USC Scholarships and Outside Scholarships

The USC Black Alumni Association Nancy J. and Reginald W. Lathan Endowed Scholarship Fund is proud to offer $5,000 in scholarship funding for students with demonstrated financial need who will participate in the USC Madrid program. More details coming soon!

These scholarships and awards are available once a year for Dornsife students participating in the Pembroke Cambridge Summer Programme (PCSP). Junior standing or higher and a minimum cumulative USC GPA of 3.5 are required for consideration. Applicants should have demonstrated scholarly excellence and a continuous love of learning. Students will receive information on how to apply for this scholarship after being admitted into the PCSP.

Dornsife majors participating in the USC Madrid or Bilbao programs can apply for a scholarship from the Del Amo Fund, which aims to promote education and increase understanding between Spain and southern California. These awards are merit based. Upon acceptance to their program, students can contact their study abroad advisor for details on how to apply.

Believing that overseas experiences have tremendous impact on personal and intellectual growth, Stanley and Ilene Gold established this scholarship for outstanding USC Dornsife Trustee Scholars seeking to study abroad. Applicants must be a Trustee Scholarship recipient, Dornsife major, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2. More information here.

1. The Michael Young Undergraduate Scholarship is an award for IR and POSC students, especially first-generation students, who wish to pursue a summer study abroad, internship or supervised research opportunity in Europe.
2. The Janice and James Lacy International Travel Fund was established to assist undergraduate students participating in USC’s Dornsife School of International Relations study abroad programs. This fund provides travel awards to support students’ international experiences.

Merit scholarships (Presidential and Trustee) cover full-time enrollment in 12-18 units for the Fall and Spring semesters. Exceptional Funding can be used to fund courses that cause enrollment in more than 18 units during the fall or spring semester AND/OR enrollment in up to 8 units during the summer.

More information is available here.

Students participating in the IES Berlin and Vienna programs are encouraged to apply for the Hovel Scholarship, an award of up to $10,000 for students demonstrating a high level of interest in German language and the culture, history, politics, economics, and society of Austria and/or Germany. Students with a German minor receive priority consideration. The application can be found here.

In keeping with the spirit of the Norman Topping Student Aid Fund (NTSAF) to offer educational equity opportunities to Scholars and Fellows, the Exceptional Funding Program provides additional/supplemental financial assistance to Scholars and Fellows as they advance in their chosen field of study. Exceptional Funding encourages Scholars and Fellows to take full advantage of University-sponsored opportunities to enhance their higher education experience.

Academic Travel may include transportation and lodging related to the following: Academic programs, service-learning opportunities, leadership conferences, academic conferences, and short-term programs (i.e., ASB, GLP, Maymesters, etc.).

This opportunity is only for current and active Topping Scholars/Fellows.

The USC Africa Student Fund is an endowment to support undergraduate student travel to African countries for study, research, service-based learning, and internships. Applicants must have at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA. Find more information here.

The Study Abroad Grant is offered by USC Financial Aid twice per year and is funded by the Leonard Shoninger Endowed Scholarship. Funds are available to USC undergraduate students participating in their first study abroad program offered at USC. The purpose of the grant is to ensure all students can access these programs. In particular, the grant is intended to assist students with additional expenses associated with overseas studies (e.g., vaccinations, plane tickets, passport fees). Students must have completed the current academic year financial aid application process and must be admitted into a USC-approved study abroad program. Maymester and summer sessions are not eligible. Recipients may request to receive funding earlier than the university’s normal disbursement schedule to cover upfront costs. Application and eligibility information can be found on USC Scholarship Universe.

The National Security Education Program (NSEP) David L. Boren Scholarships offer a unique opportunity for U.S. undergraduates to study abroad. NSEP awards scholarships to American students for study of world regions critical to U.S. interests (including Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin American & the Caribbean, and the Middle East). The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program partners with universities and nonprofits around the globe to provide cohorts of U.S. students an opportunity to study the language and culture in a country/location where the target language is commonly spoken. The CLS Program, through its CLS Spark initiative, provides beginner-level virtual instruction for Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Russian for competitively selected U.S. undergraduate students whose home campuses do not offer these languages. CLS scholars are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship and apply their critical language skills in their future careers.

The U.S. Department of State sponsors and oversees the CLS Program, including CLS Spark, as part of a larger U.S. government effort to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to our national security, economic prosperity, and engagement with the world. CLS provides opportunities to a wide range of students from across the entire United States at every level of language learning. American Councils for International Education administers the CLS Program.

Pell Grant recipients may apply for a Gilman Scholarship. Preference goes to applicants with high financial need and those applying to study in countries outside Western Europe and Australia. Awards can be as high as $5,000. Supplemental awards are available for application if a student plans to study a “Critical Need Language” or conduct STEM-related research abroad.

