Scholarships

Exercise science and Spanish major Enrico Montalvo received a prestigious Gilman award to study in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2017.

Students are encouraged to conduct extensive scholarship research to identify awards that are applicable to their planned program of study. In many cases, WMU students receive scholarship awards from a variety of sources including the Haenicke Institute, individual academic colleges, select departments, honor societies, professional organizations, and other external funding sources. Only degree-seeking WMU students are eligible for scholarships administered by the Haenicke Institute.

Students who choose to participate in "virtual" or alternative study abroad programs should check with the scholarship provider to make sure those programs are eligible for scholarship funding.

Types of Scholarships:

NEW in 2023: Global Engagement Program Scholarships
NEW in 2023: Scholarships for Pell Grant recipients
Haenicke Institute for Global Education Scholarships
College-Specific Scholarships
Country and Region-Specific Scholarships
Diversity and Inclusion Scholarships
Financial Need-Based Scholarships
Foreign-Language Study Scholarships
Major Specific Scholarships
Post-Graduation Scholarships
Other Resources

New in 2023: Global Engagement PRogram Scholarships

Students can earn scholarships while participating in international activities and events throughout the school year. By earning points toward the Global Bronco and Global Explorer statuses of the Global Engagement Program (GEP), students can earn $500 and then $1000 study abroad scholarships.

Global Bronco status, earned by attending international events (that are usually free) on campus, earns students a $500 scholarship to be used toward virtual, short-term, and traditional study abroad trips or toward enrollment in the single required GEP course, GIST 3100. This course is necessary to earn Global Explorer status. Students enrolled in GIST 3100 will have direct guidance on exploring and developing their ideal study abroad trip, alongside learning about various topics related to globalization, world cultures, and more.

Global Explorer status, earned by attending international events (that are usually free) on campus, and by completing GIST 3100, alongside one of 75+ GEP-approved courses (many of them satisfying Western Essential Studies Requirements), earns students a $1000 scholarship that can be used on any virtual, short-term, or traditional study abroad trip.

Please note, the $500 Global Bronco and Global Explorer scholarships cannot be combined for one trip.

NEW IN 2023: SCHOLARSHIPS FOR PELL GRANT RECIPIENTS

Starting with Summer I 2023 study abroad programs, all students who receive the federal Pell Grant to attend WMU will automatically receive scholarship funding of at least $1,000 upon acceptance to a study abroad program administered by WMU Study Abroad; this includes faculty-led, faculty-directed, exchange, or study abroad partner programs. Please note, students who participate in 3rd Party Program Provider or unaffiliated programs are not eligible for this scholarship funding. Confirmed Pell Grant recipients receive one of the following scholarships from WMU Study Abroad: HIGE Study Abroad Scholarship ($1,000), Mesara Study Abroad Airfare Scholarship ($1,000), or the President's Grant for Study Abroad (up to $5,000). Please note some additional details of this funding:

Students only receive funding from one of the three scholarships (HIGE Study Abroad, Mesara, or President's Grant)
Student are eligible to receive this funding once per term, but can receive it multiple times if they study abroad multiple times
President's Grant for Study Abroad is only eligible for semester-long foreign language programs
There is not a separate scholarship application to be considered for this funding. A students' study abroad program application serves as the application to be considered for scholarships

For more information, see the Global Engagement Program page.

Haenicke Institute for Global Education Scholarships

Haenicke Institute for Global Education (WMU Study Abroad) scholarship funding is only available for WMU students who earn 3 or more credits in the same semester/term in a study abroad course/program.

Haenicke Institute For Global Education Study Abroad Office Scholarship—supports WMU student participation in study abroad and virtual study abroad programs

Mesara Study Abroad Airfare Scholarship—provides partial funding for airfare to select Pell-grant eligible students.

President's Grant for Study Abroad—supports intensive foreign language study for semester or academic year.

