Scholarships, Opportunities and Online Resources

In order to apply for some of the scholarships, you need to be accepted to a study abroad program. Therefore, it is very important that you plan and apply well in advance, preferably by your second semester at Bergen Community College.

"The early bird catches the worm". 

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program believes that interrnational experience is critically important in the educational and career development of American students, but it can also require a substantial financial investment. The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The program aims to encourage students to choose non-traditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to support students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in under-represented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities. The program seeks to assist students from a diverse range of public and private institutions from all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.

The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards for undergraduate study abroad and was established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000. This scholarship provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study abroad programs worldwide.

Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and must use the award to defray eligible study abroad costs. These costs include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and international airfare.

Boren Awards for International Study  Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central & Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin American, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. For a complete list of countries, click here.

Boren Scholars represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in studying less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Swahili. For a complete list of languages, click here.

Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security. Applicants should identify how their study abroad program, as well as their future academic and career goals, will contribute to U.S. national security, broadly defined.  NSEP draws on a broad definition of national security, recognizing that the scope of national security has expanded to include not only the traditional concerns of protecting and promoting American well-being, but also the challenges of global society, including sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease and hunger, population growth and migration, and economic competitiveness.

To view the Program Basics for the Boren Scholarship, click here.

Council on American Overseas Research Centers foster international scholarly exchange, primarily through sponsorship of fellowship programs which allow pre-doctoral and senior scholars to pursue independent research important to the increase of knowledge and to our understanding of foreign cultures. One of the programs  is the Critical Language Scholarship Program for Intensive Summer Language Institutes.

Financial Aid Resources for Studying Abroad

Freeman-ASIA The primary goal of the Freeman-ASIA Program is to increase the number of American undergraduates who study in East and Southeast Asia, by providing students with the information and financial assistance they will need. Awardees will be expected to share their experiences with their home campus to encourage study abroad by others, and to spread understanding of Asia in their home communities.

International ID Cards

Mobility International "Empowering people with disabilities around the world through international exchange and international development to achieve their human rights."