Scholarships and Discounts

Historically USAC provides more than $2 million in scholarships, grants and discounts annually. Scholarships are awarded three times a year to assist USAC students with their study abroad expenses. We have a variety of funding opportunities available for students enrolled in USAC programs who have a minimum GPA of 2.5 (please note that USAC scholarships are not available for students participating in any non-USAC international experiences). We also encourage students to research online for other financial aid and scholarships resources that are available to students studying abroad.

Applying for USAC Scholarships

How to Apply

1. Apply to a USAC Study Abroad Program (if you have not already).
   • Please note that it can take three to five business days after submitting your application to receive access to your USAC Student Gateway Account.
2. Log in to your USAC Student Gateway Account and complete the "Scholarship Application: Optional Form" in the "7+ Months Before Program Start" section under your documents tab.
   • Your scholarship application will be processed so you are considered for as many of the below USAC Scholarships for which you are eligible.
   • Scholarship information is subject to change. Please stay up to date on what we offer per term below

USAC General Scholarships

Regional and Term-Specific Scholarships

This scholarship is available during all applicable terms. Scholarships are available for each of the geographic regions with USAC programs (Africa/Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania). All degree-seeking students with a minimum 2.5 GPA are eligible.

Regional Scholarships

For Regional Scholarships, USAC programs are divided as follows:

• Africa and Middle East: Israel, South Africa
• Asia: India, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand
• Europe: Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Sweden
• Latin America: Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Uruguay
• Oceania: Australia, New Zealand

Term-Specific Scholarships

• January Session: A scholarship fund is available specific to students attending a January Session program. All degree-seeking students with a minimum 2.5 GPA are eligible.

USAC Access Scholarships

As a non-profit, university-based organization, we are committed to providing students with affordable and accessible opportunities to study abroad. The following scholarships have been designed to positively benefit students from historically underrepresented backgrounds and to further increase the financial accessibility of our programs. Any degree-seeking student with a minimum 2.5 GPA may qualify for these scholarships, and they are available during all terms.

Access, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship

This scholarship is for students who are considered underrepresented in study abroad. USAC defines “underrepresented” according to the following categories established by Diversity Abroad:

1. 1. • Ethnically/Racially diverse
      • LGBTQIA+
      • Religious diversity
      • Students with disabilities
      • Non-traditional age students (25+)

USAC First Generation Student Scholarship

Any eligible student whose parents/guardians did not graduate from a 4-year college or university.

Community College Scholarship

Any student who is currently attending a community college is eligible for this scholarship.

Military Service Scholarship

Any U.S. Military Personnel (active or veteran status) and their dependents (child or spouse) are eligible for this scholarship.

Science, Technology, Math, and Engineering (STEM) Scholarship

All students with a declared STEM major or minor are eligible for this scholarship. STEM majors may come from a variety of academic disciplines but are generally referred to as degrees that confers a Bachelor of Science.

USAC Grants and Funding Opportunities

Diversity and Inclusion Development (DID) Grant

This competitive grant opportunity was developed to enhance diversity-related initiatives for USAC and its affiliate universities. Grant applications must propose a project, activity, or event for underrepresented student populations at an affiliate university to either recruit or support students on a USAC study abroad program. The funding was created to make study abroad more accessible for first-generation, non-traditional, LGBTQIA+ students, as well as students with disabilities, ethnic or racial minority backgrounds, financial hardship, and other conditions.

Award amounts range from $500 to $1,500 and recipients are determined by the USAC CEO and Board of Directors. Affiliate university administrators may log in to Gateway and navigate to the Affiliate Resources section to download the detailed DID Grant Description Summary and DID Grant Application.

Usac Program-Specific Scholarships

The Lin Yuejun Lang Asia Scholarship (Asia - Summer)

The LinYL Foundation was created by five siblings: Cisco, Daniel, Becky, Vana, and Tony Lang. In 2020, they established their Foundation to honor their mother, 林月君 Lín Yuèjūn, by supporting education, as she supported them. This Foundation has since founded the Lin Yuejun Lang Asia Scholarship, which helps aid diverse students across the U.S. interested in studying abroad. The Foundation chose to partner with USAC because it aligns with the vision and values of making study abroad both affordable and centered around culturally-authentic academic experiences. Furthermore, Daniel is an alumnus of the summer 2017 USAC Shanghai program. Vana also intends to study abroad with USAC in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

The LinYL board has indicated they wish students to receive scholarships based on numbers of significance within Chinese numerology, so students will be awarded scholarships with the numbers 6 or 8 included in the award amount.