UMD Education Abroad Scholarship
We are here to help you make study abroad an affordable option.
The Education Abroad office awards over half a million dollars in scholarships each academic year to degree-seeking undergraduate students participating in learning abroad opportunities. The Education Abroad Scholarship Fund is made up of several scholarships that each have their own eligibility requirements and award amounts. However, students are only required to submit one brief application through Scholarship Universe in order to be considered for all scholarships they are eligible for.
Students who have received scholarships from Education Abroad in the past may apply again, however, preference may be given to first-time study abroad students. While scholarships can greatly reduce the overall cost of attendance of studying abroad, students should not rely solely on scholarships to fund their study abroad experience. At this time, Education Abroad does not have funding available for graduate or visiting students.
Education Abroad is here to help you plan a global learning experience that best fits your academic and professional goals, as well as your budget. If you have any questions about scholarships and funding study abroad, feel free to make an appointment with the Global Learning Advisor who works with your primary major's school or college.
Scholarship applications are currently open for Winter, Spring, and Spring Break 2027 programs only.
How to apply:
The Education Abroad Scholarship Application can be found on the Scholarship Universe platform. Further information about the platform can be found on the Office of Student Financial Aid webpage.
- Start an application for a study abroad program in MyEA. Please note that you must have an open application in MyEA to be considered for an Education Abroad scholarship.
- Click on the form titled "Apply for Education Abroad Scholarships in Scholarship Universe"
- If you have not already, log into Scholarship Universe to set up your scholarship account and answer matching questions.
- Submit your scholarship application before your program application deadline or by the stated deadline, whichever is first. Please see the table below for information about deadlines and rolling scholarship decisions.
You will be considered for all Education Abroad scholarships you are eligible for based on your responses in the form, your academic record, your financial aid status, and your study abroad program information. Applying to this scholarship has no bearing on your study abroad program application. Submitting a scholarship application form does not guarantee that an award will be granted.
Summer 2026, Fall 2026, & Academic Year 2026-2027
Term |
Application Deadline |
Notification Date |
|---|---|---|
Summer 2026 |
February 23, 2026* *If your program application deadline is earlier than the deadline above, your scholarship application is due with your application. |
March 3, 2026 |
Fall 2026 & Academic year 2026-2027 |
March 10, 2026* *If your program application deadline is earlier than the deadline above, your scholarship application is due with your application. |
March 25, 2026 |
Winter, Spring, & Spring Break 2027
Scholarship applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and decisions will be given according to the following timelines. If you would like to be notified of your scholarship award prior to your commitment deadline, you will need to submit your scholarship application by your program application deadline. The final date to apply for EA scholarships is September 30, 2026.
Application Submitted Between |
Scholarship Notification Date (via MyEA) |
|---|---|
April 1 - August 16, 2026 |
August 26, 2026 |
April 17 - September 1, 2026 |
September 11, 2026 |
September 2 - September 15, 2026 |
September 25, 2026 |
September 16 - September 30, 2026 |
October 12, 2026 |
Please note: not all scholarships will be active for all application cycles. You will be considered for all available scholarships you are eligible for once your scholarship application is submitted.
Details on each of the scholarships within the UMD Education Abroad Scholarship are listed below.
Education Abroad Departmental Scholarship
This general scholarship is funded and awarded by the Education Abroad Office. EA awards typically range from $500 - $2,500 and are awarded largely on financial need. Preference is given to students who plan to attend their first study abroad experience. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- have a completed FAFSA on file for the current academic year
- be in good academic standing
First Abroad Scholarship
The First Abroad Scholarship supports first-generation students planning for a study abroad experience. It is a one-time scholarship of $500 used to fund participation in a UMD-approved study abroad program. Students are only eligible to receive the First Abroad Scholarship on their first study abroad experience. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- have a completed FAFSA on file
- be a first generation student per your admissions data (this cannot be self-reported)
- have never studied abroad before
Exchange Waiver
If you are accepted to an Exchange program, you will automatically be considered for a $1,000 waiver. To receive this waiver, you must:
- commit to a UMD, BMGT, or ENGR Exchange program
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student (graduate students are not eligible for this award)
- not currently receive tuition scholarship/benefits (i.e. Banneker Key, tuition remission, Fredrick Douglass, Terrapin Commitment, TAES, etc.)
