Scholarships & Fianancial Aid

Plan how to fund your study abroad experience and learn about available scholarships. Students planning to study abroad should carefully calculate how much funding is available to them. Instead of being turned away by the initial ”sticker shock“ of study abroad programs, students should review their current expenditures at Mississippi State University to see the total program price increase, if any. Often, students will be surprised to see how affordable study abroad can be. Also, there are opportunities to help pay for study abroad.

Financial Aid

An MSU degree-seeking student who participates in an MSU sponsored or affiliated Study Abroad program is eligible to apply for Financial Aid to help cover the required costs. Each program is handled on an individual program and student basis, and most costs associated with the Study Abroad program can typically be taken into consideration when determining Financial Aid eligibility. The amount of aid received for Study Abroad is dependent upon the individual student's eligibility at the time of application. Students who wish to receive Financial Aid to help pay for a MSU Study Abroad program should contact Vickie Edmonds in the Department of Student Financial Aid to discuss Financial Aid options and availability. The Study Abroad Financial Aid Request form is available here. 

A student planning to participate in a Study Abroad program through an organization or school that has no affiliation or consortium agreement in place with MSU is not eligible to receive Financial Aid through MSU for the program. For additional information, please visit the MSU Department of Student Financial Aid.

MSU Scholarships

Some MSU Colleges and Departments have study abroad scholarships available for students of that college to apply for. The Office of Study Abroad encourages you to check with each of your academic colleges and/or departments to see about study abroad scholarship opportunities.

In addition to checking in with your departments, it is always good practice to reach out to the Office of Admissions & Scholarships to discuss any current scholarships you may have and what of that can be used for your Study Abroad. Click here to view the Scholarships Staff.

Below are a few scholarships but please check with your respective colleges and departments for more.

General & Study Abroad Scholarship Application Steps  

MSU students are encouraged to submit the General Scholarship Application (GSA) and their departmental scholarship applications each academic year while attending MSU to be reviewed for additional private or departmental scholarships.   

Please take note of the following important priority dates/deadlines:  

Entering Freshmen: 

  • October 1 - GSA & Study Abroad Scholarship Application opens 

  • December 1 – GSA priority date for entering freshmen. Study Abroad Scholarship Application deadline 

Entering Transfers and Current Students 

  • October 1 - GSA and Study Abroad Scholarship Application open for students studying abroad in the spring, spring break, or summer term  

  • December 1 - Study Abroad Scholarship Application deadline for students studying abroad in the spring, spring break, or summer term 

  • February 1- Study Abroad Scholarship Application opens for students studying abroad in the fall and winter term  

  • March 1 – GSA priority date for entering transfer and current students 

  • April 1- Study Abroad Scholarship Application deadline for students studying abroad in the fall and winter term 

Completing the GSA before the specified priority date will put you into the application pools to be reviewed for private or departmental scholarship awards. The GSA and departmental scholarship applications can be accessed by logging into your myState account (https://my.msstate.edu) using your NetID and NetPassword.  

When completing the GSA, be sure to check “Yes” for the “Are you interested in studying abroad?” question. If you do not check this box, you will not see the Study Abroad Scholarship Application. After you have submitted your GSA, you will need to look under your ‘Recommended Opportunities’ within the scholarship portal to complete the Study Abroad Scholarship Application. Please note that the Study Abroad Scholarship Application will not be available to complete after the specified deadline. Additionally, you can reach out to your academic college or department to inquire about any major specific study abroad scholarships. 

       

Program-Specific Scholarships

Many of the provider programs that Mississippi State University partners with provide scholarship opportunities to students. To be eligible for these scholarships, you must study abroad with one of these particular programs.

Academic Programs International (API)

American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS)

CEA CAPA Education Abroad (CEA CAPA)

International Studies Abroad (ISA)

Semester at Sea

SIT Study Abroad - School for International Training (SIT)

National Scholarships

We have compiled a brief scholarship list for you! Thoroughly review this guide to determine what additional opportunities may be available. Most scholarships are designed for specific countries, languages, and students. The earlier you start planning, the better off you will be.

DOWNLOAD SCHOLARSHIP AVAILABILITY PACKET (pdf)

Also, keep in mind:

  • Your academic department may also have scholarships that can be used for study abroad.
  • You can consult with local civic, social, or religious organizations for possible scholarships or grants.
  • Don't forget to check with your parents' places of work for possible funding sources.