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Study abroad 101: How do I pay for it?
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The big question for most students and their families when they are considering study abroad options is cost. Before you're scared away by the big figures of some programs you come across online, check out my article on understanding how much it will really cost.
Now that you know how much it will cost consider whether you are able (or willing) to pay that amount. If you don't want the hassle of applying for scholarships during mid-terms (which is when most are due), then skip this article and head straight for Study abroad 101: How do I pay for it?. If, on the other hand, you think a few hours of work during for a (pretty good) chance at winning $1000 or more is worth it, read on for some helpful hints on where to find these scholarship.
The first place to look is your school's study abroad office. Some schools have branches in other countries where you can study for the same price you pay to stay home (Maryland-in-London is a good example). Another benefit of those programs is that you don't have to worry about transferring credits because they will still be coming from the same parent school. If you chose not to go to a sister-school program, your study abroad office is still a good resource for scholarships sponsored by the school. These are usually less merit-based and more based on need and/or international experience. If this is your first time leaving the country or if you are already on substantial financial aid you are in a good position to receive one of these scholarships. Your study abroad office may also be able to point you in the direction of websites or companies that grant scholarships for study abroad. Although it's always worth a look, these databases are rarely as useful as google and the telephone.
The real gold for scholarship applicants is from foundations (non-profit entities set up for the purpose of giving away money for a cause they deem appropriate). Many of these available scholarships are not given out ever year because no one applies. Try using the foundation center's search (it's free if you visit their metro-accessible location), but in most cases google will work just as well. The key to finding these scholarships is specificity: find a funder who wants to fund exactly what you want to do. So, if you want to study Italian in Italy, try the Italian Cultural Institute at the Italian Embassy or the Italian Cultural Society, a group dedicated to promoting Italian culture; if you want to study in China or Taiwan, try the government's scholarship programs like the Taiwan Scholarship Program or the Chinese Government Scholarship; if you want to study in a country of diplomatic importance to the US try the State Department's Critical Language Program or search the State Department's scholarships website (if you've already graduated, don't forget about the great opportunities with the Fulbright Scholarship); or search by your major - Architecture? Art? Classics? Medicine? - or by what you want to do while you're abroad - Intern at a Japanese company? Career development in business or agriculture in Germany?
If you're still having trouble finding scholarships that fit what you want to do, a trick you might consider is finding universities (not necessarily the one you attend) who have good information or lists of scholarships (I found the University of Illinois at Chicago's scholarships website really helpful). And finally, don't be fooled by the standard scholarship search engines: their results are the ones that everyone sees so those scholarships are more competitive and typical no better than the ones you could find on your own! Put a little muscle into it and spend a few hours searching and applying. Can you think of an easier way to get upwards of $1000 for just a few hours of work?
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