Study Abroad Funding

Visit the John Jay Study-Abroad Scholarship portal to start your application. These scholarships are administered by the Financial Aid office. All current and admitted students at the College who would like to apply for scholarship opportunities should click the "Login" button. Please sign in using e-mail credentials provided by John Jay College. Below you'll find a description of the John Jay study-abroad scholarships. Please note: not all scholarships listed below may be open on the portal.

Summer/Fall 2024 Deadline for JJ Study-Abroad Scholarships: Monday, April 15

Jeremy Travis Scholarship for Study Abroad

Jeremy Travis served as the president of John Jay College for 13 years. Under his remarkable leadership, John Jay transitioned to the dynamic senior college it is today, offering a dozen liberal arts degrees and boasting a record of academic excellence. He also oversaw the College’s growth into a strong research institution and reaffirmed the power of its mission of “educating for justice.”

The Jeremy Travis Scholarship for Study Abroad was created to honor the dedicated leadership of President Travis. Having experienced the power of studying abroad as a high school senior, he wanted to insure that more John Jay students can be enriched by other cultures and explore justice on a global scale.

The scholarship was established to benefit undergraduate students with financial need and aims to expand the number of students who might otherwise not have an opportunity to study abroad, including first-generation college students, those in law enforcement, students from underrepresented minority groups, LGBTQ students, and students with disabilities.

Award Amount: Minimum $2,500 based on the cost of the study abroad program and financial need

Requirements:

• Full-time, undergraduate student
• Minimum 3.0 GPA
• Participation in an approved study abroad program (International Studies)
• Demonstrate financial need, determined through a completed FAFSA
   

Applicants must submit:

• Two letters of recommendation
• A 500-word essay describing the study abroad program, need for support, and how this experience will add to your studies

JJC Study-Abroad Scholarship

Have you been approved for a study abroad opportunity, but require further financial support? The Study Abroad Scholarship promotes student participation in international studies. If approved by the Scholarship Committee, students can receive up to a maximum of $1,000. This scholarship is especially designed for short-term study abroad.

Interested students must meet the following criteria:

• Sophomore and above standing (30 plus credits) by date of program
• GPA of 3.0 and above for undergraduate students, 3.5 or higher for graduate students
• Participation in an approved study abroad program (International Studies)
   

Applicants must submit:

• Two letters of recommendation
• A 500-word essay describing the study abroad program, need for support, and how this experience will add to your studies

Myrna Dolores Ilari Bain Scholarship

John Jay College of Criminal Justice is pleased to announce that applications for the Myrna Dolores Ilari Bain Scholarship are now being accepted.  One winner will secure a scholarship in the amount of $1,200 to study abroad.  Your study abroad program should explore a topic and/or region related to African Diaspora studies, gender studies, sociology, anthropology, or social justice.  The scholarship will be presented to the undergraduate whose work best reflects the spirit of the teachings of Myrna Dolores Ilari Bain.

The scholarship is created in memory of and in recognition to educator Myrna Dolores Ilari Bain’ life long contribution to the field of academic scholarship and community development in the Africana Studies Department at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY.

Eligibility:                 

• Must have a minimum Grade Point Average of 3.0.

• Must be a matriculated full-time student.

• Must be a John Jay College of Criminal Justice student who has earned a minimum of 30 credits by the date of study abroad program.

• Interest in pursuing a career or further studies in African Diaspora studies, or including Social Justice, English, International Criminal Justice, International Studies, Sociology, Political Science, Gender Politics, History or Anthropology.

• Financial need, determined through filing a FAFSA.     

• This scholarship may be awarded only once in a student’s academic career.                               

Applicants must submit:

• Two letters of recommendation
• A 500-word essay describing the study abroad program, need for support, and how this experience will add to your studies

JJC Rising Star Fellowship

The John Jay Rising Star Fellowship is a faculty--supported initiative for aspiring undergraduate students who show great promise. The Rising Star Fellowship provides funds to support students in any of the following three activities:

• An unpaid internship
• Study abroad
• Research assistantship

Each year up to three fellowships may be granted in the amount of $3,000 per fellowship.

Interested students must meet the following criteria:

• Completed a minimum of 15 credits at John Jay College by date of application
• GPA of 3.0 and above

Documented offer to participate in the relevant opportunity:

• Unpaid internship (summer or semester-long)
• Study abroad program (International Studies)
• Research assistantship (summer or semester-long)
  Note: Financial need may be considered

Applicants must submit:

• Two letters of recommendation
• A 500-word essay describing the study abroad program, need for support, and how this experience will add to your studies

The Student Travel Program provides funding to John Jay College students for travel for a John Jay College and/or City University of New York Study-Abroad Program. The maximum contribution for an individual application is $1,500*. Undergraduate students with at least a 2.5 GPA who have completed at least 30 credits are eligible. Graduate students with at least a 3.0 GPA who have completed at least 12 credits are eligible. Transfer students in their first semester must submit an official transcript from their previous institution. Deadlines vary based on time of travel. Study abroad applicants must use the Study Abroad Application and submit it to studenttravel@jjay.cuny.edu.

