May is best known as the month of Mother’s Day, lilacs and the start of barbecue season. But it also comes with another celebration, which lasts all month long: Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month.
In honor of the observance, we’re taking a look at scholarships for U.S. students who want to study in Asia. These aspiring travelers have a number of financial assistance options — from general scholarship programs to those targeting specific countries, including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan.
Students at two- and four-year schools who are recipients of federal Pell Grants may be eligible for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. This program, funded through the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000, is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State. The goal of the ECA is to foster mutual understanding between the people of the U.S. and those of other countries.
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The Gilman scholarship provides more than 2,700 students the opportunity to study abroad, with up to $5,000 in scholarship assistance. For students who are studying a critical need language, the total scholarship can increase up to $8,000.
If you’re interested in a career in national security, consider applying for a Boren Scholarship. The program is funded by the National Security Education Program, which focuses on geographic areas, languages and fields of study that are critical to U.S. national security. Boren scholarships provide up to a very generous $20,000 to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including Asia.
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Student recipients come from a variety of academic backgrounds, but have a common interest: studying world languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian and Swahili. Applicants must share how their study abroad program and academic and career goals will contribute to U.S. national security. There is a catch to this scholarship: Recipients must commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.
The application for the 2016-2017 academic year will open in late August.
For students interested specifically in studying in Japan, the Bridging Project offers scholarships to U.S. undergrads. Funding for this program comes from private foundations and major U.S. corporations, through donations to the nonprofit U.S.-Japan Bridging Foundation. Approximately 100 students per year receive between $2,500 for a semester and $4,000 for a full year to cover travel and living expenses. Applications are accepted twice per year.
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The Foundation for Global Scholars offers scholarships of up to $2,000. While anyone who meets basic eligibility requirements may apply and receive funding, the foundation commits 60 percent of its funds to students underrepresented in study abroad programs: specifically, students with financial need, ethnically diverse students, U.S. military veterans, first-generation college students and students studying at Colorado institutions.
Recipients must be planning to spend a minimum of 28 days in their host country. Applications are accepted three times each year, with the fall 2015 application cycle opening June 4.
Finally, the Blakemore Foundation, through the Blakemore Freeman Fellowships program, offers grants to cover a full academic year of advanced study of Chinese, Japanese, Korean and selected Southeast Asian languages. Applicants must have already completed a bachelor’s degree and have completed a minimum of three years of study of the language at the college level.
The foundation encourages candidates pursuing careers in fields such as science, technology, engineering and math, international business, accounting, law, medicine, journalism, architecture, teaching, social or NGO work, government service and academia to apply. Applications for 2016 grants will be available in August 2015.
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Head Abroad to Asia with Scholarships for U.S. Students originally appeared on usnews.com
