There are hundreds of scholarships available for students studying abroad—some are based on merit, need, professional associations, area of study, the country you chose to study in, or different identities you may hold. While SJSU offers some general scholarships specifically for SJSU students studying abroad, be sure to check any funding opportunities for the specific program you are applying to. And make sure to check with the SJSU Financial Aid and Scholarships Office for more scholarship information. Dedicate some time and effort to finding the scholarship opportunities that are available to you. 

SJSU Scholarships

The following scholarship opportunities are offered by San Jose State University and apply specifically to study abroad programs. Be sure to check out the full list of scholarships on the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office scholarship resources website.  Review the information below to learn more about scholarships funded by SJSU colleges/departments. Only SJSU students are eligible to apply for SJSU Scholarships.

• SJSU College of Health and Human Sciences: Dean’s Study Abroad Scholarships
• Louie Barozzi Study Abroad Scholarship 
• Jeffrey Scott Johnson Memorial & other Alumni Scholarships 
• SJSU College of Business Scholarships
• John Gilbert Scholarship for International Studies
• CoSS Dean's Study Abroad Scholarships

Prestigious Scholarships

Receiving an external scholarship can not only help to fund your international experience, it can open doors for you in the future as well. These scholarships can be competitive, but it is worth your time to apply for them! Below you can find information about prestigious government-funded scholarships and other organizational scholarships.

Government

• Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
• Gilman-McCain Scholarship
• Boren Fellowship
• Fulbright U.S. Student Programs
• Fund for Education Abroad
• DAAD Scholarships

Organizations

• Donald A. Strauss Scholarship
• Freeman Awards for Study in Asia
• County of Santa Clara / Florence Italy Sister City Scholarship
• Go Overseas Scholarship
• Japan Student Services (JASSO) Scholarship
• Bridging Scholarships
• PHI KAPPA PHI Study Abroad Grant
• Diverse Women of Color Scholarship
• Scott’s Cheap Flights Study Abroad Scholarship
• ItaliaRail’s Italy Study Abroad Scholarship
• Go Abroad Scholarships
• Toshizo Watanabe Study Abroad Scholarship Program
• We Make Scholars
• Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador Scholarship
• International Student; Travel Video Contest

ISEP Scholarships

Students applying to the ISEP Programs are eligible to apply for any of their scholarships. Please visit ISEP’s Planning Your Finances website for more information on these and other scholarships.

• ISEP Community Scholarship
• ISEP Accessibility Scholarship
• ISEP Africa for All Scholarship
• ISEP Founders Fellowship
• ISEP French and German Language Annette Kade Fund Scholarship

CSUIP Scholarships

CSUIP students are encouraged to apply for any eligible scholarships from the CSU International Programs website including the following:

• CSUIP General Scholarship
• CSUIP Ghana Scholarship
• CSUIP Michelle Marriott Memorial Scholarship
• CSUIP Ward Wallach Memorial Scholarship
• CSUIP Baden-Wurttemberg Fellowship
• CSUIP Wang Family Scholarships

Utilize Your Network

Think about your network. Scholarships can come from many outside sources and can be associated with an organization you or your parents belong to or from a foundation or a place of employment. In most cases these funds are offered to help you with your studies, and your SJSU study abroad experience is part of that journey. Look for scholarships and aid given by outside agencies such as:

• Religious organizations
• Labor unions
• Service groups like Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, E.O., Zonta, Soroptomist, etc.
• Community interactions (bank, credit union, grocery store, department store, coffee house)
• Parent’s place of employment
• Professional organizations in your major, i.e. “Society of Women Engineers”
• Local city or county library for scholarship books
• National, state, and local foundations

Fundraising

In addition to applying for scholarships, there are many ways you can fundraise to save up for your study abroad/away experience! Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Use a crowdfunding platform (GoFundMe, Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, FundMyTravel)
• Ask for study abroad funds rather than other birthday or holiday presents
• Partner with a campus organization you’re involved in or that’s related to your program destination to put on a fundraising event
• Get creative - send postcards or create a custom calendar with your photos for a fee
• Host a bake sale or offer to cater an event for friends/family
• Ask your networks to donate for every milestone you hit in a competition (ex: 10k, food contest, board game competition)
• Talk to local cultural groups/businesses that might help sponsor your program, in exchange for volunteering or supporting their products/service

Online Search Engines

Also be sure to fully utilize internet resources for finding scholarships for study abroad. Every year thousands of dollars of scholarship money go unused simply because students do not apply. Make sure to do your research to help make your experience as affordable as possible. There are several scholarship search engines that students can search through to find scholarships they are specifically eligible for:

• Institute of International Education—Database of study abroad scholarships
• StudyAbroad.com Scholarships
• Financial Aid Search Through the WEB (FastWeb)
• College Board Fund Finder
• We Make Scholars - study abroad funding

Beware of Scams

Keep in mind that scholarships are funds available to help you with the cost of your education and there should not be any cost associated with applying for them. Protect yourself from scholarship scams. 

According to the Federal Trade Commission, unscrupulous companies guarantee or promise scholarships, grants or financial aid packages. Many use high-pressure sales pitches at seminars where you’re required to pay immediately or risk losing out. Some unscrupulous companies guarantee that they can get scholarships on behalf of students or award them “scholarships” in exchange for an advance fee.

The FTC cautions students to look and listen for these lines as signs of possible scams:

“The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back.”

“You can’t get this information anywhere else.”

“I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship.”

“We’ll do all the work.”

“The scholarship will cost some money.”

“You’ve been selected” by a “national foundation” to receive a scholarship for which you never applied.

“You’re a finalist” in a contest you never entered.

The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. Visit https://www.ftc.gov or call toll-free at 1-877-382-4357.