Wenger Memorial Study or Work Abroad Fund—supports study or internships abroad lasting 10 weeks or more, with preference given to female students studying anthropology, sociology, and/or gender and women's studies.

College-specific scholarships

WMU college-specific scholarships support a wide variety of study abroad experiences.

College of Arts and Sciences

College of Aviation

College of Education and Human Development

College of Engineering and Applied Sciences

College of Fine Arts

College of Health and Human Services

Haworth College of Business

Lee Honors College

Country and Region-Specific Scholarships

Africa

Boren award—national scholarship for undergraduates to study language in areas underrepresented in study abroad.

Asia

Boren award—national scholarship for undergraduates to study language in areas underrepresented in study abroad.

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia

Gilman Scholarship

Central and Eastern Europe

API Regional Scholarship— for use with API programs.

Boren award—national scholarship for undergraduates to study language in areas underrepresented in study abroad.

France

API Regional Scholarship— for use with API programs, also good for the rest of Europe.

The FACC Scholarship Program—French-language or business study or internship in France.

Germany

API Regional Scholarship— for use with API programs, also good for the rest of Europe.

DAAD Study Scholarship

Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst undergraduate scholarship—provides support to study, research, or intern in Germany.

Freie University of Berlin—provides a full-ride scholarship for one academic year to the Freie University of Berlin.

Gilman Scholarship

Hungary

The "Linda Lesniak International Study Scholarship in Mathematics or Mathematics Education" will provide $1,000 to a student selected by the Department of Mathematics who has been accepted to study at either Budapest Semesters in Mathematics or Budapest Semesters in Mathematics Education. The Department of Mathematics may be able to provide additional funding to the same student who receives the Lesniak scholarship. Please see the chair of the Department of Mathematics for more information on these scholarship opportunities.

Japan

Boren award—national scholarship for undergraduates to study language in areas underrepresented in study abroad.

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia

Gilman Scholarship

Japan Student Services Organization

Monbukagakusho Scholarship

Murakami Scholarship application—provides a full-ride scholarship for one academic year to Keio University. Read more about Yukiko Murakami.

Morgan Stanley Scholarship— for use with the U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation Scholarship application.

U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation

Latin America

API Regional Scholarship— for use with API programs.

Boren award—national scholarship for undergraduates to study language in areas underrepresented in study abroad.

Gilman Scholarship

Middle East

API Regional Scholarship— for use with API programs.

Boren award—national scholarship for undergraduates to study language in areas underrepresented in study abroad.

Gilman Scholarship

New Zealand

Education New Zealand—various scholarships for students studying at a university in New Zealand.

Scandinavia

API Regional Scholarship— for use with API programs, also good for the rest of Europe.

American-Scandinavian Foundation Award

South Africa

The Donald White/Mandla A. Ndwanya Memorial Fund - supports STEM students interning in South Africa

United Kingdom

API Regional Scholarship— for use with API programs, also good for the rest of Europe.

Churchill Scholarship— awards will go to students in master's programs in the fields of science and technology.

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador Program—provides funding for underrepresented groups that include economically disadvantaged, first generation, students with disabilities and ethnic and racially diverse students.

IIE Travel Grants—provide funding for students in underrepresented groups that include financial need, status as member of racial/ethnic/gender groups, status as first-generation college students, disabilities and lack of experience with travel.

Students with disabilities

American Association on Health and Disability

API Diversity Scholarship (for use with API programs only)

CEA Diversity Scholarship (for use with CEA programs only)

Diversity Abroad

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program: For students who are receiving Pell Grants

Boren Awards: 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.

