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Scholarships

Paying for a summer, semester or even academic year education abroad program is not as difficult as you might think. You should spend some time researching and understanding the costs involved to participate on your chosen program using some of the budget guidelines below.  We recommend you review our "Funding your Program" page in addition to reading about scholarships. 

Scholarships may take a bit of your time and effort, but the payoff can be worth it. We encourage you to take the time to do your research and apply to more than one.

The MTSU Office of Education Abroad offers three education abroad scholarships and one education abroad grant:  

  • Office of Education Abroad Scholarship 
  • Office of Education Abroad Grant 
  • Media Scholarship 
  • Commitment Scholarship 

Please review the MTSU Office of Education Abroad Policies & Requirements and the individual scholarship eligibility requirements for full details. 

Late applications are not accepted or considered.  


MTSU Office of Education Abroad Scholarship 

  • GPA 2.8 or higher 
  • Offered annually for each term 
  • Application is online, available at least four weeks prior to the deadline

Eligibility Requirements: 
Current or upcoming applications

TO APPLY, follow this step-by-step guide


MTSU Office of Education Abroad Grant 

  • GPA 2.0 - 2.799
  • Offered in the summer term only 
  • Application is online, available at least four weeks prior to the deadline 

Eligibility Requirements

TO APPLY, follow this step-by-step guide


MTSU Office of Education Abroad Commitment Scholarship

The Commitment Scholarship offers additional funding to MTSU students who commit to an MTSU Signature Program by the deadline.  This scholarship is for MTSU Signature Programs only. 

Deadline = December 4, 2019

Eligibility and Information
  • $500 award
  • May be combined with other Office of Education Abroad Scholarships/Grant
  • Requires proof of $500 non-refundable program deposit by the deadline 
  • Students are required to submit the Commitment Scholarship Acceptance Form along with proof of the $500 non-refundable deposit by the deadline
  • Acceptance forms must be submitted to the Education Abroad Office (in person to Peck Hall 207 or via email to educationabroad@mtsu.edu) and will be considered in the order in which they will be received
  • Available only to the first eight students per program

TO APPLY, Make your $500 program deposit, complete and submit this form to the Office of Education Abroad by the December 4, 2019 deadline. 

Download the Commitment Scholarship Form


MTSU Office of Education Abroad Media Scholarship

Want to share your study abroad adventures in photo, video, or print?  The Media Scholarship allows students to share their study abroad story with the MTSU community and inspire fellow MTSU students to study abroad.

  • MTSU Signature Programs only 
  • Competitive: 10 awards available, no more than one award from a single Signature Program 
  • Must follow project options & requirements 
  • Students can propose their own media project idea, creativity is encouraged 

Spring Break program deadline = February 7, 2020

Summer program deadline = March 20, 2020

Eligibility Requirements:  Please see the application (link below) to review information, requirements, and access the application for this scholarship

Application - opening late fall 2019 term

Scholarship Deadlines

Program Term Deadline Scholarship Disbursement (approximate) 
Commitment Scholarship 2020 December 4, 2019 Beginning of term (Spring, Summer) 
Media Scholarship 2020 opens late fall 2019  Spring Break - Spring term 
Summer - Beginning of summer term 
Winter 2019-20 Closed  Fall term if possible, otherwise Spring term
 
Spring 2020 Closed Beginning of Spring term 
Spring Break 2020 December 17, 2019 Mid-Spring term, prior to Spring Break 
Summer 2020 February 7, 2020 Beginning of Summer term 
Fall 2020 March 20, 2020 Beginning of Fall term 
Full Year 2020-21 March 20, 2020 Academic Year scholarship is split in half
  • First half disbursed at beginning of Fall term 
  • Second half disbursed at beginning of Spring term
 

Other MTSU Scholarships

Other MTSU education abroad scholarships are available and may be combined with Office of Education Abroad Scholarships and the Grant.  

Honors College 
  • Offers study abroad scholarships to Honors College students 
  • Offers Passport Day to Honors College students 
  • Interested students = contact Laura Clippard 
Jones College of Business 
  • Offers study abroad scholarships to Jones College of Business students 
  • $1,000 award
College of Liberal Arts 
  • Funded by First Tennessee Bank and the Ralph Klingenmeyer Scholarship 
  • $500 or $1,000
  • For MTSU Signature Programs (Faculty-led) 
  • Contact the Department of Liberal Arts for more information
Kiyoshi Kawahito Scholarship Endowment 
  • Recipient must have a 2.75 GPA and have completed at least two Japanese language course before making a study abroad trip or exchange
  • Financial need, in the broadest sense, is required
  • Preferences will be given to students participating in one of the following exchange programs: Saitama University, Kansai Gadai University, Seinan Gakuin University, Nagoya Gakuin University, Reitaku University, or Fukushima University
 

Outside Education Abroad Scholarships

Most of our affiliated program providers offer their own unique scholarships to help students with expenses abroad.  Please check the program provider website (CIEE, ISA, ISEP, and USAC) to learn more.  

