Costs
For each program type, there are specific cost considerations that may be very important in your study abroad planning. Please read the information provided at each of the below links very carefully, and do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of International & Off-Campus Education should you have any questions.
Semester with Lafayette Faculty-Led Programs
For detailed cost information, please visit this page.
Semester Affiliated Programs
For detailed cost information, please visit this page.
Interim Programs
For detailed cost information, please visit this page.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Semester & Academic Year
For study abroad for a semester or academic year, any financial aid that a student receives for studying at Lafayette (with the exception of a work-study job and RA benefits) will automatically be applied to the study abroad program; the amount is capped at Lafayette’s cost. If the student receives an external scholarship from the affiliated program, the external scholarship will be considered as an Outside Scholarship and may reduce or eliminate the job and/or loan components of the student’s aid award in accordance with our Outside Scholarship Policy.
Under normal conditions, international students may apply their financial aid to a study abroad or off-campus study experience for only one semester. Exceptions may only be made in cases in which a student’s Lafayette curriculum requires additional study abroad (a petition with the Financial Aid Office, supported by relevant academic documentation, will be needed).
Please see the following pages for more information on costs associated with semester and academic year study abroad:
Interim and Summer
For Lafayette-Led interim and summer off-campus programs, every student who has successfully registered for an interim or summer program may be eligible for interim grant consideration. There is no separate application. A limited amount of financial support is available. Interim grants may range from a minimum of $1,000 up to a maximum of the specific program costs. Interim Grant amounts offered will be determined based on the specific program costs, level of need, remaining loan eligibility, and the number of eligible registrants.
Due to limited funds, students will only be considered if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Currently receive institutional need-based aid in the form of Lafayette College Grant assistance, AND
- Have not previously studied abroad (either during an interim or a semester program), AND
- Register during the online registration window in Banner (usually mid-September, see Interim page for details) for a winter/summer abroad program.
The Office of Financial Aid will only send email notifications to students who are awarded an interim grant, indicating their specific interim grant amount, prior to the interim and summer non-refundable deposit deadline.
For more information on costs and financial aid associated with interim programs, please visit the Interim Programs page.
Internal Scholarships & Awards
Lafayette College awards the following internal scholarships and prizes every year. Students are nominated by their faculty for some of these awards, while they must apply for others. For more information about each award, click the award titles below.
David A. Portlock Study Abroad Memorial Prize
Each year, one student receiving College-funded financial aid will be awarded this $500 prize. Only students planning to study abroad in the fall semester are eligible. Applicants must be in good academic standing and must write an essay explaining why they are interested in studying abroad, what they can bring to the experience, and what they hope to take away from the experience. The essay should be no more than two typed, double-spaced pages. The selection of the candidate is made by the Off-Campus Study Committee, and the decision will be based on the candidate’s essay, cumulative GPA, and major.
Study Abroad Good Citizenship Award
This award is presented to a student who has completed a study abroad experience. For this award, a faculty member nominates a student, recognizing a student who has achieved a high degree of personal and intellectual growth as a result of study abroad, and who has given generously of his/her time and energy in support of the program, its director, and his/her classmates to ensure the quality and success of the study abroad experience for all involved.
External Scholarships, Fellowships, & Awards
There are also a number of prestigious and competitive external scholarships, fellowships, and grants available to students who want to study abroad. Listed below are all of the awards the Office of International & Off-Campus Education is aware of. For more information about each award, click the award titles below.
Affiliated Program Scholarships
Many affiliated programs such as IES, Boston University, or SIT offer scholarships and financial aid to participants. Students are encouraged to view the website of their intended program for more information about what types of aid are available.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
This provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who are receiving federal Pell Grant funding to participate in study abroad programs worldwide. Awards are capped at $5,000, and specific award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need (with the average award being $4,000). Students who apply for and receive the Gilman Scholarship to study abroad are now eligible to receive an additional $3,000 Critical Need Language Supplement from the Gilman Program for a total possible award of up to $8,000. (The “critical need” languages are Arabic, Chinese, Turkish, Persian, Indic, Korean, and Russian.)
NOTE: Applicants for this scholarship must be officially endorsed by Lafayette College; please contact the Office of International & Off-Campus Education if you would like to apply. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is typically in mid-September of a given year to study abroad in the spring of the following year, or in mid-February to study abroad in the fall of the following academic year. For more information, please visit: gilmanscholarship.org.
The Gilman - McCain Scholarship
Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA)
The Freeman-ASIA seeks to increase the number of U.S. undergraduates who study in East and Southeast Asia by providing them with the information and financial assistance they need. Award recipients are expected to share their experiences with their home campuses to encourage study abroad in East and Southeast Asia by others and to spread greater understanding of Asian peoples and cultures within their home communities. Award amounts are up to $3,000 for summer programs, $5,000 for semester programs, and $7,000 for yearlong programs. For more information, please visit: www.iie.org/programs/freeman-asia.
The National Security Education Program (NSEP) David L. Boren Undergraduate Scholarships
This scholarship focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security (including Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin American & the Caribbean, and the Middle East). The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. This program draws on a broad definition of national security, recognizing that the scope of national security has expanded to include not only the traditional concerns of protection and promoting American well-being, but also the challenges of global society, including: sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease and hunger, population growth and migration, and economic competitiveness. More information on this scholarship can be found here: www.borenawards.org
NOTE: Applicants for this scholarship must be officially endorsed by Lafayette College; please contact the Office of Scholarships and Fellowships if you would like to apply. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is typically in November of a given year to study abroad summer, fall, and/or spring of the following year.
