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Study Abroad-Outgoing - Costs, Financial Aid and Scholarships

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The Cost of Study Abroad

The cost of study abroad is comprised of tuition, administrative fees, housing, meals, air and ground transportation, passport and visa fees, vacation period travel, and personal costs. It is recommended that students budget at least $1,500 for personal expenses per semester when studying abroad, though personal spending habits and host location may dictate more or less than this amount.

Under most Direct Exchange Programs, students pay their tuition and fees for a flat rate of 15 credits at UMaine and pay their room and board at the host institution.  Costs and payment procedures for Recommended Programs vary, but in general all costs except the UMaine study abroad fee are paid to the study abroad provider.

If you are not sure if you can afford studying abroad, please consider the following factors:

  • Many study abroad programs are the same cost as a semester at UMaine. Think of locations you may not have considered yet, such as Bulgaria, India, Thailand, Turkey, South Korea, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, etc. Your biggest cost will be your semester tuition and living expenses. Find programs in countries which are affordable to live to lower the cost of your program.
  • Meet with your financial aid advisor to discuss your financial aid package and explore options for additional funding.
  • Talk to your family. They will be your key allies in funding your semester abroad.
  • Start your study abroad process early to meet all scholarship deadlines.
  • Ask your family for cash contributions to your “study abroad savings account” for birthdays and major holidays. You will be surprised how much you will save in a few semesters.
  • Re-evaluate all your monthly expenses prior to going abroad. The late Friday night pizza will be as much as a budget airline ticket for a weekend trip.
  • Apply for all UMaine, state, national and other scholarships available to you.
  • Create your own “study abroad fundraising campaign” through bottle drives, letters to friends and family, social media, craft sales, etc.

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Financial Aid for Study Abroad

Most federal, state and institutional financial aid can be applied for study abroad programs approved by the Office of International Programs. Students must complete the International Study Away Registration Form in order to use their UMaine financial aid for study abroad. Also, funds cannot be released until we have verified that you have arrived overseas and have enrolled at your host institution. You must plan accordingly and have funds readily available for several weeks abroad.  Students are encouraged to speak with a Financial Aid Advisor to discuss their aid and study abroad plans.  The Office of Financial Aid is located in Wingate Hall.

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Study Abroad Scholarships

University of Maine students are invited to apply for the following scholarships for studying abroad, as applicable.  For further information about these and other scholarship opportunities, contact the Study Abroad Advisor at 581-1509 or at studyabroad@umit.maine.edu .

UMaine Scholarships:

BULGARIA: American University in Bulgaria – $1,000 for the academic year or $500 for one semester.  Recipients must have a minimum GPA of 3.0. Direct exchange application deadline:  February 20 for the fall semester and academic year, and October 15 for the spring semester.

FRANCE: French Language Immersion Fund – supports the travel expenses of undergraduate French majors who will study French in a French-speaking country in a total immersion setting. Applications are available at the department of Modern Languages and Classics in 201 Little Hall.

GERMANY: Baden-Württemberg Scholarship for Aalen University – 400 to 800 Euros monthly stipend.  Qualified students who have been accepted to the Aalen University direct exchange program can apply for the Baden-Württemberg Scholarship. This exchange is primarily for business students.  Some business courses are taught in English.  See the Study Abroad Advisor for more details.

IRELAND: George J. Mitchell Peace Scholarship for University College Cork – the scholarship covers tuition, fees, room, board, and travel expenses for one semester or academic year.  One full-year award or two single-semester awards will be made within the University of Maine System.  Applicants must be undergraduate students, have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and be a U.S. citizen.   Preference will be given to residents of the state of Maine.  The application deadline is in February each year.

JAPAN: JASSO Scholarship for Hirosaki University – $700 monthly stipend and $1,300 relocation allowance.  Qualified students who have been accepted to Hirosaki University direct exchange program can apply for the JASSO Scholarship as part of their exchange application. Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.  Courses are taught in Japanese and English.  The deadline is December 15.

RUSSIA: The Samantha Smith Scholarship – scholarship funds for a student who studies in Russia or in any of the former Soviet states. Samantha Smith was a Maine schoolgirl who visited the Soviet Union in 1982 to lobby Soviet President Yuri Andropov for peace between our nations.  Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be considered and must select an academic program approved by the University of Maine.

HONORS COLLEGE: Stanhope Study Abroad Fellowship – The Charles V. Stanhope ’71 Honors College Study Abroad Fellowship Endowment Fund was established at the University of Maine in 2008. Fellowships shall be awarded to students in the Honors College who study for at least a semester outside the borders of the United States. Preference shall be given to students who graduated from a Maine high school.  

External Scholarships:

Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship: $5,000 maximum award, with possible Critical Need Language Supplement of $3,000 for semester or full-year programs.  Students who receive a federal Pell Grant and are applying to or have been accepted to a study abroad program may apply for the Gilman Scholarship. The deadline is March 1  for summer and fall programs and October 1 for spring programs.

Boren Scholarships & Fellowships: up to $20,000 for American students for study abroad in world regions critical to U.S. interests (excludes Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada). Boren Fellowships - up to $30,000 for U.S. graduate students to add an important international and language component to their graduate education through specialization in area study, language study, or increased language proficiency. All materials must be submitted to OIP by January 31.

Bridging Scholarships for Study in Japan: for American undergraduate students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan to assist students with the travel and living expenses they will incur while studying abroad in Japan for a semester or an academic year. Applications are accepted twice a year for Bridging Scholarships.

