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Scholarships, Grants and Professional Development Opportunities for Studying Abroad

IAU is committed to making studying abroad a reality for students who otherwise may not have the opportunity. Through a robust offering of merit scholarships, grants, and need-based assistance for its semester, summer, and J-Term students, IAU is a leader in the industry when it comes to breaking down the cost barrier. 

To be eligible for IAU scholarship and grant opportunities, students must be full-time, in demi-pension housing, abide by all IAU policies and regulations as stated on the policies page and maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA while attending IAU. Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program from any US institution of higher education and who meet the scholarship criteria are eligible to apply. Students participating in faculty-led programs or virtual programs are not eligible for IAU scholarships. Specific grants are awarded automatically based on the criteria listed below. 

Scholarships & Applications - Click Below to Submit the Online Applications! 

Merit Scholarships

  • Presidential Scholarship ($2,500) - Awarded to students with exceptional academic ability who also have demonstrated outstanding out-of-classroom and co-curricular involvement and leadership. Students applying for this scholarship must have a 3.5 GPA or higher. The IAU Scholarship Committee awards up to five President Scholarships each fall and spring semester. 
  • Dean’s Scholarship (award varies by term) - Awarded to students with consistent outstanding academic achievement. Students applying for this scholarship must have a 3.0 GPA or higher. The IAU Scholarship Committee awards up to five $1,500 Dean's Scholarships each fall and spring semester,  up to five $1,000 Dean's Scholarships each summer for 6-8 week sessions, up to three $500 Dean's Scholarships each summer for 3-week sessions, and up to two $500 Dean's Scholarships each January Term/Maymester.
  • Board of Directors Diversity Scholarship (award varies by term) - Funds from this scholarship will be used to attract outstanding students from diverse backgrounds who are traditionally underrepresented in international education including LGBTQIA+, first-generation college students, those identifying by a certain race, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, national origin, or ancestry, students from low-income families, and students with a history of overcoming adversity. The IAU Scholarship Committee awards up to five $1,000 Diversity Scholarships each fall and spring semester,  up to five $500 Diversity Scholarships each summer for 6-8 week sessions, up to three $500 Diversity Scholarships each summer for 3-week sessions, and up to two $500 Diversity scholarships each January Term/Maymester. Click here to learn more about past Diversity Scholarship recipients. 
  • CCIS Diversity Scholarship (award varies by term) - IAU is proud to partner with CCIS to offer Diversity Scholarships in an effort to increase the participation of underrepresented populations in study abroad. To be eligible the IAU/CCIS Diversity Scholarship, students must be applying through CCIS and abide by all IAU policies and regulations as stated on the policies page on the IAU website. CCIS Diversity Scholarships are available each semester, summer, and J-Term. More information can be found here.


Program-Specific Scholarships

  • Amos Booth French Honors Scholarship (award varies by term) - In honor of Amos Booth, esteemed teacher, director, and second President of IAU, IAU offers a merit-based scholarship to eligible students who have been accepted into the French Honors Program. Students applying for this scholarship must have a 3.5 GPA or higher. The IAU Scholarship Committee awards up to two $1,000 Amos Booth French Honors Scholarships each fall and spring semester, and up to four $500 Amos Booth French Honors Scholarships each summer for 3-8 week sessions. 
  • Spanish Honors Scholarship (award varies by term) - IAU offers a merit-based scholarship to eligible semester and summer students who have been accepted into the Spanish Honors Program in Barcelona or Madrid. Students applying for this scholarship must have a 3.5 GPA or higher. The IAU Scholarship Committee awards up to two $1,000 Spanish Honors Scholarships each fall and spring semester, and up to four $500 Spanish Honors Scholarships each summer for 3-8 week sessions.
  • John Rewald Art & Art History Scholarship (award varies by term) - IAU offers an endowed scholarship in honor of Mr. John Rewald, art historian and colleague of Leo Marchutz- namesake of the Marchutz Program of Fine Arts in Aix-en-Provence, France. Through the collaborative study of artist Paul Cezanne’s work in Aix and the surrounding region, Rewald and Marchutz sought to deepen understanding of Cezanne’s impact on the art world and preserve his memory in the city of Aix. This scholarship is awarded to students of art and art history who demonstrate consistent and profound study in the disciplines of art and art history. Students applying for this scholarship must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher.  The IAU Scholarship Committee awards one $1,000 John Rewald Art & Art History Scholarship each fall and spring semester, and up to two $500 John Rewald Art & Art History Scholarships each summer for 3-8 week sessions.
  • Judith L. Rice International Relations & Global Studies Scholarship (award varies by term) - IAU offers a merit-based scholarship to students majoring in political science, international relations or global studies. This scholarship is made possible by the generous support of Judith L. Rice, a University of Oregon alumna and IAU student in 1967-1968. The IAU Scholarship Committee awards up to two $1,500 Judith L. Rice International Relations & Global Studies Scholarships each fall and spring semester, up to six $500 Judith L. Rice International Relations & Global Studies Scholarships each summer for 3-8 week sessions, and one $500 Judith L. Rice International Relations & Global Studies Scholarship each January term/Maymester. 
  • Global STEM Scholarship - To support students studying the sciences, IAU offers one $1,500 STEM-focused scholarship each fall and spring semester and up to two $500 STEM-focused scholarships each summer for 3-8 week sessions. The Global STEM Scholarship is available to select students taking science courses at an IAU global campus. Students applying to this scholarship must have a 3.0 GPA or higher.
  • J-Term/Maymester Traveling Seminar Scholarship ($500) - The IAU Scholarship Committee awards up to five $500 January Term and Maymester Traveling Seminar Scholarships each year. 