The Critical Language Scholarship
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a fully funded summer overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. With the goal of broadening the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building relationships between the people of the United States and other countries, CLS provides opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning. For more information, please visit: clscholarship.org.
The German Academic Exchange Service
The GAES offers scholarships and grants to undergraduates who wish to study in Germany during the academic year. Recipients will be awarded a monthly stipend of approximately €615, plus additional funds to help defray travel and research expenses as well as health insurance.For more information, please visit: www.daad.org.
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships
RAS aims to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas. While abroad, scholars serve as goodwill ambassadors to the host country and give presentations about their homelands to Rotary clubs and other groups. Upon returning home, scholars share with Rotarians and others the experiences that led to a greater understanding of their host country. The application deadline for Rotary scholarships can be more than 12 months in advance of the beginning of the program.
The National Italian American Foundation Scholarships Program
The NIAFS is for either Italian American students who demonstrate outstanding potential and high academic achievements (area of study is open) or students from any ethnic background majoring or minoring in Italian language, Italian studies, Italian American studies, or a related field, who demonstrate outstanding potential and high academic achievements. Scholarship awards range from $2,500-$10,000. For more information, please visit: www.niaf.org/programs/scholarships.
Whitaker International Program
The Whitaker International Program sends emerging leaders in U.S. biomedical engineering (or bioengineering) overseas to undertake a self-designed project that will enhance their careers within the field. The goal of the program is to assist the development of professional leaders who are not only superb scientists, but who also will advance the profession through an international outlook. Along with supporting grant projects in an academic setting, the Whitaker International Program encourages grantees to engage in policy work and propose projects in an industry setting. For more information, please visit: www.whitaker.org.
The St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia Scholarship – Scotland Study Abroad
The Scholarship program of the St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia is designed to foster better understanding and relations between the United States and Scotland through the exchange of the best and brightest university students from our respective countries. Each year, the Society provides funds to send a small group of American students to attend a full year at one of the “Four Ancients,” or the Scottish equivalent of the Ivy League: the Universities of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and St. Andrew’s. These U.S. scholars are chosen from a pool of applicants nominated by 30 participating colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area (including Lafayette). For more information, please visit: The St. Andrew’s Society of Philadelphia website.
Fund for Education Abroad
The mission of the Fund for Education Abroad (FEA) is to provide scholarships and ongoing support to students who are underrepresented among the US study abroad population. FEA makes life-changing, international experiences accessible to all by supporting minority and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs. For more information, please visit: fundforeducationabroad.org/applicants.
Hostelling International USA Explore the World Travel Scholarship
At HI USA, we think travel should be as much about making a difference in the world as it is about seeing it. That’s why we’ve created Explore the World Travel Scholarships. Recipients receive $2,000 to help finance their international trip that includes an educational or service component. For more information, please visit: hiusa.org.
GoOverseas.com Study & Intern Abroad Scholarship
Any student currently enrolled in an American institution who wants to study or intern abroad can apply to the scholarship by completing an application through the GoOverseas.com website and submitting a creative photo and short essay, as well as other tasks. For more information, please visit: gooverseas.com/scholarships.
British Universities Transatlantic Exchange Association (BUTEX)
Each year BUTEX awards a number of scholarships to students studying abroad for either a semester or entire academic year in the UK. The scholarship is open to all undergraduate students who are affiliated to a BUTEX Full Member institution. You may be affiliated as an incoming or outgoing study abroad student. The value of each scholarship is £500 and will be paid to the winners once they have arrived and registered at their host university. For more information, please visit: butex.ac.uk/scholarships.
Diversity Abroad Overseas Ambassador Scholarship
The Overseas Ambassador Program is an initiative created for current students or recent graduates who are planning to study, intern, volunteer or teach abroad. The Overseas Ambassadors will serve as an overseas correspondent, sharing their experiences to motivate other members of the DiversityAbroad.com community to go abroad. By writing insightful articles, sharing inspiring videos and pictures about your new surroundings, cross-cultural observations and personal growth, your words will inspire other diverse students to go abroad and challenge them to rethink how study abroad experiences can be for everyone. For more information, please visit: diversityabroad.terradotta.com.
The Bridging Scholarship Program
The Bridging Scholarship program will award 25 scholarships to American students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan that begin in Spring 2018. Undergraduate students majoring in any field of study and attending any recognized exchange or independent program in Japan are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Recipients of Bridging Scholarships will receive stipends of $2,500 or $4,000, depending on the length of their study program in Japan. For more information, please visit: aatj.org.
The Scholarship Heinrich J.Klein Foundation
The Heinrich J.Klein Foundation seeks to sponsor international exchange by granting scholarships to students for studies abroad. Support is granted to students of all specialist fields who have shown proven commitment & involvement in fostering international exchange. For more information, please visit: www.hj-klein-stiftung.de/e_6.htm.
For more information about scholarships and fellowships, please contact the Office of Scholarships and Fellowships.