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Scholarships

Germany by Kate Hilson

Scholarships for Education Abroad

Scholarships that are part of your normal aid package at CU typically also apply to the costs of your education abroad program or CU in D.C.

Additionally, there are many scholarships to help you afford the costs of the program. All students with demonstrated financial need will receive a scholarship award. All students who receive a Pell grant are guaranteed an award, and might be eligible for additional funds. You may receive one or more scholarships from a variety of sources including the Education Abroad office, your program provider, your academic department at CU, and external scholarship sponsors. You don't need to wait for to be accepted into your program to apply for a scholarship.

Related resources:

  • Review the Program Cost webpage
  • See when scholarships and other aid is applied to your bill on the Billing webpage
  • For questions or concerns about ed abroad scholarships contact the Ed Abroad Finance Team or call 1-303-492-7741
  • Reach out to the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) if you have questions about how your aid package applies to your education abroad program.

How much money can I get in scholarships?

The amount of education abroad scholarships varies greatly, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. Scholarship amounts depend on your personal financial need and the cost of your program. Click below to compare scholarship amounts across programs.


Estimated Scholarship Amounts 

We highly recommend looking at the Going Abroad Within Your Budget page and the Financial Aid page for information about sources of funding and strategies to make going abroad affordable for you. An education abroad advisor can also provide guidance and advice.

Although it occasionally happens, it is unrealistic to assume that you will receive enough scholarship money to cover all of your program costs. Apply to ALL scholarships for which you are eligible and hope for the best outcome! At the same time, have a back-up funding source (i.e. loans, family resources, savings) in case you do not receive receive as much as you hoped for. If you apply and don't receive as much as you need, we encourage you to talk to us about switching to a more affordable program or alternative scholarship opportunities.

FAQs about Scholarships

  1. Browse through the scholarships on this page.
  2. Start by applying for the Buffs Abroad Scholarship or CU in DC Scholarship or Global Intensive Scholarship. These general applications get you considered for most awards.
  3. Find additional scholarships that are specific to your program. These scholarships are listed on the webpage for each program: (click on the Home button on the upper left of this screen, then on "Programs". Once you click on the link for your program look under the "Finances" tab.
  4. Apply directly to scholarships offered by your program provider (CIEE, CEA CAPA, ISA, IES, SIT, DIS, Arcadia, etc.)

View the scholarship essay tips sheet.

If you receive scholarships to attend CU Boulder, most of them also apply to education abroad programs and will appear on your bill as they normally would. We recommend that you check with the Office of Scholarship Services to confirm whether your awards can be applied towards your program. If you receive private scholarships from another organization, please check with that organization directly about applicability of those funds.

 

Apply for Internal Scholarships

All students with demonstrated financial need will receive a scholarship award!

All students who receive a Pell grant are guaranteed an award, and might be eligible for additional funds.

To be considered for general funding through the Education Abroad office apply to one of these that matches your program type:

  • Buffs Abroad Scholarships: For any student applying to a CU Boulder education abroad program. Scholarships typically range from $500 - $3,000 depending on your need and the cost of your program, but please see the blue button at the top of this page for award ranges for your program.
    • Global Seminar Scholarships: For any student applying to a CU Global Seminar. Use the Buffs Abroad Scholarship application, but also review this page to learn about additional awards - there are many to consider!
    • International Internships Scholarships: For any student applying to a Global, IES, or CIEE summer internship program. Use the Buffs Abroad Scholarship application, but also review this page to learn about additional awards - there are many to consider!
  • CU in D.C. Scholarships: For any student applying to a CU in D.C. program. Scholarships typically range from $500 - $3,000 depending on your need and the cost of your program.
    • For students with demonstrated high need and students from an underrepresented background, you can qualify for a CU in DC Scholarship up to $6,000. You will be automatically considered when applying for the CU in DC Scholarship.
  • Global Intensive Scholarships: For any student applying to a CU Global Intensive. Awards range from $500 - $2,000.
Students applying for any of the above awards can also be considered for:
  • Sustainable Buffs Scholarship: Each term the CU Education Abroad office will award five $1,000 awards to students who demonstrate a commitment to sustainability efforts, both at home and on their program. Use the question prompt in your scholarship application to apply. 
  • Veteran/GI Bill Recipient Scholarship: Each term the CU Education Abroad office will give two awards to GI Bill recipients. For semester programs this amount is $5,000, for summer programs it is $3,000 and for Global Intensives it is $1,500. Please indicate your GI Bill status in your scholarship application.

Donor-funded Awards for Programs Abroad
For students going abroad, there are also specific donor-funded scholarships. To be considered, you must apply through the Buffs Abroad or Global Intensive Scholarships application. Read the eligibility criteria below and apply for the award you are most qualified for (you may only select one). Our scholarship review team will try to match you to another donor scholarship if your first selection is not possible. These are competitive scholarships and will only be awarded to a handful of students each term. 