Note: While IAU adheres to the quantity of awards given as described above, exceptions can be made on occasion and more awards can be offered than indicated, assuming that a high caliber of applications calls for such an adjustment.

Scholarship Application Deadlines & Recipient Guidelines

Scholarship Application Deadlines 
January Term: October 1
Spring Term: October 1
Summer and Maymester Term: April 1
Fall Term: May 1

Recipients will be notified within one month of the application deadline.

Students interested in applying for a scholarship must complete the online application and submit any other application requirements via the guidelines indicated. Students are welcome to apply for more than one scholarship (if eligible). Applications submitted after the application deadline will not be considered for scholarships.

Students applying who wish to be considered based on financial need must submit a copy of their Student Aid Report the guidelines indicated in the application form. 


Recipient Responsibilities

If awarded an IAU scholarship, recipients are expected to share their experience at IAU in one or more of the following ways:

• Post a minimum of two photos to IAU's Instagram profile, Twitter account, or Facebook page per week. IAU hashtags and tags must be used in the posts, as provided by IAU staff. Posts should reflect academic experiences and engagement with the local culture. Or, students may participate in a 24-hour IAU "Instagram takeover" once per month. Further instructions on posting to IAU's social media accounts will be provided by IAU staff.

• Share a video of your time at IAU at the end of the program. The video should highlight program activities, class activities, food, culture, and student experiences. The video must be submitted no longer than 1 month after the program end date and be YouTube compatible. Additional production criteria will be shared by IAU staff at the start of the assignment.

• Pursue and gather testimonial from the IAU community (students, professors, faculty, etc.) throughout the duration of your term abroad in the form of writing, videos or interviews, photos with testimonials as captions, or other ways that you think of and share with IAU. Specific examples and methods will be shared by IAU staff at the start of the assignment.

• Write an article about your time abroad with IAU by the end of the program (500-800 words in length). The article should highlight reflections, interactions, and experiences unique to their study abroad experience. Submitting photos and other student testimonials are strongly encouraged.

For more information on IAU scholarship and grant opportunities and the application process, please contact the Office of Admissions. 

Grants

Grants are awarded automatically based on the criteria listed below. Please note, students must check with their IAU Enrollment Advisor for grant eligibility.

Alumni Grants - IAU welcomes and encourages alumni to return to IAU, either to enroll in programs that drew them to IAU in the first place or to experience IAU through one of the many new offerings.
ProgramGrant Eligibility
3-credit Summer Program $250
6-credit Summer Program $500
January Term Travelling Seminar $250
Semester Program $1,000
Virtual Experiences Program $250

Legacy Grant - Legacy Grant is awarded to the children of alumni who wish to carry on the tradition of studying at IAU. Grants range from $250-$1,500 depending upon the duration of enrollment.

Herbert Maza Academic Year Grant IAU offers a $1,000 grant in honor of Dr. Herbert Maza, co-founder and first President of IAU, to qualified students who enroll for an academic year (two full semesters). The $1,000 grant will be applied against the student’s spring semester invoice. Depending on the billing arrangement IAU has with the student’s home institution, IAU will either credit the student’s spring semester invoice or provide the student with a check for $1,000 on-site. All students who spend a semester in Aix and maintain a 3.0 IAU GPA after their first semester will automatically qualify to receive the grant. Note: If an academic year student is also eligible for IAU scholarships, they may be eligible to renew their fall semester scholarship towards the spring semester in lieu of receiving the Herbert Maza Academic Year Grant.

Multi-Country Summer Grant - $1,250 grant, deducted from the Session C invoice, is provided to qualified students who enroll for both a Session B and Session C summer session at two of IAU's locations (for example: Aix-en-Provence and Barcelona; Tangier and Aix-en-Provence).

Gap Year Grant - IAU offers a $5,000 grant to qualified students who enroll independently at IAU (not through another university) for a gap year (two full consecutive semesters), whether that is between high school and college, between undergraduate and graduate programs, or simply between life and career changes. The $5,000 scholarship will be applied against the student’s spring semester invoice. All gap year students who spend a semester in Aix and maintain a 3.0 IAU GPA after their first semester will automatically qualify to receive the grant for their second semester.

