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Paying for Study Abroad

Financing can often be a stressful aspect for students planning their experience abroad, but it doesn't have to be, and the best way to alleviate that stress is to start planning early! The financial aid office on your home college will be your primary resource. Before visiting or emailing the Financial Aid office, ​you must complete:

FAFSA Application


Contact the financial aid advisor on your campus (see below) with your student ID and discuss with the advisor your desire to study abroad and your financial eligibility for this program. 

Riverside City College - Annie Li​
Moreno Valley College - Jonathan Castro
Norco College - Brittany Emis

Financial Aid package may include grant money, federal loans, and private loans. Each institution has their own policies and processes surrounding financial aid. Students can sometimes find this process challenging, but know that you study abroad and financial aid advisors are here to help.

Scholarships

Many scholarships are available to support you financially in your study abroad pursuits. However, each scholarship has its application deadline, eligibility requirement and application procedure; so definitely do your homework ahead of time. We encourage you to visit each individual link below to learn more about how to apply. 

The Gilman Scholarship Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is an undergraduate program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study abroad, thereby internationalizing their outlook and better preparing them to thrive in the global economy.

​​​​Benjamin A​. Gilman Inter​national Scholarship

 

Each year, CAPA awards $1.5 million in study abroad scholarships, grants, and affiliate benefits! To be eligible, you must be in the process o​f applying for a CAPA program. A separate scholarship app​lication and documentation may also be required by the deadline listed. Late applications, essays, or forms will not be accepted. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.​

​​​​CAPA Need-based Scholarship & Blogger Grant

 

In an effort to expand access to international experiences for community college students, Community Colleges for International Development (CCID) is offering student study abroad scholarships of $500 for participation in a global experience.​​

​​​​CCID's Founder Study Abroad Scholarship 


This application is for ​​children or spouses​​​​ of active or activated United States Military Personnel to study or intern​ abroad on​ credit-bearing​ programs.​ It is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) ​at the U.S. Department​​ of State and named after the late senator​ John S. McCain​ from Arizona. The Gilman-McCain​​ Scholarship provides awards of a year $5,000. ​

Gilman-McCain Study Abroad Scholarship 

 

The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the U.S. study abroad population. FEA makes life-changing, international experiences accessible to all by supporting students of color, community college, and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs.​​

​Fund for Education Abroad



Boren Scholarships:​ Fund study abroad by U.S. undergraduate students in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Maximum awards are determined by duration abroad: Up to $25,000 for 25-52 weeks (Preferred) Up to $12,500 for 12-24 weeks Up to $8,000 for 8-11 weeks (STEM Majors Only)​

Boren Fellowships: Fund research and language study proposals by U.S. graduate students in world regions critical to U.S. interests. Maximum awards are determined by duration abroad: Up to $25,000 for 25-52 weeks (Preferred) Up to $12,500 for 12-24 weeks + Up to $12,000 for domestic language study (Optional)

​​NSEP-Boren Scholarships and Fellowships​



Umoja International Student Fellowship Program: The primary goal of the Umoja International Student Fellowship Program is to enhance students' knowledge, skills, and global perspective while decreasing the time to degree completion and increasing graduation, retention, and transfer rates. Through strengthening connections with college and university partners, the program seeks to create a network of future leaders committed to fostering cultural understanding, community development, and academic excellence. 

Umoja International Student Fellowship Program



The Rotary Foundation offers grants that support a wide variety of projects, scholarships, and training that Rotary members are doing around the world. Explore the grant types and find one that's right for your project.​

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships


 

Beginning in the fall of 2014, only previous scholarship recipients may apply for funding from Sara's Wish Foundation. One or two previous recipients will receive awards each year, with amounts ranging from $1000 to $10,000. These awards will be given for sustained, substantial humanitarian work in the global community. [Please note that the needs identified in the preliminary application should be more substantive and thus the requests should include specific budget categories. If the preliminary application is approved for further consideration, a budget page with detailed budget rationales must be included in follow-up documentation along with the expanded narrative describing program needs and anticipated benefits to the population served as a result of funding from Sara's Wish Foundation.]​

Sarah's Wish Foundation


Additional Study Abroad Scholarships
Alpha Lambda Delta James G. Stemler Study Abroad Scholarship
S-STEM Scholarship Application for RCCD Students Studying Abroad
Study Abroad Scholarship on California Colleges for International Education (CCIE)
Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation
Diversity Abroad
Go Overseas Study Abroad Scholarship
IEFA (International Education Financial Aid)
IIEPassport Study Abroad Funding Searchable Database
Scott's Cheap Flights Study Abroad Scholarship
The Critical Language Scholarship Program
The Garden Club of America
Other List of Study Abroad Scholarships
Accommodations Fund

​Students with disabilities are welcome to participate in study abroad experiences. We encourage the disclosure of disability and use a collaborative team approach that involves the campus support staff as well as our provid​​​er staff both stateside and abroad, the student's study abroad advisor and disability resources coordinator, and of course the student, to determine the best means of accommodation. While some accommodations are cost-free, we recognize that additional expenses may be incurred. In an effort to defray such expenses, RCCD in partnership with CAPA have established the Accommodation Fund. We wish you a successful, exciting, and enriching time abroad and we are happy to support you in any way possible. ​