Slavic and Eurasian Studies | College of Liberal Arts
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Funding

Funding for education abroad mainly depends on the type of program you choose. There are numerous scholarships, grants, and fellowships to help make your study abroad trip more affordable:

Departmental Funding Opportunities

FLAS (Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowships)

FLAS provides academic year and summer fellowships to institutions of higher education to assist meritorious undergraduate and graduate students of foreign languages and related area or international studies. 

The Center for Russian, East European and Eurasian Studies is seeking applicants for Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships. The FLAS Fellowships will fund highly competitive graduate and undergraduate students for the study of regional foreign languages, including (but not limited to): 

Russian, Polish, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Czech, Slovak, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian, Georgian, Azeri, Uzbek, Kazakh, etc.

FLAS awards may be available for both academic year and summer studies.

Polish Studies Endowment Scholarship

The Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies is offering competitive scholarships ($500–2,000) to be used for the study of Polish language and/or culture in Poland. These funds must be used to cover travel, housing, tuition or other related research costs while in Poland for:

  • Studying Polish language or culture (for summer programs must be at least 4 weeks long), OR
  • Conducting research abroad if already proficient in Polish (can be enrolled in ISR if doing research during a long semester).

Czech Studies Summer Scholarship

The Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies is offering competitive scholarships of up to $5,000 to be used for the study of Czech language over the summer.  These funds must be used to cover travel, housing, tuition or other related costs for studying Czech language study (summer programs must be at least 3 weeks).  

Eligibility Requirements

  • undergraduate or graduate status in any discipline at UT-Austin and in good academic standing;

  • may NOT be combined with other significant grant/scholarship funds (i.e. can not also be a FLAS recipient);
  • recipient must agree to write a short article to be published in area newsletters and online describing their study abroad experience in the Czech Republic.
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UT Study Abroad Office/OSFS Funding  Opportunities

This type of funding is administered by Texas Global (UT's International Office) and the UT Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA). This includes grants, scholarships, and loans. Most of the financial aid (loans, grants, and scholarships) that students receive at UT can be used for study abroad. Financial aid awards are recalculated based on each student's individual need and study abroad costs. The amount and type of funds is based on each student's individual eligibility amount as determined by OSFA. Many students receive additional aid for study abroad. Summer aid is generally in the form of loans, many of which require a co-signer.

Approximately 50% of students studying abroad through UT Austin use some type of financial aid (loans, grants or scholarships) to fund their program. In most cases, funding does not come from one source (one comprehensive scholarship), but rather from various sources (loans, partial scholarships, grants, personal savings, etc.). No single scholarship or grant exists to cover the full cost of study abroad.

All students should complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for financial aid. It is common for students who don’t qualify for financial aid to study in Austin, to receive aid for a study abroad program. Some types of aid are available regardless of need (such as unsubsidized Stafford and PLUS loans), but the student must file a FAFSA in order to receive them.

The following scholarships are sponsored by UT departments, colleges or individuals associated with The University and are specific to students seeking to study or conduct research abroad. This information is provided primarily to assist undergraduate students, however, some of the scholarships are open to graduate students as well.

 

National Funding Opportunities

Boren Awards for International Study

Boren Scholarships and Fellowships provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Eurasia. Boren Scholarships and Fellowships are awarded with preference for countries, languages, and fields of study critical to U.S. national security. Preference is also given to students who will study abroad for longer periods of time, and who are highly motivated by the opportunity to work in the federal government. 

Scholarships

Boren Scholarships provide American undergraduate students with the resources and encouragement they need to acquire skills and experiences in areas of the world critical to the future security of our nation, in exchange for their commitment to seek work in the federal government. 

Maximum scholarship awards are:

  • $8,000 for a summer program (special initiative for STEM students only; 8 weeks minimum)
  • $10,000 for a semester
  • $20,000 for a full academic year 

Fellowships

Boren Fellowships provide U.S. graduate students the opportunity to add an important international and language component to their graduate education through specialization in area study, language study, or increased language proficiency. In exchange for fellowship funding, all Boren Fellows must agree to the NSEP Service Requirement.

Boren Fellowships provide up to $24,000 for overseas study. In addition, Boren Fellowships can provide limited funding for domestic language study that will supplement the overseas component. The maximum award for a combined overseas and domestic program is $30,000. Boren Fellowship awards are made for a minimum of 12 weeks and maximum of 24 months.

