Study Abroad for TRIO Students
As college students, you not only have access to unique opportunities on-campus. You also have the ability to access those opportunities globally, with more funding possibilities than you may think!
Just like with our tuition scholarships list, this page will continue to grow as more and more programs and scholarships are brought to our attention. It is a good idea to check this page frequently if study abroad is something you are interested in pursuing.
It is also a good idea to plan ahead. Many study abroad scholarship and program application deadlines are due either the year before (for academic year/semester-long programs) or the Fall/Winter before (for summer programs). This is different with each scholarship/study abroad program, but it's a good rule of thumb to follow.
If you are interested in study abroad, you should reach out to the Global Engagement Office on campus.
TRIO students can also contact their Program Coordinator at courtney.bentz@umt.edu for additional assistance.
老虎机攻略 Opportunities & Programs
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Internal Funding
Students can apply through the 老虎机攻略 Scholarship Portal for study abroad scholarships hosted by their academic departments, as well as by donors and other programs with the University.
- Application deadlines vary based on scholarship
Dailey Study Abroad Scholarship: Two $1,500 are awarded to 老虎机攻略 students in support of a year-long study abroad program in a country where English is not commonly spoken.
- Preference will be given to students who graduated from a Montana high school
DHC Funding: TRIO students who are also members of the Davidson Honors College have access to additional international & domestic opportunities and funding for programs. Completion of a study abroad program can satisfy the experiential learning requirement for DHC students.
- DHC students interested in ecology, conservation, environmental studies, wilderness studies, land management, and other fields may also take advantage of their field-based courses, where students will work with institutes and biological stations located in and around Montana
Experiential Learning Scholarship: Awards up to $2,000 to help fund students' participation in research, creative works; travel to present a research/creative project or experience; or for an internship, volunteer, study away or professional development experience.
FAFSA: Students who enroll in credit-awarding study abroad programs through 老虎机攻略 may also be eligible to apply parts of their federal financial aid, as well as certain 老虎机攻略 scholarships, toward their program costs. Contact the Financial Aid Office and Enrollment Services for further details.
Franke Sustainability Fellowships: Undergraduates enrolled in the College of Forestry and Conservation can apply for one of the College's two fellowships intended for off-campus exchange or education abroad. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Students are advised to submit applications at least 8 weeks prior to their proposed activities
- Open to sophomores and above
- Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0
Global Leadership Initiative: A 4-year, 12-credit program that results in a Global Leadership Certificate that can be applied to any major. Participating GLI students are eligible for up an award of up to $5,000 for study abroad programs that last 12 weeks or longer.
Awarded annually to female students who study abroad for a minimum of one semester on a 老虎机攻略-sponsored education abroad program. Applications are due by April 15 annually.
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For students who are more interested in gaining professional experience, work or intern abroad programs are excellent opportunities to develop new and existing skills in a challenging global environment!
Check out the Work Abroad page from the Office of Experiential Learning and Student Success for more information.
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Partner Exchange Programs
Students can apply through 老虎机攻略 to attend other universities, both domestically and abroad. These partner universities will sometimes give additional scholarships, like the ones listed below. 老虎机攻略 also has its own internal study abroad opportunities to check out as well!
The 老虎机攻略 is a member university of the ISEP organization, which opens up multiple scholarship opportunities to 老虎机攻略 students looking to study abroad. Many ISEP scholarships are for students who have demonstrated financial need. Need-based awards include:
- For students planning to study in French or German at a member institution in Austria, France, Germany, Reunion Island, or Switzerland. Students must express an interest in learning French or German while studying abroad.
- For students from statistically underrepresented categories. These include: first-generation students; LGBTQ+ students; active military or military veterans; students who are ethnic, racial, and/or religious minorities; students with disabilities; STEM majors; and students studying abroad to learn a second language.
- For students who have demonstrated financial need, and who are focused on language learning in a host culture.
