The Ultimate Guide to Travel Scholarships

By Tamiera Vandegrift on August 2, 2018

The opportunity to study abroad is one of the most unique, fantastic opportunities that colleges, universities, and other programs have to offer. Imagine yourself studying under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Imagine yourself ditching cardboard cafeteria pizza for delicious margherita pizza that only Italy can offer you. At last, you can let go of major FOMO as you watch your friends sip wine in Italy or cuddle cute animals in Australia. Finally, you can escape the main campus you’ve grown all too used to.

Studying abroad offers a ton of experiences you will never have anywhere else as well as a ton of fun and interesting things to put on your resume! If you are reading this article, you have probably put a lot of thought into studying abroad, so much thought that you’ve found yourself caught on the one tiny tidbit that keeps a lot of students from studying abroad: the price tag.

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Let’s face it. As amazing as the chance to study abroad is, the experience itself can sometimes cost more than a regular semester at your university. According to Forbes, the average cost of studying abroad is over $30,000 per semester. In fact, the cost of studying abroad was listed as the largest non-academic deterrent among the student body. In other words, if the very cost of studying abroad is preventing you from making your traveling dreams into a reality, you’re not alone at all. However, there are ways to minimize costs and even eliminate them entirely!  So, don’t count yourself out just yet if you can’t dish out $30,000 out of pocket.

 This is where travel scholarships come in! Just like your regular academic scholarships, travel scholarships serve to finance students’ academics, housing, and other costs related to studying abroad. Sound like something useful? Keep reading for information on travel scholarships as well as some of the best travel scholarships to apply for now!

The Breakdown

So, before we get down to the nitty-gritty, let’s start with addressing why studying abroad is so expensive in the first place. Well, there are a number of factors that determine the cost of studying abroad. Some of these factors include the type of university you attend, the cost of courses abroad, and the cost of airfare and travel. In some universities and travel programs, this is all-inclusive, meaning that the final price you pay will cover everything you need. In some situations, this isn’t the case. For instance, at some colleges, you are responsible for booking flights and travel arrangements on your own which is a whole other world of expense. For this reason, it’s extremely important to take note of the costs and requirements included with every study abroad program you consider before you apply. With that being said, let’s start talking travel scholarships.

Where Can You Find Travel Scholarships?

It may seem like free money is hard to find, but once you start looking, you will find that travel scholarships are actually all too common! There are actually thousands of travel scholarships out there and they’re all waiting to consider you for funding.

First, check out what your specific university or study abroad program has to offer. For instance, Florida State University’s study abroad department offers numerous scholarship opportunities on its own, but so do certain academic departments, student organizations, and honor societies. New York University offers travel scholarships for studying abroad based on financial status and/or academic merit. Before you start looking for outside sources, definitely make sure to check out what your university and/or specific program offer in terms of travel scholarships.

Next, see how your government can help you by checking out Federal Student Aid to see if your situation

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Infographic via Canva
Created by Tamiera Vandegrift

makes you eligible for any financial awards. Many students don’t realize that government scholarships, grants, and loans can also be applied to studying abroad! Once you have exhausted your university and your nation, it’s time to start seeking outside sources for travel scholarships. Check out searchable databases, such as Fastweb, College Board, and Scholarships.com.

Look for scholarships related to your specific study abroad program. Are you gearing up to study engineering in Beijing? Then start looking for travel scholarships related to Beijing or engineering. Are you traveling with a national student organization? Look up your organization or contact the administrators of it to see if they help members with costs related to travel and study abroad programs. And don’t stop there!

Keep searching and leave no stone unturned, as sometimes travel scholarships, like many forms of financial aid, can be found in the most unlikely of places. Talk to your parents, your internship directors, your classmates, your friends, your professors, your advisors, and everyone you can think of. If you manage to find lesser known travel scholarships, you will have a better chance of earning financial aid!

With all of these sources in the public domain and hundreds of thousands of college students looking for financial assistance to study abroad, it may seem like you have a snowball’s chance of actually collecting some travel scholarships, but don’t let this discourage you. There are a ton of travel scholarships out there. Your only job is to stay persistent and apply, apply, apply!

Scholarships to Apply For Right Now

Before you start your own search for travel scholarships, we have already done some of the work for you. So, without further delay, here are some of the best travel scholarships to apply for right now!

AIFS Study Abroad Scholarships and Grants

AIFS, otherwise known as the American Institute for Foreign Study, offers a wide variety of travel scholarships and grants depending on the nature of your program and what type of student you are. Travel scholarships are based on academics, heritage, financial need, and location. A few specific travel scholarships to look out for are:

  • The Russell and Deborah Taylor Foundation Scholarship. This award covers half of your program fee. The award is available to students with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 and financial need. To apply, students need to submit an essay about their academic goals along with documentation demonstrating their financial need.