Gilman Scholarships

Gilman Scholarships offer grants for US citizen undergraduates to pursue academic studies abroad. Students currently receiving federal Pell Grant funding at 2-year and 4-year colleges or universities are eligible to apply. *Please note the deadline to submit an application for Summer and Fall/Academic Year to study abroad/intern is typically in early March.

Over 2,300 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need with the average award being approximately $4,000.

Students who apply for and receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad are then eligible to receive a Critical Need Language Award from the Gilman Scholarship Program of $8,000. Applicants who are studying a critical need language while abroad in a country in which the language is predominantly spoken will automatically be considered for the Critical Need Language Award.

Fulbright U.S. Student Program

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program provides grants for individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs. A candidate will submit a Statement of Grant Purpose defining activities to take place during one academic year in a participating country outside the U.S. During their grants, Fulbrighters will meet, work, live with and learn from the people of the host country, sharing daily experiences. The program facilitates cultural exchange through direct interaction on an individual basis in the classroom, field, home, and in routine tasks, allowing the grantee to gain an appreciation of others’ viewpoints and beliefs, the way they do things, and the way they think. Through engagement in the community, the individual will interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.

Europe & Eurasia Program Information

Applicants, including graduating seniors, are encouraged to consider study/research opportunities in countries that traditionally do not attract large numbers of applicants: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, the Slovak Republic or Slovenia.

English Teaching Assistant Programs are available to:
Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia/ Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Kosovo, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Spain, and Turkey.

Multi-country proposals (2 or 3 countries):
Will be considered only for the countries listed below. Multi-country ETA projects will not be considered, nor will they be considered for Western Europe.

  • Albania
  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bulgaria
  • Croatia
  • Czech Republic
  • Estonia
  • Georgia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Macedonia
  • Moldova
  • Poland
  • Romania
  • Slovenia

Multi-country grants require a strong rationale;  approval from each Commission/Post involved; affiliations in all countries; and, a minimum of 3 consecutive months in each country.   

Study/Research Grants are not available to:
Belarus and Liechtenstein

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International Education Fee Scholarship (IEFS)

Awards range from $1000–$1500. The competition is based on need and merit with more emphasis on need. The application consists of a basic online application, a listing of your honors and awards, a bit of information about your finances and the program you have selected, as well as a one-page essay. 

  • Fall Deadline: March 1
  • Spring Deadline: October 1
  • Summer Deadline: February 15

Liberal Arts Council (LAC) Education Abroad Scholarship

  • Every student in the College of Liberal Arts should apply
  • Deadline: mid October and early March
  • Amount: At least $500—usually 4–7 scholarships in varying amounts from $500–$1500 are given.

Dr. Ivy McQuiddy Scholarship

  • Every student going for the full academic year to non traditional locations is eligible.
  • Recipients are chosen internally and awarded in the spring for the following academic year.
  • Amount: $1000 (one award given)
  • No application required
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Affiliated Funding Opportunities

American Institute for Foreign Studies (AIFS)

Specifically for UT students. Automatic Gilman match of $500. An additional match is available to UT students who are Pell recipients and apply to the Gilman Scholarship by Gilman deadlines. Minimum award is $1,000. Includes summer and long semesters (Fall and Spring)! Scholarships are for students going on UT-approved AIFS programs. Award amounts and number of awards vary by semester.

CIEE

Global Access Initiative (GAIN) scholarship is need-based; awards are distributed in the form of an airline ticket up to $1500. Application required by CIEE deadlines: April 1, Nov 1.

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Miscellaneous Funding Opportunities

The Foundation for Global Scholars

Each year FGS awards over 200 scholarships to US citizens studying abroad. Awarded scholarships are between $1,000 and $2,500. Award amounts vary. Most awards are $1,000.

The Regional Foundation Library

The Regional Foundation Library is a resource open to all U.T. Students who are looking for a wide range of funding sources for special projects. All study abroad programs are considered special projects. In order to focus your search you need to develop and articulate the professional and academic goals you hope to achieve on your study abroad program. The Regional Foundation Library has access to many thousands of granting institutions, foundations, and other philanthropies.

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