Scholarships and Funding

Worried about the cost of studying abroad? We’ve got you!

The good news is there are scholarships that can help, and some may even cover the full cost. Explore the opportunities below by category and remember to plan ahead. Many deadlines are 6 to 12 months before your trip.

Sister Bernyne Stark Scholarship

Students participating in a Viterbo-sponsored program are eligible to apply for the Sister Bernyne Stark Solidarity Scholarship. The deadline to apply is July 1 for Fall travel/November 1 for Spring travel.

Complete the application: Sister Bernyne Stark Solidarity Scholarship
Write a personal statement in accordance with application guidelines.
Access the scholarship application and submit all application materials here on or before the application deadline.

National and Government-Funded Scholarships

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
The Gilman Program offers scholarships to U.S. undergraduate students with limited financial means to help them study or intern abroad. It aims to support students who might not otherwise participate due to the cost. To be eligible, applicants must receive a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application or show they will receive one during their program. This is a competitive, merit-based scholarship that opens doors to global experiences.

Gilman-McCain Scholarship
Funded by the U.S. government, this scholarship is for undergraduate students who are children or spouses of active-duty U.S. military members. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, in good academic standing, and receiving Title IV federal financial aid. It provides funding to study or intern abroad, with the same goal as the Gilman Program: expanding access to global perspectives.

Boren Awards
The Boren Awards fund U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Students can apply to specific Regional Flagship Language Initiatives or design their own programs focused on intensive language and cultural immersion. Recipients must commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program
The Fulbright Program offers research, study, and teaching opportunities in over 140 countries to recent graduates, graduate students, and young professionals. The program promotes cross-cultural exchange and academic collaboration. Participants engage in meaningful global experiences through research, graduate studies, or English Teaching Assistantships.

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)
The CLS Program is a U.S. State Department initiative that provides fully funded summer programs for intensive language learning in languages that are critical to U.S. national security and global engagement. Open to undergraduate and graduate students, the program combines classroom instruction with cultural immersion.

Project GO (ROTC Students)
Project GO (Global Officer) is a nationwide program offering ROTC students fully funded opportunities for language education and overseas immersion. It’s designed to help future military officers develop strong language and cross-cultural communication skills by studying critical languages in international settings.

Region-Specific Scholarships

These scholarships support students studying in specific countries or regions.

Freeman-ASIA – For U.S. undergraduates studying in East or Southeast Asia
Bridging Scholarship – For students studying abroad in Japan
Tanaka & Green Scholarship – For U.S. students with an interest in U.S.-Japan relations
Generation Study Abroad Awards – For students studying in New Zealand
SWEA Boston’s Scholarship – For U.S. women students with a strong interest in Sweden
DAAD – Scholarships for students studying in Germany

Program Provider Scholarships

If you’re participating in a non Viterbo-sponsored program, you can easily look to your program provider for scholarship opportunities. Many providers offer scholarships to their accepted students. Here are just a few of the providers we work with. Click on your program provider to be directed to their scholarship information.

Independent Scholarships

These scholarships are not tied to any specific university or program and are open to students from across the U.S.

Scholarship Search Sites

The following websites list several different scholarship opportunities for study abroad as well as some good information on funding your study abroad experience.

Financial Aid

Your financial aid options for study abroad depend on your study abroad program type and the type of Financial Aid you receive. On our Viterbo-sponsored programs, the program cost gets added to your tuition bill, and your Viterbo financial aid package may be applied to help cover these expenses. For semester, year-long, or summer programs, it will vary student to student. For more details on financial aid for study abroad, contact Financial Aid Counselor Tyler Marshall.

Other Ideas for Funding Your Study Abroad

Get creative and find other ways to raise money, or save money, for study abroad! A few ideas include:

Hold fundraisers - Bake sales, car washes, Valentine's Day flower sales
Crowdsourcing - Sign up for GoFundMe or another crowdsourcing site for people to donate towards your study abroad program
Use holidays - Instead of getting gifts for significant holidays, ask for money towards study abroad
Private loans - Consider your options for taking out a private loan for study abroad
Sell your stuff - Sell your used clothes, host a yard sale, sell back those old textbooks
Prioritize your spending - Cancel memberships you don't use often, and spend money only on necessities
Take advantage of student discounts - Save money with discounted student rates- it doesn't hurt to ask!
Start a side hustle - Sell handmade goods on Etsy. Start a tutoring business. Shovel snowy driveways

Questions on scholarships and funding for study abroad? Contact us!