If you have a completed FAFSA on file and wish to be considered for need based aid in addition to the exchange waiver, you must complete the EA Scholarship form.
Education Abroad Gilman Guarantee Program
The Gilman Guarantee program is funded and administered by UMD Education Abroad. Awards will only be made to students who commit and participate on an approved Education Abroad program. Federal Pell Grant recipients who study abroad can receive a guaranteed $500 scholarship when they apply for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship and meet the below criteria:
- Work with the National Scholarship Office (NSO) to have your Gilman application reviewed at least two days before the Gilman Scholarship deadline. You can meet with NSO staff by appointment or at one of the Gilman Writing Workshops hosted by Education Abroad.
- Submit a complete Gilman application by the stated deadline. Note: students must currently receive a federal Pell Grant to be eligible to apply to the Gilman scholarship.
- Apply to the Education Abroad Scholarship via Scholarship Universe before February 17, 2026 for summer programs and March 3, 2026 for fall and full year programs.
Any eligible student who submits a completed Gilman application and does NOT receive a Gilman award will receive an additional $2,000 in guaranteed funding from Education Abroad for a total commitment of $2,500. Students who do receive a Gilman award will retain the $500 EA scholarship, but will not receive additional funds from EA.
Students are only eligible to receive the Gilman Guarantee scholarship once. If a student decides to study abroad again, they can re-apply for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, but they would not receive guaranteed funding from Education Abroad.
Please note that the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is funded by the US Department of State and is not awarded by Education Abroad.
Event |
Date |
Time |
Location |
Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Gilman Writing Workshop |
TBA |
TBA |
H.J. Patterson Hall Global Crossroads Atrium |
TBA |
Gilman Writing Workshop |
TBA |
TBA |
H.J. Patterson Hall Global Crossroads Atrium |
TBA |
Donor Award Scholarships
Education Abroad is also able to provide scholarships through the support of generous donors, who have donated funds to the University to support students who study abroad. These awards are managed by the Education Abroad office, please do not reach out directly to the donor families for consideration. There is no separate application for these scholarships - please complete the standard Education Abroad Scholarship Application in Scholarship Universe to be considered.
This scholarship is awarded through the generous support of the Mather Family. The Mather Family has designated these funds to support students traveling outside North America for the first time who also have financial need. You may be awarded up to $1,500 for winter, spring break, and summer term programs, up to $2,000 for semester programs, and up to $4,000 for year programs (disbursed evenly among the two semesters). To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- be traveling outside North America for the first time
- have a completed FAFSA on file
Recipients will be asked to submit thank you letters prior to receiving the award.
This scholarship is awarded through the generous support of the Kuriyama family. You may be awarded up to $1,000 if you are attending a program in Japan. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- attend a program located in Japan
- have a completed FAFSA on file
- preference for EDUC majors
Recipients will be asked to submit thank you letters prior to receiving the award and upon return from their abroad experience.
This scholarship is awarded through the generous support of the David Family. You may be awarded up to $1,500 for winter, spring break, and summer term programs, up to $2,000 for semester programs, and up to $4,000 for year programs (disbursed evenly among the two semesters). To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- 3.5+ GPA
- have a completed FAFSA on file
Recipients will be asked to submit thank you letters prior to receiving the award.
This scholarship is awarded through the generous support of the Dalwadi-Modi Family. You may be awarded up to $1,000 for your Education Abroad program. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- have in-state residency status
- have a completed FAFSA on file with demonstrated financial need
Recipients will be asked to submit thank you letters prior to receiving the award.
This scholarship is awarded through the generous support of a donor. You may be awarded up to $2,500 if you attend a program located in Barcelona, Spain during the Fall or Spring terms. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- have junior or senior class standing
- have a completed FAFSA on file with demonstrated financial need
- attend a semester-long program in Barcelona, Spain
Recipients will be asked to submit thank you letters prior to receiving the award and upon completion of their study abroad experience. This award may not be available for all terms.
