office of National Scholarships for additional scholarship and grant opportunities.

• USF Education Abroad Scholarships
• Other University Scholarships
• Financial Aid
• Other Grants and Awards
• Scholarships for Multi-Cultural Students

USF Education Abroad Scholarships

The scholarships below are administered through the USF Education Abroad Office. While none of these scholarships are intended to pay for an entire program, they are meant to aid our students in covering some of the costs associated with international study.  Students do not need to submit separate scholarship applications for each scholarship; the Education Abroad Office will determine eligibility based on the one electronic application. In order to be considered for a scholarship, students must have Committed to their program of choice, and must have paid their required program deposit.

How to Apply
All of our programs require:

• Education Abroad Scholarship Application (use one scholarship application; the review committee will determine eligibility for individual scholarships)
• A letter of recommendation
• A 500 word statement of intent
• Transcript
• Cost Estimate Form for Non-USF programs
• Unofficial Resume
• Statement of Financial Need
• Students must have committed to the program of choice and must have paid required deposits.

NOTE: These materials must be submitted by the deadline; late submissions of any of the materials listed above will not be accepted. 

Deadlines
Dates remain the same from one year to the next.

Fall Semester Awards: June 1

Spring Semester Awards: November 1

Summer Semester Awards: February 15

Ideally, applicants will be notified of the committee's decision after one month. However, this may be delayed due to an increased volume of applications.  Generally, we receive more than 300 applications for summer scholarships.  Due to this volume, selections are likely to take up to two months.

• Full or part-time student
• Any academic level
• Any USF campus
• Any major
• US citizen
• First-time study abroad

 --Ellsworth G. Simmons Scholarship for International Leadership

Recipients will be full-time USF degree-seeking students.  Applicants must have an interest in international business and demonstrate leadership and community service involvement. Scholarships are awarded for Fall and Spring semesters and summer term. A maximum of $6,000 may be awarded annually.
Scholarship Criteria:

• For USF continuing undergraduate, graduate, transfer students
• Available to all majors
• US Citizen or International Student eligible
• Minimum 3.4 GPA for currently enrolled USF students; 3.5 minimum GPA for new transfer students
• Financial need considered but not the sole determining factor in choosing recipients
• USF Tampa campus only
• Applicants should be residents of Florida; preference to Hillsborough County residents

-Joan Newcomb Study Abroad Scholarships

Special Requirements: For USF International Studies majors/minors only.  Scholarships are awarded fall & spring semesters and summer term. Applicants are not guaranteed funding. Award amounts are determined by the quality of the application and available funds, but are generally in the amounts of $500-$750. Applicants must have been accepted into their program of study and paid the required deposit to assure program participation. Study abroad duration must be three weeks or longer. Additional consideration given to students who balance academics, community service and employment.

Scholarship Criteria:

• For continuing undergraduate, graduate, transfer students
• Major-International Studies only
• US Citizen or International Student eligible
• Minimum GPA is 2.5
• Financial need considered but not a deciding factor
• USF Tampa campus only

-Leung Global Experience Scholarship

This is a university-wide scholarship is designed for students to have a new global experience. Eligible students must travel to a country foreign to that of their native language.  If they are visiting a country of their heritage, but they do not  speak the language, this will still be considered a new global experience.

In addition to the criterion described above, eligible students must:

· participate in a USF-sponsored study abroad trip
· have a 3.0 GPA as calculated by USF
· demonstrate financial need as documented by the FAFSA

-Mark and Kay Orr International Affairs Study Abroad Scholarship

Special Requirements:  For semester or academic year study abroad only.  Award amounts are $1000 minimum.  Recipients will have completed one semester at USF at the time of application.  Preference given to study in non-traditional locations  Scholarship applicants must have applied to their program of study. 

Scholarship Criteria:

• For continuing undergraduate, graduate, transfer students
• Available to all majors
• US Citizen or International Student eligible
• Minimum GPA is 2.5
• Financial need considered but not a deciding factor

Completed application must be submitted to the Education Abroad Office by Jun 1-Fall semester; Nov 1-Spring semester

-Mark Orr Japanese Study Scholarship

The purpose of this fund is to encourage USF students in the study of Japan in all its aspects at Japanese University, School or College.

-President's Latin Community Advisory Committee Passport Scholarship

Special Requirement:  Eligible students must be current or former scholarship recipients from the Latino Scholarship Program. This scholarship is meant to subsidize an education abroad experience for a student that demonstrates financial need as documented by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and must have a minimum 3.0 GPA as calculated by USF. This scholarship will be one-time award to one student at $1,000 a year.

• Required to be current or former scholarship recipients of Latino Scholarship Program.
• For continuing undergraduate, graduate, transfer student
• Available to all majors
• Minimum GPA=3.0
• Financial need must be documented by FAFSA
• Any USF campus

Completed application must be submitted to the Education Abroad Office by Jun 1-Fall semester; Nov 1-Spring semester; Feb 15-summer term
 

-Touchton Global Passport Scholarship

Special Requirements:  This scholarship is meant to subsidize an education abroad experience for students who will participate in a USF-sponsored program overseas.  Preference is given to students who are majoring in Engineering. Starting in 2009, funding will be dispersed over a five-year period.  Scholarships are in teh amount $500.00.

