Scholarships

This is a general scholarship between $500 and $2000 (summer) or $2500 (semester) for any type of approved study abroad program. 

Students applying to a virtual program (course or internship) for academic credit with an affiliate provider are eligible for a CIE general study abroad scholarship of $500.

Criteria include academic merit, demonstration of financial need, a personal statement and a recommendation from two faculty members.

Spring break program participants are eligible for $500.

• FYE Spring Break Scholarship awards, for first year students only, will be based on personal statement and demonstration of financial need, with preference given to Pell eligible students.

This scholarship is intended to support students traveling to Trujillo, Spain on the College of Charleston Spring Semester study abroad program (note: students participating in an affiliate program are not eligible to apply).

This scholarship will support students spending a semester or more studying in non-English speaking destinations and cultures, with a strong preference to support students going to developing countries or countries outside of Western Europe.

This scholarship is intended to support students studying in France on any type of approved study abroad program.

This scholarship is intended to support LGBTQ+ students who exhibit high financial need to study abroad, particularly those students who have demonstrated active support or involvement in areas of concern to the LGBTQ+ on any type of approved study abroad program.

This scholarship is intended to support students with a major/minor in a foreign language studying abroad in Spain or Italy in a language and immersion study abroad program.

This scholarship is intended to assist a College of Charleston student with the costs of studying abroad for a semester in Australia.

This fund was gifted by the family of Kelly Jean Gilson to honor her life and work and her exuberance for international travel. Kelly’s family aims to support study abroad opportunities for students who exhibit Kelly’s passion for international travel and service and who would not be able to study abroad without financial assistance.

From an early age, Kelly’s goal was to help address social injustices and their associated problems. Her family and friends believe that she was placed on earth to work with the less fortunate, particularly refugees impacted by war and conflict. By age 23, Kelly had studied and volunteered in third world countries such as Nicaragua, Guatemala, Honduras and Lebanon where she helped local communities in their struggle for a better life, especially the children who affected her so deeply. As an international studies major at the College, Kelly completed her first study abroad program in Ghana and a second program in Cambodia and Vietnam. Kelly passed away in Charleston, where she was attending the College, on August 29, 2021.

This scholarship (up to $1000) is intended to support a College of Charleston student participating in a CofC-Sponsored summer program who may identify with one or more of the following populations: high financial need, first generation college student, Education or STEM majors, or Veterans or dependents of active or retired military.  Preference will be given to those who have never travelled internationally and who are applying to a program in a non-traditional location (i.e., outside of Western Europe).

This scholarship (up to $5000) is awarded to one College of Charleston student per semester. Preference will be given to, but not limited to, students who meet the following criteria: demonstrated campus involvement, high financial need, first generation college students, Education or STEM majors, and Veterans or dependents of active or retired military. 

Did you know that many of the academic departments have scholarships set aside specifically for study abroad? Connect with your department to learn more.

• Alumni Association 
• Department of Art and Architectural History
• Department of English
• Department of French and Francophone Studies
  • Henry Miller French Travel Endowment
  • Jeffrey Foster Endowed French Travel Fund
• Department of German and Russian Studies 
• Department of Hispanic Studies 
  • Hispanic Studies Study Abroad Scholarship (for CofC’s Buenos Aires Argentina program): scholarship in the amount of $2,000, given to an individual SPAN declared SPAN major/minor participant in HISP’s study abroad programs in Latin America.
  • Hispanic Studies Summer in Spain Scholarship: one-time scholarship, in the amount of $4000, for students who study abroad in Southern Spain in summer of 2025. Preference given to declared Spanish majors or minors. 
• School of the Arts
• School of Humanities and Social Sciences
• School of Business
• School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs (LCWA)-
  • American University of Cairo Award: This scholarship will support students studying at the American University of Cairo who have a major OR minor in a LCWA program. 

CofC’s Office of Nationally Competitive Awards (NCA) assists students applying for nationally competitive scholarships by providing valuable feedback on their essays prior to submitting their application.  Contact them at nationalawards@cofc.edu and access helpful resources published on their blog.

Boren Scholarship

This federally funded scholarship is for students studying critical need languages and in non-traditional locations (i.e. not Australia, New Zealand or Western-Europe).  There is a campus nomination process for this scholarship. Contact Sidney Woram at nationalawards@cofc.edu.

Gilman Scholarship 

This federally funded scholarship is for Pell eligible students and its mission is to enable students with limited financial resources to study or intern abroad.  This scholarship is available for credit-bearing programs of any length.  Contact Sidney Woram at nationalawards@cofc.edu. Resources about the Gilman can be found here. 

• Gilman-McCain Scholarship for Veterans
• Fund for Education Abroad
• Bridging Scholarship- For study in Japan
• Virginia B. Gourdin Scholarship Fund
• International Education Financial Aid
• IIEPassport Study Abroad Funding
• Freeman-ASIA Scholarship
• Go Overseas
• INSIGHT Into Diversity Study Abroad Scholarship for Underrepresented Students
• Tortuga Study Abroad Scholarship
• Critical Language Scholarship

Search for more study abroad scholarships:

• http://www.studyabroad.com/scholarships.aspx
• https://www.miusa.org/resource/tipsheet/tenscholarships 

The College of Charleston is affiliated with several program providers that offer scholarships exclusively for CofC students participating in their programs. 

Apply by the deadlines listed for these programs:

•  Academic Studies Abroad (ASA)-(up to $1000)
  • Spring 2024 
• School for International Training (SIT)- (up to $5000 per semester and $2000 per summer)
  • Spring 2024
  • Summer 2024
  • Fall 2024

Additional grants will be applied upon acceptance with the following providers:

• Arcadia- $500 per semester
• Butler Institute for Study Abroad (Butler) -  Will receive a $2000 “IFSA State School Grant" for a semester program.
• College Year Athens (CYA) -  Will receive $3000 off for a semester program
• Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) -  Will receive the following discounts applied to their DIS program fee: $5000 off for a semester program; $500 off a 3-credit summer program; $500 off a 4-credit summer program; and $1500 off a 7 week Architecture & Design program.
• Global Experiences- Will receive $500 grant toward program fee.
• SAI Programs - Receive $300 off semester. Receive $1000 off Florence University of the Arts Program. 
• The Education Abroad Network (TEAN) - Receive a $750 grant for semester programs in Australia & New Zealand; a $500 grant for semester programs in Asia; and a $150 grant for summer and internship programs.