Your study abroad destination can have a big impact on your net cost (think out-of-pocket costs after financial aid) and your scholarship eligibility. There are many study abroad scholarships out there, but some of the biggest national scholarships (both in terms of award values and the number of awards given) favor students heading to East and Southeast Asia. Might these awards tip you toward Asia over a more traditional study abroad destination?
Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA)
Program Info Eligibility Apply
Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
This award is only available to students studying abroad in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, or Vietnam.
At up to $5,000 per semester and only available to students heading to Asia, it is clear that this is an award that will reward students for choosing programs in Asia.
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Program Info Eligibility Apply
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.
On the surface, it may not seem obvious that the Gilman Scholarship rewards students for studying in Asia, but Gilman has diversity goals, including diversity in where students choose to study abroad. A recent analysis shows that only 1 in 9 (11%) UC Merced applicants for the Gilman Scholarship were heading to Asia, but 3 in 10 (30%) of UC Merced study abroad participants of the Gilman were heading to Asia. In fact, historically, students heading to Asia have a higher chance of winning a Gilman Scholarship than students heading to any other region.
Other Awards for Asia
It would be impossible to compile a comprehensive list, but here are more scholarships that favor study in Asia over more traditional study abroad destinations:
