Student Resources
Students should know how to receive scholarships, grants, or student loans to help pay for an education abroad program. Students are also responsible for reviewing policies regarding payment deadlines and how to get a passport to travel abroad.
Financial Aid Opportunities
Financial aid can help pay for education abroad opportunities. Available aid includes scholarships, grants, and federal student loans. Please contact the education abroad coordinator early, as many programs have early and firm deadlines.
The Gilman scholarship is a competitive scholarship awarded twice per year. Awards are up to $5,000 (typically $3,000 for spring break and up to $5,000 for longer experiences). Students must write three short essays asking for a personal statement, community impact that will build mutual understanding, and community impact related to service opportunities you would participate in your community after your education abroad experience. Deadlines are typically in early October and March for trips the following semester/term. Applicants must receive a Pell Grant to be eligible.
Additional funds are also available for those studying in STEM fields or a critical needs language. Visit the Gilman scholarship website for more info. Each fall and spring, a workshop and a Blackboard will help students through the application process.
The Gilman-McCain scholarship provides $5,000 awards to dependents of active-duty U.S. military forces or reserve forces on active duty. Students must also be eligible for federal financial aid. Deadlines are in August and October of each year. The application process is the same as the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
MSU students receiving the George M. Luckey, Jr. Honors Scholarship can receive $1,500 to cover the cost of an Education Abroad experience. Programs must be at least 3 weeks long and include a Level UP component. Honors students can email Dr. Phillip Krummrich for more information.
The Fund for Education Abroad provides funding opportunities for various education abroad programs. It is a privately run scholarship program that provides a one-stop shop for scholarships to various education abroad providers. There are typically two application periods during the year.
The study abroad fund provides scholarships of varying amounts to assist with education abroad course fees at MSU. Applicants must be full-time undergraduate students, have junior or senior classification, carry a cumulative GPA of at least a 3.0, be Pell Grant-eligible, and be participating in an MSU faculty-led abroad program. Applicants are also required to apply for the Gilman Scholarship to be eligible (October deadline if planning to apply for a scholarship to assist with a spring break program). Funding is available for upcoming programs only; applications are considered on a rolling basis. Apply early, as applications will be considered only until funds are exhausted for the academic year. The application deadline is November 1.
This is a need-based scholarship for students majoring in programs based in the Caudill College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences. Please refer to the college website for which majors qualify. The scholarship is available to graduate or undergraduate students. Undergraduate students must receive a Pell Grant, and graduate students must show financial need. Students must use the scholarship on an MSU faculty-led education abroad program. One scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded per academic year. The application deadline is November 1.
The scholarship is for students majoring in Spanish, English, or philosophy. Applicants must have a 3.0 cumulative GPA to be eligible and must use the scholarship on an MSU faculty-led program or scholarship by a consortium partner (CCSA or KIIS). One scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded per academic year. The deadline is December 1.
Federal financial aid, such as Pell Grants, federal student loans, KEES, state College Access Grants, and TEACH grants, can fund education abroad experiences. Once you select a program, the education abroad coordinator can provide you with a budget sheet to take to the MSU financial aid office to see available options. It is important to contact the education abroad coordinator early in the fall semester to discuss your options.
Health/Trip Insurance
MSU recommends that students purchase health and post-departure trip interruption insurance for any educational abroad activity. Insurance will be included with a faculty-led program but may not be for other education abroad programs. Students pay $18.85 per week for insurance. More info on what is covered and how to purchase is available here.
Education Abroad Policies
Program Costs
Faculty-led programs will be billed to student accounts. Students are responsible for paying the deposit (equal to the cost of flights for students and their share of faculty flight) before the program is guaranteed to run. Deposit deadlines are December 13 (spring break programs) and February 28 (Maymester and summer term programs). If a student withdraws after the deposit deadline, they may be refunded program fees not already spent to purchase flights, hotels, train tickets, or other program activities, and they are liable for any funds spent on their behalf before they withdraw. All program fees must be paid within 14 days of departure, or students will not be allowed to participate. Faculty and the education coordinator abroad cannot waive program fees or deadlines and cannot promise financial aid or scholarships for any program.
Non-faculty-led education abroad programs such as those administered by CCSA, KIIS, and other providers bill students directly for programs, and students are responsible for adhering to the policies of those organizations. MSU will bill students for tuition for Magellan Exchange programs but are responsible for paying room, board and other fees directly to the host university or other provider. More info will be given as you register for programs.
Passports
All education abroad programs require students to have a valid passport with an expiration date more than six months after a scheduled program ends. A certified birth certificate (raised seal), driver’s license or state ID, and a social security card (if you do not have a driver’s license) are generally required to apply for a first-time passport. Applications must be made in person (generally at a U.S. post office). Students who need to renew a passport they received before turning 16 generally must apply at a post office but can use their passport as proof of citizenship and ID instead of a birth certificate and license. Passport timelines are currently 6-8 weeks for standard processing and 2-3 weeks for expedited processing.
Passport fees are $135 (paid to the State Department) plus a $35 execution fee (paid to the post office if not renewing by mail). Expedited fee is $60. The photo fee is usually $15 and is taken at some post offices and retail locations such as copy shops and pharmacies with photo services. The post office in Morehead at 700 W. Main St. accepts passport applications. Appointments can be made here. Urgent passport appointments can be made within 14 days of travel at Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, and Washington, D.C., passport agencies. MSU is not responsible, and program costs will not be refunded if students cannot travel if they do not have a valid passport or have a valid passport that expires less than six months after the end of the program.
Visas are generally not required for U.S. citizens for most CCSA, KIIS, and faculty-led programs. Students will be notified if visas are required, and costs will be built into the program budget. Non-U.S. citizens should check with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regarding the eligibility to leave the country and determine visa requirements for program countries. Visas are generally required for stays of 90 days or more in most countries.
Required Forms and Important Information
Contact Education Abroad
Dr. Jason M. Adkins
Education Abroad Coordinator/Instructor
Camden-Carroll Library
Morehead, KY 40351
EMAIL: jm.adkins@moreheadstate.edu
PHONE: 606-783-2044
