Travel | Graphic by Monica Brutto | The Wright State Guardian
In the beginning weeks of February, the Wright State University study abroad and international student relations office raised the base scholarship for study abroad programs.
Funds at UCIE
The University Center for International Education keeps a scholarship fund for those interested in studying abroad. UCIE decided to raise the base scholarship, according to Megan Trickler, the education abroad coordinator at the center.
“It fluctuates year to year, what is available to work with in terms of offering students scholarships. This year, we realized we could accommodate giving students more,” Trickler explained.
Short-term, faculty-led programs have a scholarship increase from $350 to $600, whereas professor-led programs now offer up to $1,000, in accordance with Trickler. Furthermore, any student choosing to study abroad will receive $350 regardless of the duration of the program.
Additionally, Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship is a prestigious award and a federal scholarship that offers up to $5,000 to students. Students who are of U.S. nationality and are Pell Grant recipients can appy for an additional scholarship option, according to Trickler.
Reason for the raise
Laurah Hester, the education abroad advisor at UCIE, explained the center’s goal of changing the base scholarship, which aims to incentivise students to study abroad and dismiss any financial worries.
“The hope of this is that it encourages more students to apply because students worry about being able to afford it and being able to accommodate themselves while abroad, and we’re hoping that this will give students the confidence that there are resources for them,” Hester said.
Trickler added that the increase aims to diminish the cost for students, who work hard to find funding for study abroad programs.
“We work very hard to make our programs as cheap as possible for students, and we understand that WSU students work very hard to find the funding for these programs, so we want to help as much as possible,” Trickler said.
Trickler also informed how to start the application process for scholarships. The UCIE scholarship is an application embedded within the study abroad student portal.
Several staff members at UCIE voiced opinions on this change for students and UCIE.
“Since we are also doubling the amount, it’s amazing. We can support students with finance, which students usually struggle with,” Aya Nakayama, the international student program coordinator at UCIE, said.
For more information on scholarships, funding and study abroad opportunities, email the study abroad information center.