A domestic exchange program that allows students to study at other colleges in the US, Puerto Rico, Guam, or Canada. Exchanges typically last for a semester or for an academic year.
Depending on the university, students will either pay:
- 老虎机攻略 tuition while at another college; or,
- In-state tuition in the state of the exchange university
Interested students should view this page for more information.
Partner University Exchanges in Japan: 老虎机攻略 offers 3 scholarships for students who are interested in Japan or currently studying Japanese, and who are pursuing a study abroad in Japan through 老虎机攻略-sponsored partner programs and universities.
- is for students participating in a 老虎机攻略-sponsored Japanese study abroad program.
- is for 老虎机攻略 students attending Kumamoto University or Sophia University in Japan through 老虎机攻略's Partner University Program.
- provides $2900 to a 老虎机攻略 student attending Toyo University in Japan through 老虎机攻略's Partner University Program.
老虎机攻略 Opportunities
These programs are open exclusively to 老虎机攻略 students, or to Montana college students state-wide.
Offers two summer study abroad terms in China to students enrolled in Montana colleges. Prior study of Chinese or exposure to Chinese culture is not required. Scholarships are available for students who would otherwise not be able to travel.
- Must still be enrolled in the Fall semester after returning from their study abroad to be eligible
- Applications usually open in November, due in mid-to-late January every year
Sports Diplomacy: Multi-cultural, multi-country exchange offered through 老虎机攻略's Mansfield Center. Selected US delegations travel to a Latin American country for 7-14 days, where they work with underserved youth and communities abroad to encourage diplomacy through engaging in sports. Program topics and country locations change every year. Previous programs have included:
- Empowering Youth through Soccer in Honduras.
- Developing Leaders through Sport (taekwondo & basketball) in the Dominican Republic.
- Women's Empowerment and Building Female Soccer in Peru.
Taiwan Summer Study Tour: For 老虎机攻略 students who are interested in learning Mandarin and exploring Taiwanese culture and history through immersive experience in Taipei, Taiwan. The 2-week program blends language classes with cultural excursions to help deepen students' interest in and knowledge of Taiwanese culture and the Mandarin language.
- This program is offered by the Mansfield Center and is available only to 老虎机攻略 students.
- The Study Tour is fully-funded, meaning round trip flights, lodging, transportation, courses, tours, and meals are all paid for by the program. We highly encourage interested TRIO students to apply!
Financial Need-Based Scholarships
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is a program open to TRIO program participants exclusively.
Each year, the Council for Opportunity and Education selects 20 undergraduate TRIO students with demonstrated leadership abilities who are seeking to develop global perspectives and cross-cultural skillsets. This 3-to-4 week study abroad program has been held previously in Britain, South Africa, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Spain, and the program's topic continues to change every year.
In order to be eligible, students must:
- Be active TRIO members
- Be in good academic standing
- Be enrolled in an undergraduate institution
The cost of the program is $2,500. Students are encouraged to apply for scholarships, as internal funding from a student's TRIO program is not always possible.
COE specifically recommends that TRIO students apply for the Gilman Scholarship (detailed below), as well as any internal scholarships their university may provide (listed above).
Interested students should speak to a TRIO staff member about this program.
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provides scholarships of up to $5,000 to low-income college students looking to study or intern abroad. The Gilman seeks to make international opportunities more accessible to historically underserved and underrepresented students, who otherwise would not be able to study or intern abroad.
To be eligible, a student must be:
- Receiving a Pell Grant currently, or provide proof that they will receive a Pell Grant during their study/intern abroad program
- An undergraduate student in good academic standing
- In the process of applying to, or have already been accepted to, a credit-bearing study or intern abroad program
- Awarded students will need to provide proof of their program acceptance
- Applying or accepted to programs in a country or location with a Department of State Travel Advisory Level of 1 or 2
- Check .