Scholarship Criteria:

• For continuing undergraduate, graduate, transfer students
• Engineering majors preferred
•  US Citizens eligible
• Minimum GPA =3.0
• Financial need must be documented by FAFSA
• Any USF campus

Completed application must be submitted to the Education Abroad Office by Jun 1-Fall semester; Nov 1-Spring semester; Feb 15-summer term

-USF Education Abroad Scholarship Fund

This scholarship fund is for subsidizing an education abroad experience for a student traveling internationally on a USF sponsored study abroad trip. Eligible students must demonstrate financial need as documented by the Free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

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Other University Scholarships

USF College of Business Scholarship:

Please see http://business.usf.edu/student/scholarship/index.asp

Or contact Pavla Ozkul: pmozkul@coba.usf.edu

Another resource is the USF Financial Aid Services scholarship search engine; students may also want to refer to the scholarship name.

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Financial Aid

Studying abroad does not need to be an expensive experience. Florida and federal financial aid may be used by students participating in USF-sponsored study abroad programs, and many study abroad scholarships exist as well.

Our office will liaison with the USF Office of Financial Aid, however, students are responsible for:

• making an appointment to consult with a financial aid advisor to see what of their aid may apply
• Students receiving financial aid and either exchanging for a semester or transferring credits should complete the USF Financial Aid, Education Abroad Certification Contract (SAE):Linked in the "forms" section of the Office of Financial Aid's Website above.  Please note, your main academic advisor must sign off on your intended course selection on part B. They are approving these courses to count towards your degree, not approving the equivalencies (this would already have been done in your course approval form).
• Students completing the SAE must send confirmation of their enrollment from the foreign institution to the Financial Aid Office. Aid for semester exchanges and transfer credit will not be disbursed until after the confirmation of enrollment is processed and aid is disbursed on campus.

Listed below are some of the more popular college funding options and information regarding whether they apply to study abroad:

Florida Prepaid
Usually, students can use their Florida Prepaid funding to help offset the costs of studying abroad.  The total fee amount that Florida Prepaid will cover depends on several factors:

• The number of credit hours the student will receive during his/her study abroad program
• The rate that Florida Prepaid is paying per credit hour
• The total dollar amount that has been accrued in the student's prepaid account

Students interested in using their prepaid funding to help pay the costs of studying abroad should email a statement to the Academic Services Administrator (francesb@iac.usf.edu), expressing his/her wishes to use prepaid funding for this purpose. Education Abroad will partner with the USF Cashier's Office and Florida Prepaid to apply the funding for the student's study abroad trip. Within the term the student should receive a credit on his/her OASIS account for prepaid funding. Please be advised that Florida Prepaid only pays the rate per credit hour that would normally apply if the student were taking courses on-campus.

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Other Scholarships and Grants

There are many other sources of funding available. Students are encouraged to check the internet and their own academic departments for additional funding sources.
The USF Students are encouraged to inquire with the Office of National Scholarships (ONS) for additional scholarships available to students.
Some suggestions include:

• Boren Awards
  This program focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad. Funding opportunities are available to both undergraduate and graduate students.
• Fulbright Student Grants
  This program is for seniors applying for graduate studies and current graduate and Ph.D. students working on an internationally focused thesis.
• Gilman Travel Grants
  for undergraduate students receiving Pell Grant Funding.
• Institute for International Public Policy (IIPP) Fellowship Program
  for underrepresented minority students interested in an international service career.
• U.S. - Ireland Alliance George J. Mitchell Scholarships
  for graduate students; scholarships support one year of graduate study in any discipline offered by an institution of higher learning in Ireland or Northern Ireland.
• Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships
  several types of scholarships are available for undergraduate and graduate students as well as for qualified professionals pursuing vocational studies.
• Rotary World Peace Fellowships
  Each year, Rotary will select up to 60 Fellows to study at one of the six Rotary Centers worldwide. These Rotary World Peace Fellows will begin master's-level degree programs in conflict resolution, peace studies, and international relations at one of the six Rotary Centers.
• Marshall Scholarships
  for study in the United Kingdom for two years; minimum GPA of 3.7 required
• Freeman Awards for Study Abroad in Asia
  for freshman, sophomore, and juniors currently receiving financial aid
• UAS7 Study and Internships in Germany
  This program consists of a full academic semester at one of the UAS7 universities in Germany and a six month internship with a German company or research institute. The program offers a tuition waiver and a stipend for one academic semester. UAS7 is currently accepting applications through February 15th 2010 for the academic year of 2010-2011.
• Collaborative Research Grants in the Humanities
  The Collaborative Research Grants in the Humanities program provides support of up to $50,400 for U.S. scholars conducting humanities research in any country of Eurasia and Eastern Europe.
• GoOverseas Scholarship
  The GoOverseas scholarships are available to students currently enrolled in, or in the process of applying to, study abroad programs.  The largest scholarship is $1,000. For further information, visit GoOverseas online at www.gooverseas.com.
• The Killam Fellowships Program
  This program provides an opportunity for undergraduate students from universities in Canada and the United States to spend either one semester or a full academic year as an exchange student in the other country.
• NanoJapan: International Research Experience for Undergraduates
  NanoJapan will provide U.S. undergraduates with structured research opportunities in Japanese university laboratories with Japanese mentors focused on the study of THz dynamics of nanostructures.
• The Fund for Education Abroad
  The Fund for Education Abroad scholarships are not limited to specific programs, destinations, or fields of study. FEA awards funds to students planning to study abroad on academically rigorous programs with a preference for underrepresented students. In addition to their general scholarships, FEA also awards the BASAA Scholarship, awarded to a deserving student who attends a US university/college located in the BASAA area (Massachusetts, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island or Connecticut); and the Rainbow Scholarship, awarded to a deserving LGBT student who aims to participate in an education abroad program.

