When spring break rolled around last year, I thought I had it made. I was living in London, just a train ride away from some major tourist destinations – Ireland, France, the Netherlands, Germany, etc. My friends and I spent many nights at the kitchen table talking excitedly about how we were going to spend the entire 16-day vacation (another perk of being abroad!) jetting across Europe.

But that all changed when I looked at my bank account and this started playing in my head. I had run out of money, and it ended up costing us a lot more than it should have because I had to wait to get approved for a loan (and I almost didn’t get it in time). Since getting work study abroad is notoriously difficult, here are some links to internal and external scholarships sponsored by NYU, so you can make sure that you have enough to last you a full Eurotrip (or travelling to wherever your little heart desires).

For Anyone:

-Dean’s Opportunity Fund for Study Away - There’s a link to a PDF of the same name, but no posted deadline.
This one’s new and, I think, the most beneficial, since you basically get awarded money for minimal effort. If you hold a job during the semester before you go abroad (even one off-campus), you can apply for this grant. It will give you up to $2,000 toward the income you will lose while abroad. All you need is basic information and three paystubs. This fund comes directly from NYU.

-Gilman Scholarship Program – Deadline: October 2, 2012
This scholarship hands out an average amount of $4,000 (but up to $5,000) for undergrads who study abroad for at least four weeks in one country. And good news! If you’re studying a language that’s ridiculously hard beyond all reason (such as Arabic, Japanese, or Swahili), you are eligible for an extra $3,000. You can view the the statistics here.

-Need Based Study Abroad Grant - No posted deadline here, either.
This grant can get you anywhere between $1,000-5,000, but you have to be willing to work for it. There is an essay involved – a proposal of a project you will commit to while abroad. You must be willing to promote NYU study away in some fashion. The website says “Current options are video testimonials, a recruitment event, or a weekly blog, though alternative ideas are welcome.”

For Transfer/Commuter Students

-Transfer/Commuter Student Scholarship
There will definitely be fewer students who are able to apply for this scholarship, so the possible $1,000 offsets the pesky essay question.

For students of the LGBTQ community, and/or economically disadvantaged, and/or ethnic minorities:

-Sir Harold Acton International Fellowship - No posted deadline.
Unfortunately, simply being part of a minority group or the LGBTQ community might not be enough to win the $2,000. You have to be able to demonstrate in an essay how you are dedicated to the “inclusion of all NYU students within the community.”

-Diversity Abroad Scholarship - Deadline: October 16, 2012
This program offers five economically disadvantaged and/or minority students $500 per semester (they also encourage first-generation college students and disabled students to apply). There is a requirement “to share their experiences abroad with the DiversityAbroad.com community via blogs, picture and videos (at least twice a week), participation in DiversityAbroad.com travel abroad forum and do a study abroad testimonial at the end of their time abroad.”

For Students Studying in Accra

- Accra Community Service Grant
Ten students will receive this award for answering an essay question about participating in community service while in Ghana.

-Joe Nkrumah Memorial Scholarship
If you are dedicated to Ghanaian art and culture, you can apply to be two of NYU students awarded this $2,000 scholarship. Required is a written proposal for how you will complete a follow-up project in promotion of the arts when you return to campus.

For Students Studying in Southeast Asia

-Freeman-ASIA Scholarship - Deadline: October 10, 2012
This one has some odd requirements. Besides the usual one of needing to propose and implement a service project about studying abroad in Southeast Asia, it is not allowed for an applicant to have lived in the country they are going to for more than four weeks. Winners are awarded up to $5,000 for a semester and $7,000 for a full academic year.

Students Studying in Buenos Aires, London, or Shanghai

- Banco Santander Scholarship
By answering one generic essay question, you can be one of the 133 students who becomes $3,000 richer.

Students Studying in London

-Lord Acton Memorial Scholarship
If accepted, in exchange for £1,000 (or $1,623 for y’all American folks), you must write a reflection on your time abroad to be posted on the scholarship’s website. Additionally, you must attend a meeting and give a presentation on “on the goals and objectives that have been achieved as a result of the financial support.”

So there you have it! There are loads of grants and scholarships here to choose from. You should qualify for at least one, and if you don’t, then join the rest of us in lifelong debt.

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