Financial Aid & Scholarships
Read what scholarship recipients have to say!
Click here to learn more about eligibility and evaluation criteria for scholarships administered by the Office of Study Abroad.
Financial Aid
At EIU, 12 hours is considered full-time for the fall, spring, or summer terms and financial aid is available in the following manner:
- Stafford and PLUS Loans - Must be enrolled at least half-time (6 cr) to receive assistance.
- FWS and Perkins Loans - Must be enrolled at least half-time (6 cr) to receive assistance.
- Federal Pell Grants - Awarded regardless of the number of hours you are enrolled and regardless of when you decide to study abroad.
- MAP - Currently, there is no state MAP award in the summer due to funding; however, you can use MAP during the academic year for study abroad (fall or spring semester) to pay for tuition and fees for any approved study abroad program.
- EIU and Private Scholarships - Depends on each and every scholarship and the ajoining stipulations.
Scholarship Tips
- More national scholarship money is available for understudied locations (outside of Western Europe). You won't find too many national scholarships for London but you may for Cape Town.
- More national scholarship money is available for programs that are a semester or longer in length. You won't find national scholarships for summer or spring break programs; however, you may be able to find internal scholarship money from your academic department at EIU.
- Most national scholarships require early application. There's a lot of money out there for study abroad, you have to be proactive and plan ahead. Start as early as possible and pay attention to deadlines.
- Right now, most of the big chunks of money come from national scholarships. Suprisingly, since only 1% of all college students study abroad, many are not all that competitive. One of our students studied abroad in Mexico for a year on a $5,000 Gilman Award and then went on to graduate school in Ireland on a $23,000 Rotary International Award.
- Need help writing your scholarship essay? Visit the EIU Writing Center! Make an appointment or register for one of their workshops by calling 217-581-5929 or stoppng by the center in Coleman 3110.
EIU Scholarships (Office of Study Abroad)
| Scholarships & Applications | Requirements & Locations | Approx. Deadlines | Amounts |
| Office of Study Abroad Grants |
Eligibility Criteria: Must be a full-time EIU student for at least one semester before studying abroad and must have a 2.5 GPA (cum) at application, and maintain at least a 2.5 GPA (cum) in the term prior to studying abroad. Students must also file a FAFSA (free application for federal student aid). |
First Friday of October (Spring Semester & Winter Break) First Friday of December (Spring Break) January 11, 2013 (Faculty-Led Summer) First Friday of March (Fall Semester & Independent Summer) |
Amount varies per award cycle. The average award is between $500 and $2,000. |
| Special Tuition Waiver Scholarships for EIU Scholars going on Exchange Programs | Preference will be given to students with high academic merit AND financial need. A Scholarship Application is required, as well as a 2.5 GPA |
First Friday of October (for Spring) First Friday of March (for Fall) |
EIU tuition waived for an approved Exchange Program. You study abroad tuition-free. |
| Kate and Cliff Strandberg Study Abroad in Europe Scholarship |
Destination: Europe. Preference is given to School of Technology majors. 2.75 GPA. A Scholarship Application is required. |
First Friday of October (Spring Semester & Winter Break) First Friday of December (Spring Break) January 11, 2013 (Faculty-Led Summer) First Friday of March (Fall Semester & Independent Summer) |
Varies from year to year (average $500) |
| William V. Weber Study Abroad Scholarship |
For any study abroad program. Preference will be given to minority students (including GLBT) and first generation college students with financial need. A Scholarship Application is required. |
First Friday of October (Spring Semester & Winter Break) First Friday of December (Spring Break) January 11, 2013 (Faculty-Led Summer) First Friday of March (Fall Semester & Independent Summer) |
Varies from year to year (average $500) |
| Dorothy E. Walden Short-term Study Abroad Scholarship | For students planning to study on a Summer, short-term faculty-led study abroad program. Applicants must have at least junior status and at least a 3.0 GPA. The applicant must not have traveled previously outside of the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Students should apply through the online system. Note that 3 letters of recommendation are required for this scholarship. Click here for the application |
January 11, 2013 |
Varies from year to year (average $500) |
EIU Scholarships (Other Departments)