Multi-Cultural Scholarships

AGI Minority Geosciences Student Scholarships: for minorities students majoring in geosciences, including the geosciences sub disciplines of geology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrology, meteorology, physical oceanography, planetary geology, or earth-science education
http://www.agiweb.org/mpp/index.html

Air Force Crossroads Scholarships
http://www.afcrossroads.com/education/coll_scholar.cfm

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants: Scholarships for Minority Accounting Students
http://www.aicpa.org/Career/DiversityInitiatives/Pages/smas.aspx

American Physical Society: Corporate Minority Scholarships- for freshmen and sophomore minority students majoring in physics
http://www.aps.org/programs/minorities/honors/scholarship/

A Better Chance: College Scholarships for Minority Students
http://abetterchance.org/abetterchance.aspx?pgID=871

Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE): includes programs and services for studying, working and volunteering aboard. Also provides five different scholarships.
http://www.ciee.org.

NAFSA: Association of International Educators- this particular link gives NAFSA's stance on study abroad and scholarship information.
http://www.nafsa.org/students.sec/

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME): Scholarships for Minorities in Engineering
http://www.nacmebacksme.org/NBM_B.aspx?pageid=113

AFRICAN AMERICAN

Black Excel: one of the largest databases of scholarships and resources for African American students.
http://www.blackexcel.org/link4.htm

African American Scholarships: find scholarships by state, major and academic level.
http://www.africanamericanscholarship.com/scholarship.asp

National Association of Black Journalists: open to African American students majoring in journalism
http://www.nabj.org/?page=SEEDscholarships

NAACP: Scholarship Programs
http://www.naacp.org/page/s/scholarship2

National Society of Black Engineers: Scholarships
http://www.nsbe.org/Programs/Scholarships.aspx

Scholarships for African Americans
http://www.free-4u.com/african.htm

Science Research Scholarship Awards: for African American students, with junior standing who are pursuing a degree in life or physical sciences http://www.uncf.org/merck/programs/undergrd.htm

ASIAN AMERICAN

Asian American Journalists Association: Scholarships
http://www.aaja.org/programs/for_students/journalism_scholarships/

The Korean American Scholarship Foundation
http://www.kasf.org/

Media Action Network for Asian Americans: Scholarships for Asian American students pursuing careers in filmmaking and television production (but not broadcast journalism).
http://www.manaa.org/

South Asian Journalist Association
http://www.saja.org/

HISPANIC AMERICAN

The Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting Scholarships: for Latino students with 15 credits, 3.0 GPA and majoring in accounting, finance or related fields
http://www.alpfa.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=354

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute: List of Scholarships
http://www.chci.org/scholarships/

Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement
http://www.haceonline.org/resources/scholarship-opportunities-hispanic-students

Hispanic Scholarship Fund: College Scholarship Program
http://www.hsf.net/innercontent.aspx?id=34

League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Scholarships
http://lulac.org/programs/education/scholarships/index.html

Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund: Scholarship Programs
http://www.maldef.org/leadership/scholarships/index.html

National Association of Hispanic Nurses Scholarships
http://nahnnet.org/NAHNScholarships.html

State Farm Insurance Hispanic Scholarship Awards Program
http://www.statefarm.com/foundati/hispanic.htm

La Unidad Latina Foundation
http://www.launidadlatina.org/

NATIVE AMERICAN

American Indian Science and Engineering Society
http://aises.org/

Association of American Indian Affairs: Scholarship Programs
http://www.indian-affairs.org/scholarships/aaia_scholarships.htm

The Cherokee Nation: Higher Education
http://www.cherokee.org/Services/190/Page/default.aspx

Friends of Hubbell: Scholarship Details and Application: for Navajo Nation student with a 3.0 GPA or higher and of junior or senior status.
http://www.friendsofhubbell.org/Scholarships.htm

Indian Health Service: Scholarships
http://www.ihs.gov/JobsCareerDevelop/DHPS/Scholarships/

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