January Term & Spring Semester Grant - Students who enroll in a January term and a spring semester consecutively are eligible to receive a $2,000 grant credited to their spring invoice. In order to be eligible to receive the grant, students must participate in the Early Start Program.


On-Site Professional Development Grant 

IAU is pleased to offer several on-site professional development opportunities each semester and summer term in Aix-en-Provence, France and Barcelona, Spain. Eligible students* will be asked to work closely with faculty, staff, and students to fulfill various assignments throughout their term including:

  • IT assistance for the IAU computer labs
  • Event preparations (orientation, receptions, lecture series)
  • Study tour and field studies support
  • Social media correspondent to the IAU U.S. Office
  • Clerical duties as needed by the on-site staff (copying, printing, filing)
Work time associated with assignments will amount to 10-12 hours per week, and each student should be prepared to answer to at least ONE last-minute request (none of which will be tasks of more than three hours in length). The Work-Study Grant helps to subsidize the cost of housing and the amount will depend on each term.

Interested applicants must complete the online application. Students can expect to receive notification of their application status prior to their arrival abroad.

*The on-site professional development opportunities are available to students at IAU's partner institutions where this initiative has been identified on the signed agreement. Students are encouraged to contact IAU if they have questions about their eligibility. 


Need-Based Grants

Through need-based funding, IAU aims to increase access to international education experiences. The opportunities below are available to students at IAU's partner institutions where this initiative has been identified on the signed agreement. Students are encouraged to contact IAU if they have questions about their eligibility. 

  • Pell Grant Plus Program – In an effort to encourage socioeconomic diversity in study abroad and expose more undergraduate students to international academic experiences, IAU will award a $3,000 grant to Federal Pell Grant recipients to be used for any of its on-site semester programs and a $650 grant to Federal Pell Grant recipients to be used for any of its on-site short-term programs (summer and January term). 
Please submit the following form to the Office of Admissions in order to confirm your eligibility in the Pell Grant Plus Program. Students must have full-time student status at IAU, partake in demi-pension housing, and be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program to be eligible. Kindly note that students would not be eligible for other IAU scholarships or grants by receiving the Pell Grant Plus. 

  • The Yamina Boudellal Travel Grant - In honor of Yamina Boudellal, for her forty-six years of untiring and devoted service to the students of the Institute for American Universities. Each semester/term for programs abroad, IAU will provide 3 travel grants of $750 each to students with financial need. 
To be considered for the Yamina Boudellal Travel Grant, students must submit supporting documentation to demonstrate their eligibility to the Office of Admissions. Supporting documentation can include but is not limited to the following: a copy of your federal student aid report, financial aid award form or award letter from your home university, and/or an explanatory essay advocating your financial need. Students must have full-time student status at IAU, partake in demi-pension housing, and be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program to be eligible. 


CONFIRM YOUR ELIGIBILITY 
To be considered for any of the on-site professional development or need-based grants, apply by the following deadlines:

January Term: October 1
Spring Term: October 1
Summer Term: April 1
Fall Term: May 1

Submissions after these dates can be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Foundation & Institutional Scholarships

The Ella Bandes Scholarship - IAU offers the Ella Bandes Scholarship for qualified Macalester students accepted to a semester or summer abroad with IAU's Marchutz School of Fine Arts. The scholarship, created in memory of Ella, a former Marchutz School of Fine Arts student, offers two semester scholarships and one summer scholarship for qualified Macalester students accepted full-time into the Marchutz School. The scholarship selection is administered by the Macalester's Department of Art and Art History. Two $5,000 scholarships will be awarded per academic year, as well as a $3,000 summer scholarship. All scholarships will be based on merit and financial need. Summer students must enroll in a minimum of six units to qualify.

The Meredith Hope Emerson French Honors Scholarship - IAU is proud to offer the Meredith Hope Emerson French Honors Scholarship for qualified University of Georgia students interested in a semester or summer abroad with IAU. Created in memory of Meredith, a former IAU French Honors student, this scholarship offers two half-tuition semester scholarships and one half-tuition summer scholarship for qualified UGA French students enrolled in IAU's French Studies Classes.

Pi Delta Phi, the National French Honors Society - In partnership with Pi Delta Phi, IAU is proud to offer one full tuition (6-credit) scholarship each summer to qualified students. The candidate is selected by Pi Delta Phi to participate in the IAU French Honors Program, a comprehensive immersion program for advanced French students.

The Allison Benson Memorial Scholarship - IAU is honored to offer this scholarship in memory of former IAU and Kansas State University student Allison Benson. The scholarship is intended for students wishing to study French at IAU and is in the amount of one full-tuition scholarship or two half-tuition scholarships per semester and/or six-week summer term in IAU's programs in Aix-en-Provence, France. Student(s) will be selected by Kansas State's Department of Modern Languages. Students selected for the Allison Benson Memorial Scholarship are ineligible for IAU's merit, diversity, and need-based scholarships.

Third-party Scholarships

IAU strongly encourages students to apply for Third-Party Scholarships in addition to IAU scholarships.

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