*Please note that this scholarship will only cover airfare-related costs for study abroad students.

Application Deadlines:

• Summer 2024: Friday, April 5 at 5pm EST

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad (including virtual programs), thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness. 3,000 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year to study or intern abroad.

Requirements:

• U.S. citizen or national
• undergraduate student
• receiving a Federal Pell Grant

Application Deadline

Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Academic Year 2024-25 Programs: 

• Thursday, March 7 at 11:59pm PT

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, community college, and first-generation college students before, during, and after they participate in education abroad programs. Awards range from $1,000 - $5,000 for a semester, and up to $10,000 for an academic year.

FEA was established as a 501(c)(3) organization in 2010 to address the need for an independent study abroad scholarship provider. Applicants from groups underrepresented in study abroad are given preference, in an effort to make the demographics of US undergraduates studying abroad reflect the rich diversity of the US population. Since 2010, FEA has awarded scholarships to 167 undergraduates, helping students from all over the United States follow their dreams abroad.

Requirements:

• U.S. citizen, DACA recipient, or permanent resident
• enrolled undergraduate student

Application Deadline

Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Academic Year 2024-25 Programs: 

• Wednesday, February 7 at 12pm (noon) EST​

The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs.  Developed under the framework of the State Department’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the John McCain International Scholarship for the Children of Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is open to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid.

The Gilman-McCain Scholarship is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late senator John S. McCain from Arizona.  With the support of the U.S. Congress, this scholarship honors the Senator’s legacy of public service by enabling children of active duty military to develop the leadership and career readiness skills and global perspective to pursue careers of service and contribute to preserving the principles and alliances that are critical to an international order based on the rule of law, human rights, and democracy. 

Application Deadline

Summer 2024, Fall 2024, and Academic Year 2024-25 Programs: 

• Thursday, March 7 at 11:59pm PT

The Freeman-ASIA scholarship is available to U.S. citizens or permanent residents studying at the undergraduate level to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The scholarship is needs based. Minimum 2.8/4.0 GPA required. More information regarding eligibility can be found here. 

Award Amounts:

• Summer: up to $3,000
• Semester: up to $5,000
• Academic/Calendar Year: up to $7,000

Application Deadline

Summer 2024, Fall 2024, Academic Year 2024-25, Spring 2025 Programs: 

• Tuesday, April 2

The Toshizo Watanabe Endowed Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to undergraduates/graduate students for a semester or year-long study abroad program in either the United States or Japan. A generous endowment gift of $10 million from Mr. Toshizo (Tom) Watanabe to the U.S.-Japan Council makes it possible to award scholarships to students for whom study abroad would not be possible without financial support. 

The scholarship will support up to the full cost of attendance to the study abroad program of the applicant’s choice. The scholarship program grants awards to recipients in amounts determined by financial need and other qualifications.

Application Deadline

Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025, and Academic Year 2024-25 Programs: 

• Monday, February 19 at 11:59pm ET

HI USA holds the idea that travel should be as much about making a difference in the world as it is about seeing it. That’s why they have created Explore the World Travel Scholarship. Recipients receive $2,000 to help finance their international trip that includes an educational or service component. Pell Grant recipients are encouraged to apply.

Summer/Fall 2024 Application Deadline: TBA

The Bridging Scholarship program will award scholarships to American students participating in study-abroad programs in Japan during Spring 2023. Undergraduate students majoring in any field of study and attending any recognized credit-bearing exchange or independent program in Japan are eligible to apply for these scholarships.

Recipients of Bridging Scholarships receive stipends of $2,500 or $4,000, depending on the length of their study program in Japan. The scholarships are funded by donations from corporations, foundations, and individuals to the US-Japan Bridging Foundation. Since 1999, the Bridging Scholarship program has awarded 1,870 scholarships to students studying abroad in Japan. Most recently, 79 students received scholarships for study in Japan for Fall 2022.

Application Deadline

Fall 2024, Academic Year 2024-25, Spring 2025 Programs: 

• Friday, March 15

The Critical Language Scholarship, a summer program of the U.S. Department of State, is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. CLS plays an important role in preparing students for the 21st century's globalized workforce and increasing national competitiveness.

