University at Buffalo (UB)
Hello, and welcome to another video from the University at Buffalo Office of Fellowships and Scholarships. Today we will talk about funding global opportunities to study, research or teach abroad. Some of the awards discussed in this video overlap with those in the major external fellowships section of our Fellowships and Scholarships 101 series. Also, you can learn more about any of the following awards by searching in the Find Funding [page] of our website.
First of all, there is internal funding for study abroad, which means that the money is coming directly from UB. The UB Office of Study Abroad offers many scholarships. Some are open to most UB students, while others are tied to a specific academic area or location. UB also offers departmental scholarships. Asian Studies scholarships are based on location and open to students of any major. Other departments with scholarships for international experiences include the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Management, history, sociology, electrical engineering, and interdisciplinary programs. Students in the Honors College can apply for the International Study Scholarship. One strategy for funding your international experience is to layer scholarships by applying to as many study abroad, departmental, and external awards as you are eligible for. Note: Application deadlines vary for these awards.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship provides funding for Pell Grant recipients to study or intern abroad on a program which must be at least three weeks long. The goal of the Gilman scholarship is to diversify study abroad and underrepresented students are encouraged to apply. There are deadlines in October and March. Reach out to the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships to learn more and apply early. Note: This award is for U.S. citizens or permanent residents only.
Some grants are specifically for language study. They promote undergraduate and graduate students learning critical languages important to U.S. national security. The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) is a seven- to 10-week summer program for intense language study. Some languages offered, such as Chinese, Japanese, Arabic or Russian, require prior study, while others, such as Hindi, Indonesian and Swahili do not. David L. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide funding for a study abroad program with a language component that lasts up to an academic year. Most languages for the Boren don’t require prior study. Recipients commit to one year of working for the federal government (in any area) within three years of finishing the program. Note: These awards are for U.S. citizens only.
The goal of Fulbright student grants is to increase mutual understanding between people of the U.S. and people of other countries through mutual exchange. English Teaching Assistantships (ETAs) are nine to 12 months long. Grantees can pursue graduate study or conduct independent research for one academic year. There are also arts grants in the fields of visual art, music, and theater, and there are more than 100 countries to choose from. The Fulbright campus deadline is the last week of August after which applicants will participate in a campus interview and revise their applications before the national deadline in October. Finally, the U.S./U.K. Summer Fulbright Institutes are three to four-week programs for freshmen and sophomores, with deadlines in February. The UB Office of Fellowships and Scholarships offers spring and summer development programs for students interested in applying for Fulbright. [Visit our Attend a Workshop] page for more information.
This picture shows an overhead view of Riga, Latvia taken by 2017-18 Fulbright English teaching assistant Lisa Gagnon.
The foreign service awards are for students committed to a career in the foreign service. Members of minoritized groups historically underrepresented in the foreign service are especially encouraged to apply. These programs provide funding for a two-year master’s program in international affairs or a related subject and include summer internships. The three major foreign service programs are the Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program, the USAID Donald M. Payne International Development Graduate Fellowship Program, and the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Program. The Rangel Summer Enrichment Program is a six-week summer program at Howard University for undergraduate students with at least sophomore status. Be aware that many students apply for more than one of these awards. Note: These awards are for U.S. citizens or permanent residents only.
There are several awards that fund a graduate degree at different universities in the United Kingdom (UK) or Ireland. The Rhodes Scholarship provides funding to Oxford, the Marshall Scholarship is to the UK and Ireland, the George J. Mitchell Scholarship is for study in Ireland, and the Gates Cambridge Scholarships fund programs at Cambridge University. You can apply for a UK award as an undergraduate senior or recent alum. These awards are extremely competitive. Applicants usually have a 3.9 GPA or above and show significant leadership capacity and community service in any field. Successful applicants have typically received other competitive awards such as the Goldwater, Truman or Udall. Finally, applicants must have a strong justification for going to the country.
International scholarship recipients often have once-in-a-lifetime experiences. 2016 Marshall Scholar Sean Kaczmarek (in the blue tie) met the Queen of England during his time in the UK.
There are also awards specifically study in Asia. The Schwarzman Scholarship to China provides funding for a one-year master’s degree at Tsinghua University in global affairs, focusing on public policy, economics and business, or international studies. Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) support undergraduates who demonstrate financial need, have a GPA of 2.8 or higher, and want to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. Finally, Confucius Institute Scholarships [no longer available] fund short-term and long-term programs for undergraduate and graduate students supporting the study of Chinese language and culture. Their on-campus office is located at UB Commons Suite 113.
Finally, some awards are open to both U.S. citizens and also international students! You can find a list of awards with no citizenship requirement [on our website]. In this presentation, some of the UK awards, the Schwarzman Scholarship, and Confucius Institute scholarships are open to non-U.S. citizens. The Fulbright program also provides funding for study in the U.S., but keep in mind that it often requires students to be living in their home country at the time of application. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers grants and scholarships for undergraduates through faculty members to study or conduct research in Germany. The Humanity in Action Fellowship includes four to five week summer programs in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Berlin, Copenhagen, Sarajevo or Warsaw to study minority rights and how and why individuals and societies have resisted intolerance and protected democratic values.
Whenever you are applying to international awards, be sure to include why you have chosen this specific country in which to study, how the time abroad will impact your academic and professional goals, thoughtful personal narratives demonstrating qualities such as flexibility and open-mindedness, any challenges you faced in your decision to study abroad and how you bring diversity to study abroad (if at all), and all required components for the application. This might include transcripts, recommendation letters, and personal statement or other essays.
Now that we have talked a little bit about funding for graduate school, here is how you can connect with the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships for more information and support during your scholarship journey. Connect with us via phone at 716-645-9100 or via email at fellowships@buffalo.edu. Our on-campus office is located in 24 Capen Hall. Let’s get social! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter @UBFellowships, LinkedIn or YouTube. Or, find us on the web. You can also make an appointment with one of our advisors on our website. On the bottom of this slide, you can see Office of Fellowships and Scholarships Director Elizabeth Colucci, who works with students on general graduate awards and STEM awards. Assistant Director Megan Stewart works with students on general undergraduate awards and international study awards.
Thank you for watching this video.