UMD Department Scholarships
Select UMD Departments fund additional scholarships to support their students on study abroad programs. Education Abroad administers these scholarships on behalf of the department.
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- have an ARHU primary or secondary major
- have a 3.5+ GPA (for merit award)
- have a 2.6+ GPA (for need-based award)
- have a completed FAFSA on file
Note: This scholarship is not available for Spring Break programs.
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- have a BSOS primary or secondary major
- have a 3.0+ GPA (for merit-based award)
- have a completed FAFSA on file
Note: This scholarship is not available for Spring Break programs.
Maryland-in & Maryland-led Scholarships
Select Maryland-in and Maryland-led programs offer scholarship opportunities for students who meet eligibility requirements.
This scholarship is awarded through the generous support of the College of Arts & Humanities. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- be participating in the Arts & Humanities-in-London program
- be an ARHU major
- in-State Maryland residency
- have a completed FAFSA on file
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- be participating in the Maryland-in-Copenhagen program
- have a completed FAFSA on file
These scholarships award up to $1,000 for students participating in the Maryland-in-Nice program. Funding for this scholarship is provided by the Department of French and Italian. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- be participating in the Maryland-in-Nice program
- preference given to in-state residents
- preference given to students who have not previously studied abroad
Following acceptance to the Maryland-in-Nice program, representatives from the French department will interview students who wish to be considered for a scholarship from the department. Students will be contacted by the undergraduate advisor following the acceptance deadline to schedule an interview and provide a professor recommendation. Any awarded scholarship funds will be processed directly to the student's account.
Scholarship recipients are encouraged to give back to the program in the form of supporting future Maryland-in-Nice participants, whether it is serving as a social media ambassador, completing a Terps Abroad profile, creating a short video blurb about your experiences, or volunteering for Maryland-in-Nice outreach events once you’ve returned.
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- be participating in the Maryland-in-Stockholm program
- have a completed FAFSA on file
This scholarship is awarded through the generous support of the Classic’s Department.
Both need and merit awards are available for students applying to the Italy Classics winter programs. Preference will be given to Classics majors.
To be eligible for the need-based award, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- have a completed FAFSA on file
- complete an application for the Italy Classics winter program
To be eligible for a merit-based award, you must:
- be a current degree-seeking undergraduate UMD student
- complete an application for the Italy Classics winter program
- have a 3.5 GPA or higher
Understanding Your Award
What to expect if you have been awarded any of the above scholarships for your study abroad experience.
Your Education Abroad scholarship may be used to help offset program-related costs that are charged to your student billing account, such as the program fee and UMD arranged housing. Scholarships are not meant to cover pre-departure costs such as the EA fee, flights, or passport/visa fees. You should be prepared to pay for these out-of-pocket expenses without the aid of scholarships. If your program requires you to pay the university or program provider directly, your program fees may be due before UMD aid is disbursed for that term.
Scholarships from Education Abroad will be disbursed directly to your student billing account prior to your term abroad, and before your program fee bill is due. Generally, scholarships will be disbursed around the following times, depending on your term abroad:
- Summer programs- mid May
- Fall programs - mid July
- Winter programs - mid December
- Spring/Spring Break programs- mid December
Scholarship funds will credit towards any outstanding balance on your student account and any excess funds will be refunded to you via Student Financial Services and Cashiering. Scholarships cannot be disbursed early.
Program Changes
- If you change your study abroad program after receiving an award, your scholarship amount may be adjusted.
Program Commitment & Withdrawal
- If you withdraw from your program after committing, your scholarship will be rescinded.
Academic Eligibility Abroad
- If you are on a semester-long program, you must remain enrolled in at least 12 credits to remain a full time student and pass at least 75% of your courses abroad. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the loss of your scholarship.
Non-Deferrable Award
- Scholarships cannot be deferred to a future term. However, you are able to re-apply for Education Abroad scholarships during a future term.
All scholarship recipients must submit a brief thank you note through their Scholarship Universe account. Awards will not be disbursed until the thank you note has been received and approved. Some scholarships also require a second thank you note after you have returned from your program. If you are required to write multiple thank you notes, you will be notified prior to your award disbursing.