The CLS Program seeks participants with diverse interests, and from a wide range of fields of study and career paths, with the purpose of representing the full diversity of the United States. Participants are selected based on their commitment to language learning and plans to apply their language skills to their future academic or professional pursuits. Students from all academic disciplines, including business, engineering, law, medicine, science, social sciences, arts and humanities are encouraged to apply.

The CLS Program offers instruction in the following languages and levels:

• Open to all language levels: Azerbaijani, Bangla, Hindi, Indonesian, Persian, Portuguese, Swahili, Turkish, and Urdu
• One year prior study required: Arabic, Korean, and Russian
• Two years prior study required: Chinese and Japanese

Online Information Sessions: 

CLS Program Officers are hosting information sessions specific to each CLS language program. The full schedule for these opportunities along with links to register are available on our web site: https://clscholarship.org/events
 
Recordings of our past webinars are posted on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc6m86vaPU3a8zJTLzmh0YEZ9etUmaQd5

Application Deadline

For Summer 2024: Tuesday, November 14, 2023 at 8pm EST

Boren Awards for International Study

Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.

Boren Scholars represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for funding, Boren Scholars commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

Requirements:

• U.S. citizen (at the time of application deadline)
• 18 years of age or older
• planning an oversees program OUTSIDE of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand
• planning to study in a country of which they are NOT a citizen

Award Amounts 

Maximum scholarship awards are:

• $8,000 for a summer program (STEM students only; 8 weeks minimum)
• $12,500 for a semester (12-24 weeks)
• $25,000 for a 6 - 12 months (25-52 weeks)

Length of Study

Boren Scholarships promote long term linguistic and cultural immersion, and therefore study abroad proposals for two or more semesters are strongly encouraged. Preference will be given to undergraduate applicants proposing a at least 6 months (25 weeks) overseas. Boren-funded programs can begin no earlier than June 4, 2023. Summer-only programs must be eight (8) weeks or more and are limited to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) students.

Deadline: January 31, 2024 at 5pm EST [PRIOR ADVISING WITH KEN YANES IS MANDATORY]

Boren Fellowships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. graduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.

Boren Fellows represent a vital pool of highly motivated individuals who wish to work in the federal national security arena. In exchange for funding, Boren Fellows commit to working in the federal government for at least one year after graduation.

Award Amounts

• $12,500 for a semester (12-24 weeks)
• $25,000 for a 6 - 12 months (25-52 weeks)

In addition, Boren Fellowships can provide up to $12,000 for domestic language study that will supplement the overseas component. The maximum award for a combined overseas and domestic program is $30,000. Please review the budget guidelines for more information.

Length of Study

Boren Fellowships are made for a minimum of 12 weeks overseas and a maximum of one year overseas. Boren-funded programs can begin no earlier than June 4, 2023 and no later than March 1, 2024.

Boren Fellowships promote long term linguistic and cultural immersion.  Therefore, preference will be given to applicants proposing overseas programs of 6 months or longer.  However, applicants proposing overseas programs of 3-6 months, especially those in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields are encouraged to apply.

Deadline: January 24, 2024 at 5pm EST [PRIOR ADVISING WITH KEN YANES DURING FALL 2022 IS MANDATORY]

CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) have partnered in an effort to increase the opportunities for the most financially challenged students from the nation’s 600+ Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). Named in honor of Frederick Douglass—the African-American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and international statesman—the Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship seeks to break down the barriers of cost, curriculum, and culture to make study abroad accessible to students from MSIs.

Twelve exceptional student leaders of color will be selected to conduct a comparative study of social justice leadership in America, South Africa, and Ireland.  

During the four-week summer program, Fellows will travel to Washington, DC, Cape Town, Dublin, Derry, and Belfast to explore the legacies of Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, John Lewis, Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Daniel O’Connell, John Hume, and other giants of social change.  

The program pays tribute to Frederick Douglass’ transformative experience visiting Ireland more than 175 years ago. Douglass was embraced by the Irish people and met the famous Irish reformer Daniel O’Connell who expanded Douglass’ view of social injustice and influenced his style of agitating for positive social change through non-violent social and political efforts. The Government of Ireland is again sponsoring the 2023 Fellows in celebration of this historic meeting and Ireland’s commitment to social justice and peace building. 

The program runs July 7 – August 4, 2023, with the first week taught virtually and the next three weeks taught on-site. Fellows will study how changemakers shaped pathways to peace, including the Emancipation Proclamation in America, the end of Apartheid in South Africa, and the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland. 

Qualified applicants of the Fredrick Douglass Global Fellowship who are not selected for the fellowship are awarded the Fredrick Douglass Scholars Grant, a grant of $1,500 which can be used towards any CIEE program.

Summer 2024 Deadline: TBA