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Scholarships and Funding


Financing Your Study Abroad Program

One of the biggest concerns about studying abroad is how to finance the program. While studying abroad can be costly, GCSU is dedicated to making study abroad affordable and accessible to as many students as possible.  Students' regular financial aid is often applicable to studies abroad - plus the International Education Center has many scholarships specifically geared towards Study Abroad.  In particular, be sure to check out GCSU's innovative "New Horizons" scholarship (See further below) designed to assist both underrepresented populations, plus students who may be experiencing unusual or unexpected hardships.


Financial Aid

HOPE or ZELL Scholarships, Federal aid (such as Pell Grants and Stafford Loans) for eligible students can be applied to approved programs.

  • Visit the GCSU Financial Aid office for more info.

Contact your GCSU financial aid advisor, once you have found a program that interests you, by calling 478-445-5149 or emailing financialaid@gcsu.edu. Be sure to put "Study Abroad Question" in the subject line.

Per Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia policy, out-of-state students who enroll exclusively in study abroad course work will pay only in-state tuition rates, plus any applicable fees.

GCSU Study Abroad ScholarshipsParis Group Photo

Students who apply to a credit-bearing study, internship, or service-learning abroad program are able to apply for GCSU Study Abroad scholarship opportunities within the portal of their online GCSU program application.

GCSU Study Abroad Scholarship Application Deadlines:

  • October 1 (Spring semester programs)
  • March 1 (Maymester/Summer and Fall programs)
  • The scholarship committee generally meets to decide upon awards later in those months. 


Note: In order to be eligible for Study Abroad scholarships, students must first complete and submit their online GCSU Study Abroad application.

  • Students apply for GCSU Study Abroad scholarships within their online GCSU Study Abroad applications.
  • Questions or assistance: Contact the International Education Center.


GCSU Study Abroad Scholarships

  • ​The GCSU Study Abroad Scholarship is open to any Georgia College student who has applied for any credit-bearing study abroad, internship abroad, or service-learning abroad program. Georgia College is able to award many students each year, so all students going abroad are encouraged to apply! 
    • Note that students who apply to the New Horizons Scholarship (below) do not need to also submit an application for the GCSU Study Abroad Scholarship as they will automatically be considered for this award. (The online application for this scholarship is found inside each student's GCSU study abroad program application.)
  • GCSU's innovative "New Horizons" scholarship is open to any Georgia College undergraduate student of under-represented Study Abroad populations (including minorities, students of color, students registered with the GCSU Student Disability Resource Center, First Gens - as well as students with unusual or exceptional needs/circumstances - and more), who has applied for a credit-bearing study abroad program, internship abroad, or service-learning abroad program. 
    • For more information about the New Horizons scholarship and how you may qualify, contact the IEC office.
    • Students who apply for the New Horizons scholarship are automatically considered for the GCSU Study Abroad Scholarship, so only the one general application is necessary.
      • The application for this scholarship is found inside each student's online GCSU study abroad program application.

Other ScholarshipsKakum, Ghana Canopy Walk

GCSU-affiliated study abroad partners may offer scholarships or grant-matching to GCSU students who are accepted to their semester or summer programs. (If you are not going abroad with one of the following organizations, skip to the next options below.) ​
Other organizations also offer study abroad scholarships, primarily for longer, more intensive programs, financially-needy students, and students taking less-frequently studied languages.


Ireland - Kilarney Nat'l Park

Other Ideas?

  • ASK! How about asking for a great birthday or Christmas present?  Study Abroad!
  • Fund-raisers: If you have friends that will be studying abroad with you (a great idea, by the way), collaborate on a fund-raiser or two: bake sales, car washes, silent auctions, raffles, etc..
  • Service organizations and churches to which students, their parents, and friends belong are sometimes interested in helping students with funding in exchange for a presentation on their study abroad experiences upon their return.  Can't hurt to ask - right?