All outside scholarships have different criteria, application materials, award amounts, and deadlines.  A few of the scholarship opportunities we have listed may not be directly applicable to study abroad programs but related post-graduation opportunities. 

Other ways to find scholarships and funding opportunities: 

  • Online search 
  • Inquire with groups that you and/or your family may be part of (ex: civic or religious organizations) 
  • Ask campus departments if funding is available for your program
  • Go Fund Me 
Boren Scholarship
  • Provides up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students 
  • Study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented 
  • MTSU applicants will be contacted for an interview
  • Contact the Office of Education Abroad or Laura Clippard in the Honors College for more information
    • Students must select a study abroad program prior to speaking with Laura Clippard
Bridging Scholarship 
  • For U.S. undergraduate students participating in study abroad programs in Japan 
  • Approximately 100 awarded each year
  • 2 application cycles
Butex Scholarship 
  • For students studying in the UK for a semester or academic year 
  • Scholarship value = £500
Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship 
  • For individuals who are interested in formulating, representing, and implementing U.S. foreign policy
  • Students in minority groups and with financial need encouraged to apply
  • Undergraduate or graduate 
Confucius Institute Scholarship
  • A partnership between The Confucius Institute and universities in China 
  • Scholarship for American students to study in China 
  • Semester or academic year
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) 
  • Fully-funded overseas summer language & cultural immersion programs 
  • Applicants are selected based on their commitment to studying non-traditional language abroad 
  • Undergraduate or graduate 
  • Interested students contact Laura Clippard in the MTSU Honors College 
DAAD
  • German Academic Exchange Service 
  • Undergraduate or graduate 
  • Study abroad programs, research, and/or internships in Germany
FlipKey Study Abroad Scholarship 
  • FlipKey values the importance of travel and cultural immersion as a way to learn about the world firsthand
  • Awards one student $1,000 scholarship to put towards study abroad expenses
Foreign Language Area Studies Award 
  • From the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University 
  • Intensive studies of Portuguese or indigenous Latin American Languages 
  • Awards up to $5,000 and a stipend of $2,500
Freeman-Asia Scholarship 
  • Study must be in an Asian country 
  • Student must have little to no experience with the country where he/she plans to study 
  • Needs-based funding to assist with study abroad program and related expenses 
  • Summer, semester, or academic year awards
Fulbright 
  • Provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs
  • Designed for students who have graduated 
  • Start the application process at least one year in advance 
  • Interested students = contact Laura Clippard in the MTSU Honors College
Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) 
  • Scholarships up to $5,000
  • Study abroad programs of 4-weeks or longer
  • Applicants for students underrepresented in study abroad are given preference 
  • Please note: Scholarship has very early deadlines 
Generation Google Scholarship 
  • To help aspiring computer scientists excel in technology and become leaders in the field
  • Must be pursuing computer science, computer engineering, or related technical degree
  • Must be a student from an underrepresented group in computer science 
Gilman Scholarship 
  • Federal Pell Grant recipients who are applying to study abroad 
  • Awards up to $5,000
  • Recommended for students who have been historically underrepresented in education abroad including (but not limited to) first-generation college students, students in STEM fields, ethnic minority students, students with disabilities, students attending HBCUs
Goldwater Foundation Scholarship 
  • For students who intend to pursue research in science, math, and engineering 
  • Maximum of $7,500 per academic year; scholarship is awarded based on merit, amount given is based on financial need 
  • Interested students = contact Laura Clippard in the MTSU Honors College
Marshall Scholarship 
  • Graduate students 
  • For study in the United Kingdom in any field of study 
  • U.S. citizens with a first degree from an accredited U.S. four-year college or university with a minimum GPA of 3.7
  • Scholarship covers fees, cost of living expenses, annual book grant, thesis grant, and more
Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship 
  • GPA of at least 3.75 
  • Student does not need to be a member of Phi Kappa Phi 

All scholarship awards are subject to determination of the Office of Financial Aid if the student is eligible to receive additional funding. This includes those provided by MTSU and outside sources. Please note that scholarships are competitive and never guaranteed.

Scholarships will not pay for your entire program, but every award amount adds up!  We highly encourage you to apply for one or more.