Finance and Scholarships

Currently, Christian Brothers University does not offer institutional aid for summer sessions, meaning that academic and athletic scholarships cannot be applied to independent short-term study abroad trips. The University does offer a two-month payment plan for summer courses through TouchNet. If you have any questions about using financial aid to help pay for a summer study abroad course, please contact the financial aid department at CBU.

In order to qualify for financial aid, students must complete the summer aid form by April. Students are eligible to use any remaining funds from their financial aid approval toward study abroad. Private student loans can also be used to help with the cost of a study abroad program but for less than six credit hours, students will need a co-signer. If you have any questions about using financial aid to help pay for a summer study abroad course, please contact the financial aid department at CBU.

HOPE eligible students are able to receive money toward their summer program under the condition that students are enrolled in at least six credit hours for CBU. The courses must also count toward your total number of hours toward your degree in order to be eligible. If you have any questions about using the HOPE scholarship to fund your summer study abroad course, please contact the financial aid department at CBU.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a needs-based program for student who are currently eligible for the Pell Grant. It is only available to undergraduate students that are currently working toward a degree and planning to study abroad. There is no minimum number of credits that students have to receive from their program and there is no minimum program length, but the program cannot extend beyond one year.

The Gilman is an essay-based scholarship competition that can award up to $5,000 to help offset the cost of studying abroad. The goal of the Gilman is to “broaden the student population that studies abroad by supporting undergraduates who have been traditionally underrepresented and those who might not study or intern abroad due to financial constraints”. They believe that all students should have the opportunity to go abroad and gain experiences regardless of financial ability. They also seek to increase the diversity of their scholars, meaning that other factors such as majors and destinations qualify for diversification in study abroad.

The Gilman scholarship is an intense essay competition that requires serious work and multiple essay submissions, it is a long process. Additionally, recipients of the award are required to complete a follow-on service project within six months of their return from abroad.

If you have any questions about the Gilman Scholarship, please contact the study abroad office.

The Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) has worked to increase the number and diversity of American students studying abroad through the provision of game-changing scholarships of up to $10,000. FEA scholarships are awarded with a preference for underrepresented students and those with a demonstrated financial need. Of our scholarship recipients, 71% are first-generation college students, 82% identify as people of color, and 37% are community college students. This year [2023] we will award up to $500,000 to deserving undergraduate students who seek life-changing experiences abroad.” – Taken from FEA’s 2022 newsletter

This scholarship is available for students wishing to study abroad in the summer, fall, spring, and academic year terms. In order to be eligible, students need: a completed FEA application form, unofficial transcripts, a recommendation letter, and a financial aid form. Currently this scholarship is only available to U.S. Citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled as undergraduate students as a U.S. college or university and seeking to participate in a credit-bearing program.

There are thousands of scholarship opportunities for study abroad. A quick Google search will bring up countless websites with scholarships. Be sure to research scholarships from a few different angles. Think about who you are. Are you a first-generation college student? Are you a minority? Do you have a special talent? Are you demographically underrepresented in your field? Think about where you are going. What country are you going to and look for scholarships that specifically support students going to that region. Think about what you will study. Research awards focused on your major and the courses you will take abroad. Are you studying a critical language? Will your field of study have an impact? Think about what you can do with your experiences abroad. Will you be able to teach? Work with nonprofits? Look for scholarships in these areas.