USAC Scholarships
General scholarships
Scholarships are offered for each of the geographic regions with USAC programs (Africa/Middle East, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Oceania). All degree-seeking students with a minimum 2.5 GPA are eligible.
Access scholarships
As a non-profit, university-based organization, we are committed to providing students with affordable and accessible opportunities to study abroad. The following scholarships have been designed to positively benefit students from historically underrepresented backgrounds and to further increase the financial accessibility of our programs.
Access scholarships are awarded each term to qualified students attending any USAC program.
- Award amount:
- Summer, January terms: $2,500
- Semester terms: $5,000
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Degree-seeking students
- Ethnically/Racially diverse
- LGBTQIA+
- Religiously diverse
- Students with disabilities
- Non-traditional age students (25+)
- Terms: All
- Award amount:
- Summer, January terms: $1,500
- Semester terms: $2,500
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Degree-seeking students
- Students whose parents/guardians did not graduate from a 4-year college or university.
- Terms: All
- Award amount:
- Summer, January terms: $1,000
- Semester terms: $1,500
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Degree-seeking students currently attending a community college.
- Terms: All
- Award amount: $1,750
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Degree-seeking students
- Any U.S. Military personnel (active or veteran status) and their dependents (child or spouse).
- Terms: All
- Award amount:
- Summer, January terms: $1,000
- Semester terms: $1,500
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Degree-seeking students with a declared STEM major or minor, including a variety of academic disciplines but are generally referred to as degrees that confers a Bachelor of Science.
- Terms: All
Program-specific scholarships
No need to apply for individual scholarships! By completing the USAC Scholarship Application after you apply to your program, you will automatically be considered for all scholarships for which you qualify.
These scholarships are available for all terms and ranges from $500-1,000. Scholarships are highly competitive and available for each geographic region with USAC programs.
- USAC Programs: Any Asia program
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Preference will be given to students enrolled in a USAC China program
- Terms: Summer
The LinYL Foundation, established in 2020 by siblings Cisco, Daniel, Becky, Vana, and Tony Lang, honors their mother, 林月君 Lín Yuèjūn, by supporting education. It funds the Lin Yuejun Lang Asia Scholarship to assist diverse U.S. students interested in studying abroad in Asia.
- USAC Programs: China
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Degree-seeking students
- Terms: Semester, yearlong
- Preference will be given to yearlong students
Dr. Marianne Cooley is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Houston who has served as a USAC Visiting Professor on both the Chengdu and Shanghai, China programs. Degree-seeking students with a minimum 2.5 GPA who participate in a USAC China program are eligible for this scholarship, which is awarded each semester. Preference will be given to yearlong students.
USAC Explore China Promotion: From Fall 2025 through Spring 2026, the Cooley scholarship funds have been allocated to this $500 discount promotion. Learn more about the promotion here.
- Award amount: $5,000
- USAC Programs: Bristol, England
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Degree-seeking students
- Preference will be given to First-Generation and high financial need students
- Terms: Semester, Yearlong
The University of Bristol, USAC's longtime partner in hosting students in England, is offering scholarships to help USAC students make their dreams of studying in England come true.
The award is intended to be used towards onsite living costs such as housing and transportation.
- Award amount: $1,000 GBP
- USAC Programs: London - Metropolitan University, England
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.7
- Terms: Semester, Yearlong
London Metropolitan, USAC's partner university, is offering diversity scholarships to students who demonstrate underrepresented backgrounds.
Interested students must submit a 500-word essay detailing their representation of diversity in study abroad, commitment to their program, plans to engage with the London Met community, and the financial benefits of the award. Each scholarship provides a £1,000 reduction in semester tuition fees, which USAC will deduct in USD from the awardee’s program fee.
- Award amount: $1,000
- USAC Programs: France
- Eligibile students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Degree-seeking students
- Preference will be given to students with high financial need
- Terms: Semester, Yearlong
Dr. Frank Triplett is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Mount Union who served as a USAC Visiting Professor in Pau, France on three separate occasions.
- Award amount:
- Summer term: $750
- Semester terms: $1,000
- USAC Programs: Bengaluru, India or Stellenbosch, South Africa
- Eligible students:
- Minimum GPA: 3.0
- Degree-seeking students
- Preference will be given to students with little to no previous background and exposure to these regions
- Terms: Semester, Summer
Jade Wright, USAC Haifa Summer 2013 and Fall 2013 alumnus, created this scholarship to allow more students to experience firsthand the challenges and growth of studying abroad in a non-traditional region that is often unfamiliar to and misunderstood by those in the U.S.
- Award amount: $1,000
- USAC Programs: Torino, Italy
- Eligible students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Preference will be given to students with high financial need
- Terms: Semester
Colin Proctor, a USAC Torino alumnus from Fall 2010, established this scholarship with his sister, Megan, in memory of their late mother, who supported their study abroad aspirations. Colin, who majored in Accounting and Finance at the University of Nevada, Reno, was inspired by his time in Torino and travels across Europe to pursue his goals. He has visited over 50 countries and is now a Certified Public Accountant and entrepreneur. Megan studied abroad in Singapore while earning her law degree at the University of British Columbia and has traveled to more than 30 countries. Both siblings apply the skills they gained abroad in their personal and professional lives.
- USAC Programs: Gwangju, Korea
- Eligible students:
- Minimum GPA: 3.5
- Terms: Semester
USAC’s partner university in Gwangju, Korea, Chonnam National University (CNU), is offering a merit-based scholarship to incoming exchange/visiting students. The scholarship covers dormitory and meal plan expenses on-site.
There is no additional application as recipients are selected by the CNU Office of International Affairs based on information submitted during the host university application process, such as transcripts, self-introduction essay, and study plan. Selected recipients will be contacted about one month prior to the program start date.
- Award amount: $1,000-1,500
- USAC Programs: Auckland/ Palmerston North/ Wellington, New Zealand
- Eligible students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.75
- Degree-seeking students
- Terms: Semester
Massey University, USAC's longtime partner in hosting students in New Zealand, is offering scholarships to help USAC students make their dreams of studying in New Zealand come true.
- Award amount: $1,500
- USAC Programs: Alicante, Bilbao/Getxo, Madrid, or San Sebastián, Spain
- Eligible students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.75
- Degree-seeking students
- Preference will be given to yearlong students
- Terms: Semester, Yearlong
Dr. Félix Menchacatorre taught on and directed the Spain programs for 25 years, building programs in San Sebastián, Bilbao/Getxo, Madrid, and Alicante. Additionally, he was instrumental in developing other programs and shaping what USAC is today.
- Award amount:
- Summer term: $750
- Semester terms: $1,000
- USAC Programs: All
- Eligible students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Terms: All terms
This scholarship was developed in memory of USAC staff member Andrew Zeiser who worked in Desktop and Network Support in the IT department at the USAC Central Office in Reno, Nevada.
- Award amount:
- Summer term: $750
- Semester terms: $1,000
- USAC Programs: Pau, France
- Eligible students:
- Minimum GPA: 2.5
- Terms: All
This scholarship was developed in memory of long time USAC Program Assistant at our Pau, France program, Ryan Findley.