Eligible applicants can also apply for up to 3 supplementary scholarships. These are:
- Up to $3,000 for students who are studying a qualifying critical needs language during their study abroad program
- Up to $5,000 for students who are child or spousal dependents of active or activated US military service members
- Up to $1,000 for students who are conducting STEM research as part of their study or intern abroad program
The Gilman has different application cycles every year, and the application deadlines vary with each cycle. Be sure to research the scholarship ahead of time to identify which awards you are applying for and when they are due.
Interested students should contact the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships for more information and application assistance.
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) provides assistance to students with demonstrated financial need who are seeking to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
To be eligible, a student:
- Must be an undergraduate student pursuing their first bachelor's (or associate's) degree
- Must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher
- Must be able to prove need of financial assistance by:
- Currently receiving need-based financial aid (e.g., Pell Grant); or,
- Otherwise demonstrate a verifiable need for financial assistance to participate in the study abroad program
- Must submit their Student Aid Index (SAI)/Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as calculated by the FAFSA
- Must have applied or been accepted to a credit-awarding study abroad program based in an East or Southeast Asian country
- Must have applied to their study abroad program through their home university and have at least 1 semester remaining upon return to the US
- Must have little-to-no experience in the country they plan to study abroad in
Interested students should contact the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships for more information and application assistance.
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provides a wide variety of scholarships to college students with financial need who are seeking to study abroad. Students only need to fill out one general application to be considered for all opportunities. To be eligible, applicants:
- Must file a FAFSA
- Must demonstrate financial need by filling out the FEA's Financial Aid Form. Students qualify as having financial need by:
- Having a Student Aid Index (SAI) below 20,000
- Being eligible for/receiving a Pell Grant
- Having taken out any amount of student loans for the current academic year
- Must be receiving academic credit at the 老虎机攻略 for the program/experience abroad
- First-generation college students, ethnic and/or racial minorities, or and former community college students may receive extra consideration.
- Application deadlines vary depending on the length/program season you are applying for. There are individual deadlines for summer study abroad programs, semester-long study abroad programs, and full academic year-long programs.
Interested students should contact the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships for more information and application assistance.
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provides assistance to American students with financial need, who are looking to study abroad in Japan specifically. There is no set scholarship award amount, but the average award was $9,480 in 2024.
The scholarship welcomes applications from undergraduate and graduate students from any field of study or major, so long as they are degree-seeking at their home institutions. Students must apply to study abroad programs/institutions in Japan separate from their application to the Watanabe scholarship.
- Program must be at least one semester long, up to one academic year long
- No summer/winter study abroad programs
- No intern abroad programs
- Student must be enrolled in a credit-bearing course at a college, university, or approved center
- Language schools are not eligible
- Requires one letter of recommendation.
- Do not submit more than one letter. The scholarship explicitly states that submitting more than the one required letter may harm your application and disqualify you.
- This is good scholarship application etiquette in general. Never submit more letters than the application requests.
- Preference will be given to students who are any of the following:
- First-generation college students
- Students who were raised by a single parent, or who are orphans
- Students who have no international study or living abroad experience
Applications are typically open from early January to mid-February every year. There is only one application cycle for all abroad program semesters/lengths.
provides more information about the program, as well as tips on completing the application.
- Program must be at least one semester long, up to one academic year long
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- Provides $1,000 for a semester abroad program. Students must document their abroad experience and share it via social media, articles, and/or video
- Applicants must be enrolled full-time college students
- Strongly encourages students from the following backgrounds to apply:
- Economically disadvantaged
- Ethnic & racially diverse
- First-generation college students
- LGBTQIA+
- Students with disabilities
- Awarded students will have their articles, blogs, pictures, and video published on social media
- Gain professional experience in marketing, social media, writing, and international education & travel
Federally-Funded Opportunities
In partnership with the U.S. Department of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense funds, manages, and organizes several scholarship programs for undergraduate students, recently graduated college students, and graduate students to study or seek professional opportunities abroad.
Successful applicants come from every academic field. Students do not necessarily need to be studying International Affairs or interested in working in foreign policy in order to apply.
