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Scholarships

Financial Aid and Scholarships information for study abroad can be detail-heavy and with good reason! We want students to understand all the details of funding options since this is one of the biggest hurdles (real or perceived) to overcome when planning to study abroad.  We're here to help.  

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.   

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 Office of Education Abroad offers three scholarships.

 
Schol page - OEA box Schol page - Media box Schol page - Commit box

Office of Education Abroad Scholarship


New for summer 2021!  The Office of Education Abroad Scholarship has been updated for summer 2021 programs in order to help students get out into the world again.  We are combining our Commitment Scholarship and Office of Education Abroad Scholarship for summer 2021 to provide students more than the average summer award.

Award Amounts
For summer 2021 programs only: Award will be a flat-rate award
  • Any Signature Program participant will receive $1,500. 
  • Any Provider Program participant (ISA, USAC, CIEE, CCSA, etc..) will receive $700. 
All other scholarship terms: Award will be variable.

Our other scholarship requirements and eligibility requirements still apply: 
  • Overall Combined GPA 2.0 (undergrad) or higher for short term programs (summer, winter)
  • Overall Combined GPA 2.80 (undergrad) or higher for long term programs (semester, academic year)
  • May be combined with other Office of Education Abroad scholarships
  • Awarded prior to program term 
Eligibility Requirements
Open or soon-to-open cycles are listed. To Apply: 
  1. Go to the Program Search box on the home page, click
  2. At the 'Show' box us the drop-down and select 'Scholarship'
  3. At the 'Term' box use the drop-down and select the correct scholarship term
  4. Click 'Search'
  5. Click the link for your scholarship term and follow all instructions 
  6. Contact the Office of Education Abroad if you have any questions. 

Commitment Scholarship 

This scholarship is not available for summer 2021.  Please apply for the Office of Education Abroad Scholarship and the Media Scholarship instead. 

  • MTSU Signature Programs only 
  • $500 award
  • Competitive: Available to the first eight (8) students per program; students must complete all scholarship requirements by the deadline for consideration
  • Requires proof of $500 non-refundable program deposit 
  • May be combined with other Office of Education Abroad scholarships
  • Awarded prior to program term
To Apply
Students should have program Faculty Director approval and Office of Education Abroad preapproval before making a program deposit. 
  1. Make your $500 program deposit, keep copies of the receipt(s) or email confirmation of payment
  2. Go to the Program Search box on the home page, click
  3. At the 'Show' box use the drop-down and select 'Scholarship'
  4. In the 'Term' box select the correct term (ex: select 'Summer' for the summer term scholarship)
  5. Click 'Search' 
  6. Select 'Commitment Scholarship'
  7. Follow all instructions including uploading a copy of your deposit receipt.  Complete all requirements and submit. 
  8. Contact the Office of Education Abroad if you have any questions. Summer program deadline = n/a. Not available for summer 2021
Eligibility Requirements = Please see the application (link below) to review information, requirements, and access the application for this scholarship

Application = Review the scholarship page and apply here: Commitment Scholarship

Media Scholarship 

Want to share your study abroad adventures in a creative way?  The Office of Education Abroad Media Scholarship gives students a chance to share their study abroad story with the MTSU community and inspire fellow MTSU students to study abroad.  This scholarship is available each term (summer, fall, winter, spring, and fall or spring break if applicable).

The Office of Education Abroad will share the winning projects on our website, in advising, with the campus community, and on our social media channels to highlight the great experiences students have abroad. 
 
  • 10 summer  Summer 2021 = 15 awards!
  • $500 award for summer / $700 award for fall
  • Available for all programs (Signature Programs, Provider Programs, Education Abroad Independent Study)
  • Student proposes creative project to showcase study abroad program (Not just social media, any creative project!)
    • Projects could include: photo, song, video, print media, PowerPoint
    • Social Media projects are accepted as well
  • Must follow all project options and requirements as submitted 
  • May be combined with other Office of Education Abroad scholarships
  • Awarded prior to program term
Summer program deadline = March 19, 2021
Fall program deadline = March 19, 2021

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

Application = Review the scholarship page and apply here: Media Scholarship
 
 
Schol Page - other MTSU Schol page - outside schols Schol - deadlines


Other MTSU Study Abroad Scholarships 

These may be combined with Office of Education Abroad Scholarships. 
 

