Studying abroad doesn't have to be expensive.
The Office of Study Abroad can help you make studying abroad a feasible reality. With research and careful planning, an international experience doesn't have to be a financial burden. Important factors to consider when planning your experience are program type, location, term abroad, and the local cost of living.
In addition to choosing an appropriate program, ODU students have access to a number of financial resources to help fund their study abroad experience.
Your ODU financial aid (except work study) can be used on any approved study abroad program. This could include grants, scholarships, loans, and other forms of aid. In order to use financial aid, you will work closely with both the Office of Study Abroad and the Office of Financial Aid to determine your eligibility.
You should first attend a study abroad information session to learn more about accessing your financial aid for study abroad.
Last year, ODU awarded over $100,000 in scholarships to students studying abroad. The scholarships below are administered by the Office of Study Abroad.
Eligible students must be enrolled full-time and have at least a 2.5 GPA. Additional eligibility requirements may be set for each scholarship. Eligibility for all scholarships will be confirmed by the Office of Financial Aid.
Deans' Education Abroad Awards are provided by each ODU College and the Office of Study Abroad to academically deserving students accepted for a study abroad program. Awards range from $250 for short-term programs to $1,000 for semester-length programs. Eligible participants in faculty-led programs are automatically qualified for a Dean's Education Abroad Award and will not have to submit a separate application.
This endowed scholarship provides up to $2,200 awarded annually to a student studying abroad on a semester or yearlong program. Priority is given to a student with financial needs who has been accepted for study in a developing country.
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded to an outstanding student in the Strome College of Business who is studying abroad for a semester or year.
All declared foreign language majors with at least a 2.5 GPA are guaranteed a scholarship award of $1,500 to support their participation in an approved study abroad program. This one-time award can be used for a semester, year, or summer program.
This endowed scholarship provides $1000 awarded annually to a student studying abroad on a semester or yearlong program. Priority is given to an undergraduate student who is Pell-eligible and a resident or Norfolk or Hampton Roads.
A $3,000 scholarship is awarded to an outstanding Psychology major who is studying abroad at an exchange partner university in the United Kingdom for a semester or year.
This scholarship provides 1 -3 awards of $2000 to $3000 annually to outstanding full-time undergraduates or graduate students who are studying abroad on an ODU faculty-led program.
This scholarship provides 1 -3 awards of $3000 to $4000 annually to outstanding full-time undergraduates or graduate students who are studying abroad on an ODU faculty-led program. The student must be a declared business major in the Strome College of Business.
Eligible students must be enrolled full-time and have at least a 2.5 GPA. Additional eligibility requirements may be set for each scholarship. Eligibility for all scholarships will be confirmed by the Office of Financial Aid.
Students may also find the following search engines helpful for locating outside funding:
Paid or Low-Cost Opportunities
Besides studying or conducting research abroad, there are a number of opportunities for interested students to get international experience. The opportunities listed below are either paid or are offered at no cost to participants. These programs may be of specific interest to study abroad alumni who are looking for more experience abroad.
Critical Language Scholarship Program
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program offers fully-funded summer language institutes for U.S. university students at all levels and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. In 2013, approximately 600 scholarships were awarded for thirteen languages, including Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, and Urdu.
Though not required, applicants are encouraged to work with Sharon Pitney (spitney@odu.edu, 757-683-4419) in the Center for Global Engagement to complete their applications.
English Language & Culture Assistants in Spain
The Language and Culture Assistants Program is managed by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport, and the Education Office of the Embassies of Spain in the U.S.A. and Canada. The program places recent college graduates in elementary, middle, and high schools throughout Spain to support English teachers. Assistants are paid a small monthly stipend.
IAESTE International Internship Program
IAESTE's Placement Program matches students in technical fields from U.S. universities with paid internships abroad. Internships are available in private companies, research laboratories, universities, and other academic institutions. Technical fields include but are not limited to: engineering, physical sciences, natural sciences, architecture, computer science, and agriculture. Most of the positions are 8-12 weeks in the summer, but fall and long-term internships are also available. For more information, contact Dr. Vukica Jovanovic in the College of Engineering (v2jovano@odu.edu, 757-683-3769).
Peace Corps
Peace Corps Volunteers improve the lives of people in communities around the world, inform the global perspectives of Americans, and turn a life-defining experience into a lifetime of opportunity. As a Peace Corps Volunteer, you will serve abroad for two years plus training, working directly with communities to build capacity in education, health, youth in development, environment, community economic development, and agriculture.
Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK)
Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK) is a unique opportunity for undergraduates and recent graduates who are seeking personal, professional, and educational experience in South Korea. The program is designed to support public English education in rural areas of Korea, where access to higher-quality educational resources is limited. Most participants will spend a year teaching after-school English classes to elementary-aged students at their assigned school. All living costs, plus the cost of a plane ticket, are covered for the duration of the program.
A similar program, English Program in Korea (EPIK), is available to participants who already have an undergraduate degree and are interested in a more structured classroom teaching experience.
ODU students interested in applying for either program should work with Dr. Lea Lee in the College of Education (lxlee@odu.edu, 757-683-4801).