Grants for IES programs

American Institute for Foreign Study

Institute of International Education Search Engine

IIE Travel Grants

CIEE Robert B. Bailey Scholarship (for use with CIEE programs only)

Fund for Education Abroad

Scholarships and Financial Aid for Students with Disabilities

William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship (for study at the American University in Dubai)

First-generation students abroad

API First Generation Scholarship: for use with API programs

Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship: for students who receive a Federal Pell Grant and who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad

IFSA-Butler First Generation College Student Program: for use with IFSA-Butler Programs

IES Scholarship for Under-Represented Students: open to students who have been traditionally under-represented on study abroad programs including first generation college studetns, students from low income families and students with a history of overcoming adversity

IIE Travel Grants

The Education Abroad Network Diversity Scholarship: for use with a semester Education Abroad Network semester program

DiversityAbroad.com Scholarship for Semester at Sea

LGBT students abroad

NAFSA Rainbow Scholarship

FEA Rainbow Scholarship: awarded to a deserving LGBTQI student who aims to participate in a high-quality, rigorous education abroad programFund for Education Abroad

IIE Travel Grants

American Institute for Foreign Study, Diversity Scholarship: for students participating in an AIFS program

CIEE Robert B. Bailey Scholarship: for use with CIEE programs

William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship: for study at The American University in Dubai

ISA Diversity Scholarship: for students studying abroad through an ISA program

CEA Diversity Scholarship: for students going abroad through a CEA program

IES Abroad Merit-Based Scholarship for Under-represented Students: for students going abroad through an IES program

IES Abroad David Porter Diversity Scholarship: for students going abroad through an IES program

Ethnic diversity

United Negro College Fund: offers a comprehensive list of scholarships for African American individuals

APIASF: Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund: offers several scholarships

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Scholarships

Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholarships

Dr. Juan Andrade Scholarship for Young Hispanic Leaders

Native American Education Foundation

Association on American Indian Affairs

DiversityAbroad.com Scholarship

AIFS-HACU: for Hispanic students participating in an AIFS program

American Institute for Foreign Study

CIEE Robert B. Bailey Scholarship: for use with CIEE programs.

Fund for Education Abroad

IIE Travel Grants

William Jefferson Clinton Scholarship: for study at The American University in Dubai.

IES Abroad Merit-Based Scholarship for Under-represented Students: for students going abroad through an IES program.

CEA Diversity Scholarship: for students going abroad through a CEA program.

IES Abroad David Porter Diversity Scholarship: for students going abroad through an IES program.

Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship: for students receiving Pell Grants.

Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants: must have a 3.75 cumulative GPA, but do not have to be a member of the honor society.

Michigan State University list of multicultural scholarships

More funding resources

Financial Need-Based Scholarships

AMIDEAST Education Abroad Need-Based Scholarships— for students participating in AMIDEAST Education Abroad programs in Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, and Tunisia

Bruce W. Mesara Study Abroad Airfare Scholarship—provides partial funding for airfare to select Pell-grant eligible students.

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia—provides funding for long-term study in select countries in East Asia to students with demonstrated financial need (requires FAFSA).

Gilman Scholarship—national award that provides substantial study abroad funding to select Pell-grant eligible students.

Gilman-McCain Scholarship—national award that provides substantial funding to select recipients of Title IV funding (i.e., Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Perkins Loan, etc.) and are a dependent child of an active duty service member. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Foreign-Language Study Scholarships

Boren award—national scholarship for undergraduates to study language in areas underrepresented in study abroad. Contact Dr. Michelle Metro-Roland for more information

Critical Language Scholarship

Diversity Abroad

Freeman Awards for Study in Asia

Gilman Scholarship

National Flagship Language Program

President's Grant for Study Abroad

SOL Education Abroad Scholarships—for use with SOL Education Abroad programs.

WMU Department of Spanish

WMU Department of World Languages and Literatures

Major-specific scholarships

Mathematics

If you are applying to a semester of full-year study abroad on the Budapest Semester in Mathematics/Mathematics Education program, please inquire into the "Linda Lesniak International Study Scholarship in Mathematics or Mathematics Education," as well as any other department funding that may be available to defray expenses related to study abroad. General inquiries about this scholarship should be directed to the chair of the Department of Mathematics.