These programs are usually either fully-funded or otherwise provide very generous funding, and as a result, tend to be incredibly competitive. Students are strongly encouraged to contact the Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships for assistance with their applications and essays.
Federal Scholarships
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is an excellent opportunity for undergraduate students interested in studying critical languages and who are committed to a future profession in public service. Students must pick from areas of the world that are critical to US interests. Applicants with specific regional or linguistic focuses may also apply for Language Flagship programs.
- Must be applying to study abroad in a location that is outside of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand
- Must be actively enrolled in an undergraduate program and must have at least 1 semester remaining at their home institution upon completing
- Must complete 1 year of public service upon graduating
- Maximum award amounts are determined by your study abroad program's duration
- $25,000 max for 25-52 weeks (preferred)
- $12,500 max for 12-24 weeks
- $8,000 for 8-11 weeks ()
- Applicants are strongly recommended to reach out to 老虎机攻略's Boren campus representative, Kylla Benes
The application is currently open. It is due on January 29, 2025 at 5:00 PM (ET).
Students should check out for additional information and tips for writing competitive essays.
What's a Critical Language?
Critical Languages are languages that the U.S. government has deemed particularly important to maintaining national security and prosperity. Fewer Americans speak these languages than Spanish or German, for example.
Commonly studied critical languages include Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Turkish.
Because of their comparative rarity, there are many, many more federally-funded programs and scholarship opportunities available for students who speak or are studying critical languages. Students who are particularly interested in studying abroad, working internationally in business/trade/economics, or working for the federal government, are strongly encouraged to study a critical language.
老虎机攻略 currently offers classes for the following critical languages: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian
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is a chance for American students to act as young ambassadors of the US and gain relevant work experience while abroad in Germany for an academic year.
75 Americans and 75 Germans are chosen annually by their respective countries. This opportunity is fully-funded, including round-trip flights, tuition fees, and housing costs. Students are provided with a monthly stipend. Applicants are, however, encouraged to apply to additional study abroad scholarships to supplement their stipend.
CBYX particularly encourages applications from candidates who can represent the diversity of the US in various factors, such as educational background, geographic location, disabilities, ethnicity, gender, religion, and/or socio-economic status.
- Must be 18-24 years old
- Must be strongly interested in Germany and world affairs
- No prior knowledge of the German language is necessary
Typically opens late August/early September and closes early November.
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is a fully-funded scholarship to study 1 of 13 critical languages during an 8-week summer program abroad (CLS) or virtually (CLS Spark).
CLS Scholars receive intensive instruction from native speakers, connect with an assigned language partner, and get to participate in cultural events and live with host families in a country abroad. The scholarship fully funds students' academic costs, as well as roundtrip travel, and room and board with their host families.
You do not necessarily have to have taken formal classes in your target language, or be majoring or minoring in the language. The scholarship welcomes applications from heritage speakers, as well as from students who have studied the language on their own and demonstrate proficiency as required.
- Previous language study experience varies based on the language and program.
- No previous study required: Azerbaijani, Hindi, Indonesian, Persian, Portuguese, Swahili, Turkish, Urdu
- 1 year previous study required: Arabic*, Chinese*, Korean, Russian*
- Arabic, Chinese, and Russian require 1 year of study for in-person CLS; no previous study required for CLS Spark (virtual)
- 2 years previous study required: Japanese
- Students must be enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program at the time of applying
- Applicants must be 18 years old by May of the following summer
- Applications tend to open in October/November and be due in December
Visit the for application/essay tips and information sessions with alumni.
What's a Critical Language?
Critical Languages are languages that the U.S. government has deemed particularly important to maintaining national security and prosperity. They are languages that have fewer speakers in America than Spanish or German, for example.
Because of their comparative rarity, there are many, many more federally-funded programs and scholarship opportunities available for students who speak or are studying critical languages. Students who are particularly interested in studying abroad, working internationally in business/trade/economics, or working for the federal government, are strongly encouraged to study a critical language.