  1. Honors College - Offers study abroad scholarships and Passport Day to Honors College students.  Contact your Honors College advisor.
  2. Jones College of Business - $1,000 award for Jones College of Business Students.  March 15th deadline. Contact your College of Business major/minor advisor. 
  3. College of Liberal Arts - $500 or $1,000 for MTSU Signature Faculty-Led Study Abroad programs only.  Contact the College of Liberal Arts.
  4. Kiyoshi Kawahito Scholarship Endowment - 2.75 GPA, completed at least two Japanese language courses before study abroad, financial need.  Preference given to students participating in an MTSU exchange program in Japan. Contact the World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Department.
  5. Geraldine Sayward Scholarship - 3.5 GPA, Liberal Arts major or minor.  Preference given to MTSU Signature Faculty-Led Programs. February 15th deadline. Contact the College of Liberal Arts. 
  6. Gerhard & Esther Hansen Memorial London Winter Scholarship - $1,000 award, MTSU Theatre major, only applies toward CCSA's 2-week London winter theatre program course taught by MTSU faculty.  Contact Professor Scott Boyd. 
  7. College of Education Study Abroad Scholarship - Applicants must be College of Education majors or minors with at least 30 hours earned credit, must be participating in the MTSU Signature faculty-led education abroad program and course, and must have a minimum 2.5 overall GPA. Contact your College of Education major/minor advisor. 
  8. SOMSAC School of Music Study Abroad Scholarship - Applicants must be a full-time Music major, have a 3.0 GPA in music courses, and must be participating in a School of Music MTSU Signature faculty-led education abroad program and course. Contact your School of Music advisor.
  9. Elrod Family Scholarship - 3.0 GPA, junior or senior in the College of Liberal Arts, a student whose parent(s) did not receive a bachelor's degree.  February 15th deadline. Contact the College of Liberal Arts. 
  10. Worldbeater Scholarship - 3.0 GPA, College of Media and Entertainment major.  Contact the College of Media and Entertainment with any questions.
  11. Tom Berg Memorial Scholarship - 3.0 GPA, junior or senior Media Arts major who is active or has participated in at least one departmental activity or organization.  February 15th deadline. Contact the Media Arts department.

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.  

  1. Ashley Soulé Conroy Study Abroad Scholarship
    1. $4,000 award, undergraduate only 
    2. 14 week minimum (long summer programs should apply for spring semester scholarship)
    3. GPA minimum 3.0
  2. Boren Scholarship 
    1. Up to $20,000, undergraduate only 
    2. Study abroad in areas of the world critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented 
    3. Contact: Laura Clippard in the Honors College 
  3. Bridging Scholarship 
    1. Undergraduate students studying abroad in Japan 
  4. Butex Scholarship 
    1. Semester or academic year in the UK
    2. Scholarship value = £500
  5. Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship 
    1. For undergraduate or graduate students interested in formulating, representing, and implementing U.S. foreign policy
    2. Students in minority groups and with financial need encouraged to apply
    3. Most expenses included 
    4. Undergraduate students earn credit at Howard University for the summer enrichment program & can work with their MTSU academic department to determine if this credit is applicable to their major/minor.  
    5. This could be used as education abroad independent study or as a non-affiliated study abroad program.  Please ask the Office of Education Abroad for more information. 
  6. Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) 
    1. Fully-funded overseas summer language & cultural immersion programs 
    2. Not credit-bearing study abroad but excellent experience.  
    3. This could be used as education abroad independent study if the student's major/minor department is interested in awarding credit.  Please ask the Office of Education Abroad for more information.  
    4. Undergraduate or graduate 
  7. DAAD
    1. German Academic Exchange Service for study abroad, research, or internships in Germany 
    2. Undergraduate or graduate 
  8. Freeman-Asia Scholarship
    1. Asian countries only, student must have little to no experience with the country where she/she plans to study
    2. Summer, semester, or academic year
  9. Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) 
    1. Up to $5,000
    2. Program must be 4 weeks or longer 
    3. Very early deadlines 
  10. Generation Google Scholarship 
    1. Must be pursuing a degree in computer science, computer engineering, or related technical degree
  11. Gilman Scholarship 
    1. Federal Pell Grant recipients 
    2. Up to $5,000
    3. Recommended for students who have been historically underrepresented in education abroad 
  12. Gilman for France Scholarship 
    1. Partnership between the French Embassy and the Gilman Scholarship Program 
    2. Up to $5,000 
    3. Program must be in France, at least three weeks long
  13. Gilman-McCain Scholarship 
    1. For undergraduate child dependents of active duty service members 
    2. Study abroad or internship programs 
  14. Gilman-FLAD Portugal Scholarship 
    1. Partnership between the Luso-American Development Foundation (FLAD) and the Gilman Scholarship Program 
    2. Undergraduate, study in Portugal
  15. Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship 
    1. GPA minimum 3.75
    2. Do not need to be a member of Phi Kappa Phi to apply 
  16. Scott's Cheap Flights Scholarship 
    1. $1,000 award 
    2. U.S. citizen or permanent resident, must be enrolled full-time 
  17. Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship 
    1. U.S. citizen or permanent resident
    2. Must be enrolled full-time, fall or spring terms only 
    3. $1,000 award 
  18. U.S. Department of State, USA Study Abroad 
    1. Website lists a variety of study abroad scholarships and related opportunities 

Students who study abroad may also be interested in the following opportunity after graduation: 
Fulbright 

  • For students who are graduating (or who have graduated)
  • Not study abroad but an opportunity to go abroad post-graduation 
  • Grants for individually designed study/research or English teaching assistant abroad 
  •  Apply at least one year in advance 
  • Contact Laura Clippard in the Honors College 


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 
 

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. 

Scholarship Deadlines 

Office of Education Abroad Scholarship deadlines vary.  Please see the individual scholarship application pages for more details. 
  • Summer 2021 Office of Education Abroad Scholarship = February 12, 2021
  • Fall 2021 or Full Year 2021-22 Office of Education Abroad Scholarship = March 5, 2021
  • Summer 2021 OEA Media Scholarship = March 19, 2021
  • Fall 2021 or Full Year OEA Media Scholarship = March 19, 2021
MTSU and outside scholarship deadlines vary.  Please contact the individual MTSU department/college or the outside scholarship provider for more information.