Financial Considerations and Scholarships for Education Abroad

Funding Your Education Abroad 

Using your Financial Aid

Check Your Eligibility

You and your program MUST be approved by Education Abroad in order to be eligible to use Missouri State financial aid, including scholarships.

Using Your Financial Aid

  • Your financial aid may apply toward an approved program.

  • File a FAFSA for the term you will be abroad, even if you do not normally do so!

  • Before meeting with financial aid, students must complete the cost sheet (within your online application) and MUST have your cost sheet approved by Education Abroad or International Business Programs (if College of Business Student).

  • To determine your financial aid package for your program abroad. Your cost sheet must have been approved by Education Abroad or International Business Programs before you request a meeting.
  • Meet with Financial Aid

 

  • Complete the Education Abroad Financial Aid – Payment Deferment Form if you are participating on a program with ISA, TEAN, SAI, SOL, USAC, KCP or ISEP Direct. If accepted by the program provider, this means that you won't pay your program fee until your Financial Aid gets disbursed after the 2nd week of MSU classes in the semester. The student is responsible for knowing their provider's deadline for accepting this form.

  • Know the expected amount of loan money you are to receive for the term you plan to study abroad.

 

Education Abroad College Scholarships, MSU Foundation Scholarships, and MSU Vouchers

Education Abroad College Scholarships

All students participating in an Education Abroad program are encouraged to apply to Education Abroad scholarships divided by college.

Missouri State's colleges have partnered with the President's Office and International Programs to offer scholarships for education abroad students!

  • Fill out one application to apply for your corresponding college scholarship.
  • Students may use awards to help cover expenses directly related to education abroad, including transportation to and within the host country, lodging, tuition and supplies.

  • To be considered, you must have your complete application and all required supporting documents submitted by the stated deadlines, no exceptions.


NOTE: This application is separate from the MSU Foundation Scholarship application. These scholarships are awarded directly from our office.

Education Abroad College Scholarship Deadlines

Term of Education Abroad Program College Scholarship Deadline*
Fall April 1
Academic Year April 1
Summer April 1
Spring November 1

*Scholarship deadlines are prior to the program.

*If going on a Fall program in December, the scholarship deadline is the previous April.

*If going on a Spring program in March, the scholarship deadline is the previous November.

MSU Scholarship Vouchers

Recipients of these scholarships receive one $1,000 education abroad voucher:

Board of Governors, Provost, Deans, and Inclusive Excellence.

  • These awards may be applied to tuition, travel expenses, living expenses, or any other costs related to your education abroad program.
  • The award will be automatically applied to your MSU account after your education abroad participation is verified with our office.
  • Funds are dispersed the second week of classes during the semester of your education abroad program.

MSU Foundation Scholarships

Donor funded scholarships are privately donated funds from private gifts to the University made by individuals, groups or companies that are given to Missouri State students each year.

Several donors provide funds specifically for education abroad students. The annual MSU Foundation Scholarship Application is available each year around November 1 and the deadline is March 1 for the following academic year.

You only need to complete one Foundation scholarship application to be applied for all scholarships you're eligible for. Apply early!

NOTE: This application is separate from the Education Abroad College Scholarships application. Foundation Scholarships are not managed or awarded by Education Abroad.

External Scholarships

Apply for the Scholarships offered by your provider

Program Provider Scholarships

All of our affiliate program providers listed below offer scholarship opportunities to their program participants. If yours isn't listed, do your own investigation and apply to any that are available to you.
  • Go to your provider's scholarship website
  • Mark the dates on your calendar
  • Apply

SAI Scholarships

Semester at sea scholarships

Barcelona SAE Scholarships

Magellan Scholarships

Scholarship Search Tools

The more scholarships you apply for, the more likely you are to get awarded. Use these tools to search and apply for multiple scholarships (often with only one application).

  • IIEPassport Study Abroad Funding
  • FastWeb Comprehensive Scholarship
    Designed to simplify the scholarship search for high school and college students. No more digging to find scholarships you qualify for. Students create a profile and get personalized scholarship recommendations.
  • Scholarship Owl
    Scholarship Owl has a free version that allows you to search scholarships, but to apply for them, you will need to pay. The cost is $20 a month and you can cancel any time. If you are serious about applying for several scholarships, consider this resource.
  • StudyAbroad.com’s Scholarship

External Scholarships

Using 529, Hagan Scholarship, Kauffman Scholarship, or other external funds? A Direct Billing process may be best for you. Learn more about Direct Billing.

Gilman Logo
Funded by the U.S. Department of State
  • The Gilman International Scholarship is for Pell-eligible students to study abroad. Here is a guide created by the Education Abroad Advisor to help students through the Gilman essay and application process.
  • Who can Apply: U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university.
  • Amount: Up to $5,000 depending on the length of study and student need.
  • Critical Need Language Award of $8,000 is offered to a limited number of students studying a 'critical need language' (Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bahasa Indonesian, Bangla, Chinese (Mandarin), Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu, 2023).
  • Length of program: No minimum length. MSU faculty-directed program participants can apply!
  • Deadline:

    There are 2 application windows available to each student with enough advanced planning. One in Spring (for following terms) and one in the fall (for following terms).

    Application deadlines are in Pacific Time

Boren Footer
Language. Culture. Service
  • Boren Awards fund study in Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.
  • The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (colored grey in the map below) are always ineligible for Boren Awards funding.

Boren Scholarships Maximum Award Amounts:

  • 8-11 weeks: $8,000 for a summer program (STEM majors only)
  • 12-24 weeks: $12,500
  • 25-52 weeks: $25,000

All Boren Awards-funded programs must include language study as a core element for the duration of the grant.

Location
Boren Awards fund study in Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand (colored grey in the map below) are always ineligible for Boren Awards funding.

FEA logo
up to $5,000 for Select programs
One online application leads to many opportunities. As an applicant to FEA, you are considered for all of the below scholarships you meet the criteria for, along with the FEA General Scholarships.

 

iie logo
strengthening the bonds of friendship between the United States and countries of East Asia
  • 2.8 GPA
  • Must have applied or have been accepted to a study abroad based program in: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam.
  • View deadlines here
Phi Kappa Phi logo
The Honor Society of
  • Awards 125 $1,000 grants toward eligible study abroad programs each year.
  • You do NOT have to be a member to apply!
  • 3.75 GPA

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Aid and Scholarships