老虎机攻略 currently offers classes for the following critical languages: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian
- Previous language study experience varies based on the language and program.
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provides multiple opportunities for graduating college seniors, college graduates, and graduate students to pursue research, study, or teaching English as a Second Language abroad. The typical grant period is 10 months, though this varies depending on country and award.
Applicants submit one application, for one* award, to one country per grant cycle. You are applying to a specific grant in a specific country (ex., an English Teaching Assistantship in Germany) as much as you are applying to the Fulbright program itself.
Eligibility requirements can be fairly different, again depending on the award and country you are applying for. However, the basic, general eligibility for Fulbright is as follows:
- Must have earned Bachelor's degree before the Fulbright grant begins
- Must be a U.S. citizen
- Must be at least 18 years or older before the Fulbright grant begins
- No GPA requirement, but 3.0+ advised
Some countries may require applicants meet required language proficiency levels. This information, along with additional eligibility requirement information, is available on .
- Applications are open annually from early April to early October
- Current students and 老虎机攻略 alumni are highly encouraged to go through the university endorsement/review process when applying for Fulbright
- Internal university submission dates are typically late August/early September
- Contact Kylla Benes for assistance with your Fulbright application!
*Some countries offer supplemental awards, such as Critical Language Needs Enhancement Awards. These require a separate application.
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is a competitive employment opportunity for students interested in teaching English as a Second Language as Assistant Language Teachers in public and private schools throughout Japan. Applicants with particularly strong Japanese language skills sometimes work as Coordinators for International Relations as interpreters/translators.
JET is looking for young professionals who are interested in working with students Pre-K through 12th grade, and who demonstrate a deep interest in Japan, Japanese culture, and must make an effort to study or continue studying Japanese prior to and after arriving in Japan.
- Must have earned their bachelor's degree by June before departing for Japan
- Preference will be given to applicants with TESOL qualifications and/or experience
Applications open in the Fall each year. The 2025 application will open in mid-September!
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offers 4 separate scholarships to students interested in studying in Japan.
- The Undergraduate Student Scholarship: For students who want to study in japan as part of their undergraduate studies. Applicants must generally be 24 years old or younger. Requirements change every year, so it is recommended to thoroughly check them before applying.
- The Specialized Training College Student Scholarship: For students between ages 17 and 22.
- Japanese Studies Scholarship: For students who are majoring in Japanese and/or Japanese culture. Students must be enrolled in a university outside of Japan, and must return to their home institution after completing their scholarship. Open to applicants who are between 18 and 30 years old.
- The Research Student Scholarship: For students applying to perform research. This opportunity is only for graduating seniors or students who have since graduated. Applicants must be 35 years old or younger.
Since these scholarships are offered by Japan's government, applicants are encouraged to contact their local consulate for application deadlines and visa requirements. Montana students will consult the .
Applicants can also consult , compiled for students, by students.
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is a great opportunity for students and recent graduates who are interested in legislation, foreign affairs, and policy.
Eight American delegates will be chosen to participate in a cultural and governmental exchange with a matching delegation of eight Korean students and young professionals. This joint exchange program combines professional meetings, briefings from government officials and private sector specialists, peer interaction, and cultural activities. The U.S. portion of the program takes place in Washington, DC. Afterwards, the Americans will depart for Seoul, South Korea, and reunite with their Korean counterparts before returning back to the U.S.
This program seeks students who do not have significant experience with South Korea. It welcomes applicants from all academic and professional backgrounds who have an active, demonstrated interest in the U.S. government, American foreign policy, and/or U.S.-Korean bilateral relations.
- Must be actively enrolled in a degree-granting program, or have graduated with a degree from a college institution
- Must be between the ages of 21 and 27
- Must have completed a minimum of two academic years at a postsecondary institution
- Must not have extensive experience living in/studying in South Korea
- Applications usually open in early March and are due in early April