BUTEX Scholarship for North American Students: £500 scholarships available for a semester or a year at universities in the U.K.  Students participating on direct exchange as well as recommended programs are eligible. The deadline is May 31.

Critical Languages Scholarship: full funding for intensive language instruction of critical languages for seven to ten weeks for undergraduate and graduate students.

Freeman – ASIA Foundation: provides need-based funding from $3,000-7,000 to undergraduate students going to countries in Asia. Deadlines are February 15, April 1and October 10.

Foundation for Global Scholars: $500 to $2,000 for one or two semesters of study, teach or intern abroad in any country. The application deadline is April 30  for summer programs, August 31for fall programs and December 31  for spring programs.

Fulbright Summer Institutes: The US-UK Fulbright Commission offers special Summer Institutes for US citizens to come to the UK for three to six week academic and cultural summer program. The Summer Institutes will cover the majority of participant costs.  This includes round-trip airfare from the US to the UK, tuition and fees at the host university/institution, accommodation and meals and in some cases a small daily allowance.

Fund for Education Abroad:  awards are intended to support students planning to participate in high-quality, rigorous education abroad programs for a summer, semester or year. Applicants must plan to study abroad for at least 4 weeks and may apply to both the General and Rainbow awards.

FundMyTravel – crowd sourced fundraising site

German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Scholarships: The goal of this program is to support study abroad in Germany and at German Universities. Funding available for study abroad, language studies, senior thesis research and/or internships in Germany.

Glimpse Correspondents Program Grants: $600 grants for talented writers, photographers, and filmmakers with a passion for storytelling and a knack for finding truly unique stories. The program is open to anyone who will be working, volunteering, or studying outside of their home country for at least 10 weeks.

Global Studies Foundation Grant: designed to support foreign language training while abroad. Grants are awarded based on academic and program merit, and outreach potential.

Golden Key Study Abroad Scholarship:  $1,000 awards for undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate members who are currently enrolled in a study abroad program. Golden Key members are eligible to apply.

Killam Fellowship Program: Undergraduate scholarships for direct exchange and direct enroll programs at Canadian universities.  Up to $10,000 for a full academic year or $5,000 for one semester with a $500 (Canadian dollars) allowance to offset the cost of health insurance. Open to undergraduate students applying to a direct exchange program or open competition category at participating institutions in Canada. All materials must be submitted to Betsy Arntzen in the Canadian-American Center at UMaine by December 15.

National Italian American Foundation (NIAF): Scholarship awards range from $2,000-$12,000 and are awarded to undergraduate, graduate, post-graduate, medical, dental, and legal students. Each scholarship award can cover only tuition and university-provided room and board.

Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship: $1,000 for study abroad programs. Students who have been accepted to a study abroad program may apply for the Phi Kappa Phi Scholarship.  Applicants must have  completed a minimum of 30 credit hours and maximum of 90 credit hours prior to going abroad; have a minimum GPA of 3.5; and have at least two semesters remaining at UMaine after completing their study abroad program.

Project GO Scholarship: Project GO (Global Officers) is a collaborative initiative that promotes critical language education, study abroad, and intercultural dialogue opportunities for ROTC students. Project GO programs focus exclusively on the languages and countries of the Middle East, Asia, Central Asia, and Africa. The grants may cover the full cost of both domestic and international language programs.

Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarships: The scholarship is for one regular academic year (usually nine months) of full-time study at an institution approved by The Rotary Foundation Trustees. The scholarship provides a flat grant of $26,000. Applicants must have completed at least two years of university or college course work, or must have a secondary school education and have been employed in a recognized vocation for at least two years when the scholarship begins.

Whitaker International Undergraduate Program: Grants of up to $10,000 to support biomedical engineering study abroad for undergraduates.

Women of the World (WOW) Scholarship: Women of the World (WOW) is a group of international and American women who gather once a month in Orono around an ethnic lunch to share their cultural heritages.  WOW members include women from all continents, and of all ages.  WOW is awarding a scholarship of $500 to a Maine woman who will study abroad in the Fall 2013 semester. WOW Study Abroad Scholarship Fall 2013 (PDF).

Recommended Programs Scholarships:

API – Academic Programs International Scholarships: from $250 to $1,000 for students applying to API programs with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Application deadlines are June 10 for fall programs, October 15  for winter/spring programs, and April 1 for summer programs.

CIS – Center for International Studies Scholarships: from $250 to $1,000 for students applying to CIS programs.

CIEE – Council on International Educational Exchange Scholarships: for summer, fall, and academic year programs is April 1and for winter, spring and calendar year programs is November 1.

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Scholarships: Students applying to GlobaLinks programs may apply for a number of scholarships.

IES – Institute for International Education of Students Scholarships: Each UMaine student who applies to an IES semester or year program will receive a public university sholarship for $1,500 automatically. Students applying to IES summer programs may apply for IES need-based scholarships.

IFSA-Butler University Scholarships: Need-based and merit-based scholarships available. New scholarship for first-generation college students available.

ISA – International Studies Abroad Scholarships: up to $2,500 scholarship awarded to students accepted in ISA programs. Deadlines are Feb. 28 for summer, April 30 for fall and year programs, and October 30 for winter and spring programs.

Semester at Sea Scholarships: Need-based and merit-based scholarships available.

USAC – University Studies Abroad Consortium Scholarships: Students applying to USAC programs will be considered for scholarships automatically. All available scholarships are posted in the student’s USAC Gateway account.

Other Scholarships:

Last Modified On April 16, 2013


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