  • Auf Gehts (let’s go!) Scholarship for German Language: $1,000-$1,500 for Colorado residents studying in Germany for a semester or academic year.
    While an undergraduate at CU Boulder, Sharron Land Gegenheimer (’83 Economics & German), participated in a one-year study abroad program in Tuebingen, Germany. That year abroad had a huge impact on Sharron’s life, and positively shaped her career in International Sales and Marketing. Now retired, Sharron and her husband Bill created this scholarship to encourage the next generation of CU Boulder students to pursue their dreams and develop their passion for the German language skills – Auf gehts (let’s go!).
  • Boulder Valley Rotary Club Warkentin Scholarship Fund: $1,000 for summer or $2,000 for semester programs. Preference is given to students with prior participation in a service project or a service club, and to students studying outside Western Europe or Australia and New Zealand.
    This special Rotary award was established in memory of Don Warkentin, a longtime member of the Boulder Valley Rotary Club. Don was passionate about international youth exchange programs which provide young people with a better understanding of our world and its many cultures. 
  • Carrie Beth Lutin Scott Scholarship: Up to $2,000 for a semester programs only. Priority given to students pursuing Jewish Studies in Israel or another country. Your scholarship essay must demonstrate how you are pursuing Jewish Studies abroad. 
    This award was established in the name and memory of Carrie Beth Lutin Scott, a 1980 graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Communications. Carrie was a proud alumnus and advocate of CU Boulder to friends and strangers alike. One of her most memorable and impactful experiences during her time at CU Boulder was during her junior year aboard Semester at Sea. The friends and experiences she made stayed with her for her lifetime. This scholarship brings together two important and impactful portions of her life: travel and her Jewish heritage. In her memory, the Scott family established a scholarship for the CU Boulder Education Abroad office.
  • Delaney Scholarship: Up to $2,000. Wide eligibility, but students must demonstrate financial need. Semester, summer or winter program. 
    This award was set up by Michael and Jean Delaney to help students fund a “life-changing” experience abroad. Michael and Jean Delaney worked in the CU Boulder Office of International Education for over 30 years in various capacities, including Director of Study Abroad and Director of International Education.
  • Gaffney Scholarship: Up to $1,500. Your scholarship essay must demonstrate how you are incorporating language and cultural immersion into your study abroad plans. Students must demonstrate financial need. Semester, summer or winter program. 
    The William Gaffney Scholarship is made possible through the generosity of his family and friends. William (Will) was a Humanities major at CU, graduating in December 1992. He participated in the CU Study Abroad program to Bordeaux, France, an experience that had a large impact upon his life. Will was killed in a tragic accident during a film shoot in remote Ecuador in April 2000. At the time he was in Ecuador with his wife teaching English.
  • Michael Yokell Scholarship: Up to $2,000 for a semester program in Israel. Preference given to students studying science, technology, engineering, math, economics or business and those with a 3.0 or above.
  • Roaming Buffs Scholarship: $1,500 for a fall program only. Students must demonstrate financial need and be an excellent representative of CU Boulder.
    These scholarships (three per year) are provided by donors who participate in a CU Boulder Roaming Buffs Travel Program.
  • Sarah Philipps Memorial Scholarship: Up to $8,000 for a semester or year-long program in the UK or Ireland. Preference given to English majors/minors or students who are going abroad to study literature. Learn more about Sarah Philipps.
  • Scott Shively Memorial Scholarship: Up to $1,500 for a semester program. Preference given to students studying/exploring issues of social justice, including racial, environmental and economic justice, as well as the ideas of pluralism, diversity and inclusion.
    Your essay must demonstrate how you are engaged in social justice abroad. An award of up to $1,500 is given to a student each semester. Learn more about Scott Shively.

Apply for External Scholarships - search by category

  • Fund for Education Abroad Scholarships: Broad eligibility, check the website for deadlines.
  • Gilman Scholarship: For students currently receiving Pell grants as part of their federal financial aid.
  • Go! Overseas Study Abroad Scholarships: Very broad eligibility - most students will be eligible.
  • Global Opportunity (GO) Scholarship: Students with unmet financial need. Must apply in your first year at CU; scholarship funds must be used before graduation. Deadline is December 1st.
  • IIE Adell & Hancock Scholarships: The Adell & Hancock Fund is to provide supplemental support to a U.S. student who is currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program for study abroad for summer or fall (spring programs not eligible). The award may vary but can be up to $4000 per awardee. Students should demonstrate proficiency with the language of their chosen country. The student must be a U.S. Citizen, have a minimum 3.5 GPA and be participating in a study abroad program that is 30 days or longer. A link to the application will be sent out to qualifying students by the CU Education Abroad office.
  • The Gilman IIE McKeown Scholarship: The Gilman-McKeown Scholarship supplements the Pell Grant and Gilman Scholarship to make full-year study economically feasible for qualified students.
  • The Going Abroad Scholarship: $1500 award - see website for details and deadlines.
  • Travel Writing Contests
  • Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Grants: UROP supports research and creative work that involves international travel, and we encourage students planning travel to connect with UROP early in the planning process. UROP guidelines require that 1) students’ travel plans are necessitated by project goals, 2) the majority of the students’ time abroad is invested in project activities, and 3) their study abroad program does not take place in the same term as the grant term for their UROP funding. Students may apply for UROP funding in a grant term either before OR after a term involving a study abroad program.
 
