Funding study abroad

Program costs are one of the most common and significant hurdles for students interested in study abroad, but there are many ways to fund study abroad experiences and maximize the resources available to you.

You may be able to use your current federal financial aid and existing scholarships to fund study abroad. Start by reaching out to Metro State’s financial aid office or email them at financial.aid@metrostate.edu to determine if you can apply your financial aid package.

​​​​​​​Usually the best opportunity for additional scholarship funding is through your study abroad provider, so be sure to ask about scholarship options if you have already identified the program. Beyond program-specific funding, there are many national scholarship programs that support study abroad that aren't necessarily tied to a specific program:

• Boren Scholarship & Fellowship for International Study funds study abroad experiences in world regions critical to U.S. interests and funding for language intensive programs.
• Freeman ASIA Scholarship is for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
• Bridging Scholarships are available to undergraduates participating in a study abroad program in Japan. The Bridging Project awards about 100 scholarships each year. Japanese language study is not a prerequisite.
• Diversity Abroad offers its own scholarships as well as co-sponsored scholarships, along with a scholarship search engine for students. Sign up and create a profile to get access to scholarships and resources tailored to you.
• Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) provides scholarships to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population. FEA supports minority, community college, and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs.
• The Gilman Scholarship is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants and who plan to study or intern abroad. Awards are given for semester, academic year, and summer programs of 4 weeks or longer.
• Harry S. Truman Scholarship is a competitive scholarship available to full-time students pursuing a bachelor’s degree with junior-level academic standing. Candidates should have an interest in working in government, education, or public service.
• IIE Generation Study Abroad Travel Grants are intended to diversify study abroad and to encourage students who would otherwise not participate in an international experience.
• API Scholarships offer a number of different scholarships for students ranging from $500 to $1,000.