KSU students who are interested in studying abroad have a lot of funding opportunities available to them. In addition to being able to use their financial aid package to fund their study abroad program, there are plenty of scholarships available to help make their study abroad dream a reality. Funding for study abroad scholarships come from a variety of sources, including the US government, KSU, academic departments, the Office of International Programs, private donors, and partner universities.
Many students assume that scholarships are solely based on academic merit, which is not the case. While many scholarships do take academic merit into account, eligibility for other scholarships can be based on financial need, answers to essay questions, level of campus involvement, academic major/minor, language study, gender, location of study, affiliation with a certain organization, and other factors as well.
In 2012, 75% of KSU students who applied for scholarships administered by the Office of International Programs received a study abroad scholarship. Two scholarships, in particular, provide a lot of students with scholarship opportunities. The Goss Discovery Scholarship, which awards 25 scholarships of $5,000 each year to KSU students, is given to students who plan to study abroad for at least one semester and who have graduated from a Kansas High School. And, the Faculty-led Programs Scholarship, awards 25 scholarships of $2,000 each year to KSU students who participate on faculty-led programs. These are just a few of the many scholarships available to KSU students through the Office of International Programs.
Study abroad scholarships are available from sources outside KSU, as well. The U.S. Department of State funds the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is funded through the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. The amount of the grant varies, depending on length of study and student, but the average award is approximately $4,000.
Many departments and colleges at KSU also offer study abroad scholarships or grants, including the College of Business Administration, the College of Agriculture, the College of Engineering, and the College of Human Ecology. Some of the universities and organizations with which KSU is affiliated also offer study abroad scholarships to KSU students.
To learn more about all the different study abroad scholarship opportunities available to KSU students, please visit the KSU Study Abroad Office in 304 Fairchild Hall and visit the KSU Study Abroad website – http://www.ksu.edu/studyabroad