| Scholarships & Applications | Requirements & Locations | Approx. Deadlines | Amounts |
| Charles Austin Honors Scholarship |
Honors student in good standing , participating in a semester- or year-long study abroad program Applications posted on the Honors College website at the beginning of spring semester |
February 25 | 4 awards of $1000 each |
| Communication Studies Department |
Communication Studies majors who are going on the faculty-led trip to Ireland are eligible to apply for TSA/GIA money from the department. Forms are available in the Comm Studies lounge, main office or from the central adviser. Students are encouraged to apply ASAP in order to ensure the availability of funds (first-come, first served basis) |
February 2 | Varies from year to year |
| Don and Pam Sundheim |
These scholarships support Eastern Illinois University students majoring in any foreign language who wish to study their target language abroad at some time during their junior or senior year. Administered by the Dept. of Foreign Languages (581-3021) |
March 25 | Varies from year to year |
| Richard L. Crouse Memorial Scholarship |
Spanish Major, 3.0 GPA, Program to improve proficiency in Spanish. Administered by the Dept. of Foreign Languages (581-3021) |
March 25 | Varies from year to year |
| Study Abroad Scholarship |
These scholarships support Eastern Illinois University students majoring in any foreign language. Preference will be given to students who have not studied abroad. Administered by the Dept. of Foreign Languages (581-3021) |
March 28 by 3:30pm |
$500 |
| History Study Abroad Scholarship |
For EIU students (undergraduate or graduate) majoring in History and exhibiting a commitment to study abroad through EIU. Two awards up to $500 each. Administered by the Dept. of History (217-581-5325) |
February 1 | $500 |
National Scholarships
| Scholarships | Requirements & Locations | Approx. Deadlines | Amounts |
| The Bridging Scholarship | U.S. Students who will be participating in a semester or year long study abroad program in Japan during the 2010-2011 academic year | April 8, 2011 for academic year 2011-2012 |
Semester Program: $2,500 Full Academic Year: $4,000 |
| Germany | January 31 for the following year (fall / spring) | $2000 up to total cost of the program | |
| Gilman International | Recipient of Pell Grant |
March 1 for the following year (fall / spring) |
Up to $5000 |
| 2012-2013 Academic Year or 2013 Summer | November 14, 2011 | Up to $5,000 per semester | |
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Worldwide | TBA | Varies |
| Lüneburg, Germany | Applications should be sent no later than three months prior to the semester |
650-750 EUR (apprx. $1,000) per month for a semester (5 months) | |
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Minimum 1 sem., Maximum 6 sem. Must include a language focus. Africa; Central and Eastern Europe; Near East; Asia; Latin America Caribbean plus Service Requirement |
2/9/2012 for 2012-2013 | $2500 to $30,000 |
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Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships District 6490 (central Illinois) |
Awarded for one-year graduate study in a field related to Rotary’s objectives of world peace, international understanding, eliminating disease, conquering hunger and fostering literacy. |
July 15, 2011 for 2012-2013 year |
$23,000 |
| GO! Study Abroad Scholarship | GO! Overseas is proud to support international education through scholarships available to students participating in study abroad programs. Scholarships are awarded each academic year. The scholarship is awarded based on the creativity and analytical thinking displayed through writing samples and/or video submissions. Teach Abroad and Volunteer Abroad scholarships are available as well. | September 15, 2011 for Fall 2011 semester | $1,000 |
| University of Westminster USA Study Abroad Scholarship | For students who plan to study at the University of Westminster in the fall semester. Must have a GPA of 3.6 or higher. Must be at least 20 years or older. Preference is given to members of underrepresented groups. | May 31, 2011 for 2011-2012 | Full tuition |
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Must be a U.S. citizen planning to study in one of the following countries for eight weeks or longer: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, or Vietnam. Must demonstrate financial need. Must have little or no previous experience in the selected country. | Fall deadline is April 1. Spring deadline is October 12. |
Up to $3,000 for summer |
| Huayu Enrichment Scholarship | Must apply to study exclusively Chinese at a Taiwanese university-affiliated language center. Applicants can study 3, 6, 9, or 12 months. | March 31, 2011 for AY 2011-2012. | Stipend of NT$25,000 (about US $850) per month |
