Have you ever heard the following about study abroad: “It’s the experience of a lifetime!”
“You have to visit _________!”
“You’ll regret it if you don’t go.”.
Well, what if you only have money to afford a PB&J on some leftover hamburger buns? Going to a foreign country penny pinching with no familiar faces can be intimidating, and while it can be expensive to study abroad, there are other options. You can even go study abroad for free or cheap!
To get the “best deals” on a study abroad, you must gather all of your resources, and plan at least one semester in advance. A short checklist of items to do: connect with teachers, obtain teacher recommendations, practice writing, study your target language, save money, and talk to your school adviser. Preparing can help you determine which option would be best for you, so here are some ideas to get you thinking:
-There are government funded study abroad scholarship programs such as NSLI-Y for high school/gap year or CLS for college students. NSLI-Y and CLS are free, excluding a couple of meals, airfare, and spending money. Depending on the program you choose, some give you an allowance. These are highly competitive, but look amazing on resumes. To enjoy this study abroad, you will have to be someone that loves languages. These programs are funded by the government so you can intensively learn a language, strengthen diplomatic ties, and spread globalization in the United States.
-Then there are programs like CIEE and AIFS. They are cheap study abroad options that add food, weekend trips, and even airfare into an overall cost, so you don’t have to pay for it individually. Most importantly, they offer scholarships that could pay for the whole trip.-However, if you have your heart set on going to one university in particular, apply for scholarships: FLAS, Boren Awards, and Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program are great options for students that are considered underprivileged individuals. Those scholarships contribute a good portion of the cost, and have the potential to fund your whole program. The FLAS scholarship can also be applied to tuition at your in state university.
-Finally, does your University have a campus in another country? If so, tuition is usually the same as it would be in state. For example, the University of Utah has a campus in Korea where the tuition is the same, but with an the added adventure.
Get out there and study, the world is your oyster, now with an added discount!
Links to apply:
Need practice writing? Apply for Her Campus: http://www.hercampus.com/become-national-writer-her-campus
NSLI-Y: http://www.nsliforyouth.org/how-to-apply/
CLS: http://www.clscholarship.org/information-for/applicants
CIEE: https://www.ciee.org/
AIFS: https://www.aifsabroad.com/application.asp
FLAS: Ask major advisor or study abroad office
Boren Awards: https://www.borenawards.org/apply-now
Gilman Scholarship: https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/
U of U Asia Campus: https://asiacampus.utah.edu/