The John S. McCain International Scholarship for Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late Senator John S. McCain from Arizona.

The Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for child and spousal dependents of active or activated United States military personnel during the time of application to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs. Applicants must be recipients of any type of Title IV federal financial aid during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving Title IV federal financial aid during their study abroad program or internship.

Awarded to Black female-identifying college students who have been accepted to a study abroad program. More information can be found here.

The Bridging Scholarship is a life-changing opportunity to study abroad in Japan in a credit-bearing semester or academic-year program. Each year approximately 70-100 academically outstanding, financially deserving U.S. undergraduate students are selected as Bridging Scholars. In addition to receiving a cash stipend, Bridging Scholars participate in cohort programming designed to assist students build a future as a global citizen with a lifelong connection to Japan.

Bridging Scholars come to the program from disparate academic backgrounds and interests, often from traditionally underrepresented communities. The cohort includes students from across the United States, representing a diverse range of academic backgrounds and institutions.

Each year, Butex awards scholarships to undergraduate students embarking on international experiences in the UK.

The Sustainability Abroad Scholarship emphasizes the importance of sustainable practices and environmental awareness alongside cultural exchange and education.

Each Butex scholarship is valued at £600. More information is available here.

BeGlobalii is an online community and resource hub that connects current students, recent graduates, parents, and professionals together to reach a common goal; ensure access for all to global academic and career opportunities.

Undergraduate students are strongly encouraged to create a BeGlobalii account to browse scholarships and internship opportunities.

For example, the Global Ambassadors Program provides a $500 stipend for students to serve serve as global correspondents, sharing their experiences to motivate other members of the BeGlobalii and Diversity Abroad community to go abroad.

*beglobalii.com has replaced diversityabroad.com

The mission of Diverse International Women of Color (DIWC) is to inspire, encourage and promote opportunities for women of color to travel abroad, experience different cultures, and broaden their horizons beyond the United States.

The DIWC Study Abroad Scholarship ($500) is intended to assist women of color who are exceptional in their studies and in need of financial assistance to study abroad.

Applicants interested in Education in Ireland’s programming who meet FEA’s eligibility requirements could receive a tuition waiver (valued between $5,000 and $7,500 USD) or a scholarship of $5,000.

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. Eligibility information here.Partner Institution Scholarships and Other Funding

The Fund for Education Abroad provides scholarships and support to students who demonstrate financial need. 79% of recipients are first-generation college students. Browse a full list of scholarships here.

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) empowers people with disabilities around the world to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development.

Their website provides a wealth of resources related to financial planning and supplemental funding for students with disabilities who may be considering study abroad. Read more here.

The GRDI Scholarship & Scholars Program is designed to empower individuals passionate about global education, intercultural leadership, and community development. This initiative values diverse perspectives in fostering transformative change.

Awards range from $1,500 to $3,000. Funds can be used for program fees, travel, housing, or other approved expenses.

Go Overseas provides a scholarship database that includes guides for study in specific countries. Read more here.

Hostelling International USA created the “Explore the World Scholarship” to help finance international trips that include an educational or service component.

HIUSA also offers a “First Passport Edition” of the scholarship that covers the cost of first-time application fees for a U.S. passport.

IEFA provides students from all over the world comprehensive information on financial aid for studying abroad. Students can easily search their database for scholarships, grants, loan programs, and other options to help finance their international experience. Read more here.

The Institute for International Education (IIE) was founded in 1919 and administers U.S. programs such as Fulbright, the Gilman Scholarships, and the Boren Awards.

IIE offers a study abroad scholarship database on their website.

Since 2007, the InterExchange Foundation has provided grants to young Americans who wish to participate in meaningful volunteer projects abroad and who are eager to share their experiences in order to further international understanding and promote cultural awareness.

Christianson Fellows identify a project or an organization working on an issue they care about, and with the support of the Christianson Fellowship, contribute their skills and passion to that endeavor for at least six months on-location abroad. Read more here.

Listing of scholarships available for study in Japan. Read more here.

Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants are designed to help support undergraduates as they seek knowledge and experience in their academic fields by studying abroad. Seventy-five $1,000 grants are awarded each year.

Applicants do not have to be Society members but must attend an institution with an active Phi Kappa Phi chapter.

In partnership with the Fund for Education Abroad, the Rainbow SIG established the Rainbow Scholarship fund to support LGBTQIA+ students, many of whom face financial barriers due to family independence. Recipients of the Rainbow Scholarship are deserving LGBTQIA+ students who aim to participate in high-quality, rigorous education abroad programs. They are asked to give back to their home, host, and LGTBQIA+ communities.

French public institutes and the Erasmus+ programme offer a large number of scholarships for foreign students to help them finance their studies in France and Europe. Read more here.

Online database of study abroad scholarship opportunities. Read more here.

Scholarships for study in the Netherlands. Read more here.