Paris and Rome on a shoestring
Genie Lomize thought a semester studying abroad was out of the question. The University of Michigan junior was paying her tuition by working two jobs--as a house-painting supervisor and a law assistant--and there wasn't much discretionary income left over. But Lomize was able to cobble together enough scholarship money to spend last fall in Warsaw. "I even did some souvenir shopping on the side," says Lomize, who also snagged a paid summer internship in Krakow.
More American students than ever before are hitting the road to study at higher educational institutions abroad. Many go to perfect a foreign language or to gain new perspective on their major. And there's plenty of scholarship money to help intrepid students. In 2000, for example, Congress created the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a merit scholarship for overseas study for Pell Grant students. And many international schools now offer shorter, cheaper stints overseas. "There's never been a better time to study abroad on a budget," says Peggy Blumenthal, education services vice president for the Institute of International Education.
Students should start planning their trip at least a year ahead of time. Countries like the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy still attract the most American students, but cheaper hubs like China, the Czech Republic, and Costa Rica are rising in popularity. The American Institute for Foreign Study, for example, offers a program in the U.K. for $12,495, while its Czech program is $8,995. Many programs include room and board, but students who stay with a host family can save big bucks. (U.K. trips of this sort start at $5,870.) Some costs like vaccinations and special medical insurance may up the tab a notch, but often the low general cost of living balances the scales. "I was paying a dollar a day for lunch," says Amrit Dhir, an Emory University sophomore who spent a summer in St. Petersburg, Russia. To find programs, visit the Web site of IIEPassport (www.iiepassport.org).
Helping hands. Many colleges boast study-abroad offices, which can help students find funding. Some schools allow students to transfer their financial aid to domestic universities hosting programs abroad, while others organize their own programs. The University of Minnesota has a comprehensive scholarship directory (www.umabroad.umn.edu/ financial/scholarships) that lists travel grants sponsored by groups such as the Japan-America Foundation and the Rotary Club.
Applying for these scholarships can feel like a full-time job, Lomize says. She netted $1,500 from the University of Michigan's Center for Russian and East European Studies, $1,500 from the school's study-abroad office, and $5,400 from the David L. Boren Scholarship, a government program for students interested in national security. (Lomize had to agree to work for a federal government agency or in higher education for a few months after graduation.) And the company overseeing the Warsaw program pitched in with a $1,200 tuition waiver.
Of course, slicing time spent overseas also keeps the price in check. A four-week performing arts summer program at Accademia dell'Arte in Tuscany costs $5,400, while a full semester is $13,400. "You can still have a wonderful experience even in a short time frame," says Diane Ferris, director of International Education at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Fla. -Angie C. Marek
This story appears in the April 19, 2004 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.
advertisement