  • The AIFS Family Discount. Has a member of your immediate family participated in any of AIFS’ study abroad programs or utilized any of their travel scholarships? If so, you are eligible to receive this award. The total award is $500.

  • The John S. Linakis Scholarship. Are you a student looking to study abroad that is also interested in improving the lives of others? If so, this scholarship is the one for you. The scholarship honors John S. Linakis, a man who aspired to create a world where differences in culture and economics would not change or limit others and their chance to see the world. The award is given to a student who demonstrates financial need as well as a commitment to changing the world around them for the better. The total award is $5,000.

The Fulbright Program

Being one of the most famous and notable international exchange programs in the world, The Fulbright program offers American students the ability to study, research, and teach abroad while also allowing non-American citizens the opportunity to do the same in the United States. Since it is such an exclusive and prestigious award, the application process is pretty hefty. To apply you must provide basic biographical data, a statement of purpose, transcripts, recommendations, a personal statement, foreign language documentation, and letters of affiliation. To be eligible, you must not be an employee of or a relative of an employee of the United States Department of State. While the application process is heavy, earning a Fulbright award would put you in the same alumni pool as 59 Nobel Prize winners and 84 Pulitzer Prize winners.

Thomas J. Watson Fellowship

Attention all graduating seniors! This award is for you. If your goal is to take a year of independent international study after graduating, then this travel scholarship wants to help you make it happen. To qualify for this award, you have to pitch an idea for a project or research program that is altogether unique, realistic, and overall, important to you personally. If you’ve been seeking your “Eat, Pray, Love” moment, here it is. The application requires that you submit a personal statement, a nomination letter from your university or college, and a minimum of one letter of recommendation. The award itself ranges from $25,000 to $35,000.

Hostelling International USA Explore the World Travel Scholarship

For students looking for education and service opportunities overseas (And yes, this includes studying abroad), this scholarship program is offering over 104 travel scholarships. This financial aid award opportunity is one of the most inclusive on the list, being open to all students of all levels and even non-students! To be eligible, you simply must be between the age of 18 and 30 and an American citizen. The award is also need-based. To apply, you must submit an application and two references by early March!

Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship

Tortuga understands wanderlust and that not every college student has the bank account to fuel that lust, so this travel scholarship serves as a stepping stone between you and your wildest traveling fantasies. The award is offered twice per year to students that have the simple wish to see the world. All you need to do to apply is complete an application and a personal statement and then you’re on your way! Scholarship winners will receive $1,000 in award money to use towards tuition, housing, academic materials, and transportation. You will also receive a pretty nifty travel backpack to use on your journey!  Use the Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship to live your life to the fullest and make the most out of your adventures abroad. To be considered for Spring 2019, apply by December 20, 2018.

Churchill Foundation Scholarship

If you are a graduate student pursuing a Masters degree in a STEM-related field, the Churchill Foundation Scholarship is your ticket to an amazing, frugal travel experience. This travel scholarship covers all academic expenses for up to twelve months, depending on your specific academic program. The award ranges from $45,000 to $50,000. To be eligible, you must be a graduating senior. To apply, you must register online and submit an online application as well as a proposal, a personal statement, an academic transcript, and if applicable to the program, correspondence with a lab supervisor. Applications are due on November 1, 2018.

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This is only scraping the tip of the iceberg of travel scholarships available for your discovery. If you are majoring in German at the University of Rhode Island, there are travel scholarships for you. If you are a full-time third-year student at Penn State enrolled in the architecture program, there are travel scholarships for you. If you are receiving a Pell Grant and plan to study abroad for at least a month in one country, there are travel scholarships for you. If none of these travel scholarships were applicable to you as an individual, use resources like Fastweb and Scholarships to create a profile and have more opportunities for travel scholarships gift-wrapped and delivered to you right in your inbox!

Travel scholarships take the fantasy of traveling the world and make it into a serious reality. Before you count out traveling and studying abroad from your college experience, dig deep and utilize all of your resources to try and find enough travel scholarships to finance your journey. Thousands of travel scholarships exist and are simply waiting for you to discover them.

The price tag of any traveling venture may seem steep and unmanageable, but with resources like universities, federal aid, and more, the dream of travel will start to seem like a close, gorgeous reality. After all, the experience of studying abroad, the memories you will make along the way, and the many things you will learn about yourself during the process are all truly priceless.

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