Study Abroad Scholarships

The staff of Georgia College’s International Education Center provide information to students about resources that can assist them in financing their academic studies abroad. The resources available fall under two categories: 1) Study abroad-specific resources, and 2) General financial aid.

Study Abroad
The Education Abroad Committee reviews scholarship application materials and determines the awarding of the following scholarships.

The Georgia College Global Citizen Award: The Global Citizen Award is a highly competitive scholarship focused on student research and cultural immersion open to students who have submitted a completed application for a study abroad program. Consideration is given to the student’s academic record, proposed course of study abroad, the program’s cross-cultural component, an essay, the student’s research project presentation proposal, letters of recommendation, and an interview. Award recipients present their completed research project findings at the annual Georgia College Undergraduate Research Symposium. Up to one student will be selected each term and awarded a scholarship of up to $5,000 for semester or academic year programs, and up to $2,500 for short-term programs abroad. Students awarded the Global Citizens Award will not be awarded a second scholarship. Students who apply to, but are not selected for, the Global Citizens Award will be considered for the additional scholarship resources by default, and no additional application is necessary. The selection committee reserves the right to make no award in the event that no outstanding application is submitted. Note: Students not planning to do research as part of their study abroad or intern abroad experience should apply instead for the Georgia College Study Abroad Scholarship described below.

Georgia College Study Abroad Scholarships: Georgia College students who have submitted a completed application for a study abroad program may apply for an award from the Georgia College Study Abroad scholarship fund. This fund includes resources generously provided by the Virginia Daniel Weir, Guy Herbert Wells, Morraty, Wellington, and Minter study abroad scholarships that are administered through Georgia College. Award amounts vary and are determined by many factors (see further below), including the duration of the student’s study abroad program:

• Academic Year: $1,500.
• Semester: $1,000.
• Short-term (6-10 weeks): $750.
• Short-term (less than 6 weeks): $500.

Applications for the Georgia College Study Abroad Scholarships are further evaluated using the following criteria:

• Location: Preference is given to participation in study abroad programs in less-traveled-to destinations.
• Duration: Preference is given to longer study abroad programs.
• Demonstrated Financial Need.
• Essay Topic(s) and Quality: Essays should be well-written, should address issues such as academic engagement and global and civic responsibility, and should also demonstrate correct usage of grammar and syntax.
• Cultural Elements: Preference is given to participation in study abroad programs with greater opportunities for cultural immersion.
• GPA.

For more information about all the above scholarship opportunities – plus the many other external scholarship opportunities that are available to students (including Phi Kappa Phi, Alpha Lambda, Rotary, Boren, and Gilman) - contact the International Education Center.

General Financial Aid
The staff of the International Education Center also provide study abroad applicants general information about other financial assistance that they may be eligible for. All students receiving financial aid of any sort are advised to discuss their study abroad plans with the Financial Aid Office in advance so as to be fully informed of any possible financial implications.

1. Federal Aid which is based solely upon financial need may be used for any recognized study abroad programs. For programs in which the majority of course work is registered with an institution other than Georgia College, an approved Financial Aid Consortium Agreement must be in place before Federal Aid will be disbursed. Federal Aid may be awarded as grants or loans. Complete information is available from the Financial Aid Office.
2. HOPE and Zell Miller scholarships may be applied towards in-state tuition for eligible students.
3. External scholarship opportunities: As noted above, information about the numerous external scholarships and grants available may be obtained from the International Education Center or its website.

Note: The Financial Aid Office manages the disbursement of all study abroad scholarships plus Federal Aid. In addition, the Financial Aid Office establishes the required financial aid consortium agreement with any non-Georgia College program and certifies the student’s Federal Financial Aid eligibility. Any funds awarded through Georgia College are managed by the Financial Aid Office.