  • Anthropology majors with junior standing by the start of their education abroad program: Eaton Travel Sabbatical Scholarship
  • Economics majors with junior standing by the start of their education abroad program: Eaton Travel Sabbatical Scholarship
  • Engineering majors: students going on an approved credit-bearing summer program can use the Buffs Abroad Scholarship application to be considered for the Engineers' Global Summer Scholarship.
  • Engineering majors: the Mayes Endowed Travel Award Fund is open to students who have taken a class in the Herbst Program for the Humanities and are applying for a Herbst Global Seminar or Global Intensive. This award was set up by Terry & Bart Mayes as well as Terry's mother, Mary Anderson. During Terry’s career at CU Boulder, she became acquainted with the Herbst Program of Humanities in Engineering. As a result of her admiration and respect for the Herbst program and faculty, Terry chose to establish this fund. The goal of the fund is to help students develop a love and appreciation for other countries and to instill a life-long love of travel that will enrich their lives for years to come.
  • Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS): These fellowships are available for CU Boulder undergraduates who can demonstrate financial need for intensive summer Asian language study through the Center for Asian Studies. Restrictions apply; see information on the CAS website for details. Deadline is February 15 annually.
  • French majors: The Ayer Romance Language Scholarship - for students who are declared French majors with an overall GPA of 3.0.
  • German majors: The Leonhard E. Baak Scholarship is for German majors.
  • History majors with junior standing by the start of their education abroad program: Eaton Travel Sabbatical Scholarship are awarded to eligible IAFS students travelling anywhere in the world for Academic Year, Fall, Spring and Summer semesters
  • International Affairs Program (IAFS): Global Grants are awarded to eligible IAFS majors or minors travelling anywhere in the world for Academic Year, Fall, Spring and Summer semesters.
  • Italian majors: The Ayer Romance Language Scholarship - for students who are declared Italian majors with an overall GPA of 3.0. 
  • Italian: Dante Alighieri Denver scholarship
  • Jewish Studies program (for graduate students): Goldberger Scholarship is granted annually to up to two graduate students in the Jewish Studies program with plans to go abroad or do a cultural immersion program. Summer and semester-length programs are eligible.
  • Jewish Studies program (for undergraduate students): The Jewish Studies Global Initiatives provides scholarship assistance to support students' interest in studying abroad in areas related to Jewish Studies. Those who have submitted an application for the Buffs Abroad Scholarship will be automatically considered for these awards. In your Buffs Abroad Scholarship application you should specifically mention your plans to pursue Jewish Studies while on your program and a list of sample courses you may take.
  • Music majors: CU College of Music education abroad scholarships - if you submit a Buffs Abroad Scholarship application, you will automatically be considered.
  • Music: Frank Huntington Beebe Fund for Musicians
  • Music and Arts: Dante Alighieri Society Academic Scholarship and Music Scholarship are awarded to front range area students. Applications are accepted in early spring for the following year’s terms.
 

(See the CU Boulder program-specific webpages for additional scholarships that may be country-specific.)

Latin America - FEATURED REGION FOR 2025-2026!

  • CIEE Latin American Student Ambassador Scholarship: Embrace Latin culture, history, and language on a life-changing, fully-funded CIEE Latin America study abroad program for Fall 2025 or Spring 2026. Apply early - only 100 awards available!
  • Latin America Explorer Scholarship (from CU Education Abroad): Choose a program in Latin America and get up to $2,000 off your program fee! It’s easy to apply - just submit a Buffs Abroad Scholarship application.
    • This is a first-come, first-served scholarship so apply early before funds run out!
    • Funds are awarded on top of any other scholarships you might qualify for when submitting a Buffs Abroad Scholarship application. See estimated awards!
    • Eligible programs: any CU-approved program in Latin America for Summer 2025, Fall 2025 or Spring 2026
Asia: Europe:
  • Leason Scholarship for European Union Studies: For students with financial need who are studying abroad in an EU member state and who can demonstrate interest in European Union studies during their education abroad program. Send you completed application to felicia.martinez@Colorado.EDU. Applications will be considered year-round.
  • Max Kade Scholarship: For students studying in Germany or Austria. Available for summer and full-year students only. Award is $1,200. Apply via the Buffs Abroad Scholarship application.
  • Scandinavia Scholarships: A series of scholarships for study in various Scandinavian countries.
  • Sweden Flight Voucher: Apply for a chance to win a free flight to Sweden through GO Overseas.
Worldwide:
  • Boren Awards for International Study (NSEP Scholarships): For student planning an overseas program in a country outside of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand. The Boren Awards fund the intensive study of language and culture abroad by U.S. undergraduate or graduate students. Program of 25+ weeks are prioritized but there is funding available for shorter programs. Recipients of Boren Scholarships must accept a Service Requirement to work for the federal government in the national security arena for at least a year after graduation. Check the eligibility requirements on the Boren website, read the CU Boulder Boren Steps and Tips for additional info and then contact Sarah Westmoreland for more information. The CU campus deadline is typically in late January each year for the following summer, fall and spring terms.
 
 
 
Photo, Germany by Kate Hilson