IU Bloomington Undergraduate Funding

Amount of Award: Varies based on student need

Who May Apply: O'Neill undergraduate & O'Neill graduate students (defined as any student pursuing an O'Neill degree, major, minor, or certificate) particpating in an O'Neill spring break, summer, or exchange program.

Application Periods and Deadlines:

Spring Semester Programs: August 1- September 1

Spring Break Programs: September 2- October 1 

Summer Programs: November 4- December 8

Fall Semester Programs: January 1- February 1

The Equal Opportunity Scholarship is a need-based award that provides O’Neill students funding to study abroad on O’Neill International programs. If finances will be a barrier to participating in your study abroad experience, we invite you to apply for this award. The O'Neill International Office Scholarship Committee will review all applications for this need-based award and allocate available funds to qualified candidates accordingly. 

This scholarship requires the following application materials:

Short essay question (200-300 words): Please describe any financial constraints that will make it difficult for you to study abroad with O'Neill International. Help us understand your financial situation by including items like: (1) any financial support you will or won't receive from family, (2) how you are saving for your time abroad, (3) other scholarships you are applying for, etc.

Budget: Create an anticipated budget for yourself that includes: (1) the total estimated cost of your international experience and (2) your estimated access to funds to cover your expenses. When preparing your budget, think about all expenses, for example:

1. 1. Short term program participants should consider the program fee, flight, visa, incidentals on the ground, cost of food, additional things you want to do for fun, etc. 
   2. Semester exchange participants should think about housing, flight, visa, incidentals on the ground, cost of food, added experiences that may cost money, etc. 

If you have questions concerning the application process, please contact the O'Neill International Office at oio@iu.edu 

Amount of Award: $250 - $1000

Who May Apply: Any IU Bloomington O'Neill undergraduate students (defined as any student pursuing an O'Neill major, minor, or certificate) particpating in an O'Neill spring break, summer, or exchange program may apply. Preference is given to students with demonstrated financial need and to historically underrepresented students, but all students are encouraged to apply.

Application Periods and Deadlines:

Spring Semester Programs: August 1- September 1

Spring Break Programs: September 2- October 1 

Summer Programs: November 4- December 8

Fall Semester Programs: January 1- February 1

The Melissa Laney Scholarship is donor funded through the generous support of Sandy Laney and the Chemed Foundation. This scholarship is available to undergraduate, O'Neill students participating in O'Neill International programs. The O'Neill International Office Scholarship Committee will review all applications for this award and allocate available funds to qualified candidates accordingly. 

This scholarship requires the following application materials:

Essay (500 words): Please describe the importance of studying abroad to your academic, professional, and/or personal goals. How will receiving this award help address any financial constraints or other barriers you face studying abroad?

If you have questions concerning the application process, please contact the O'Neill International Office at oio@iu.edu.

Amount of Award: Varies based on student need

Who May Apply: This scholarship is restricted to IU Bloomington undergraduate students who are accepted into the 2025 O'Neill in South Korea spring break program or O'Neill in Indonesia summer program.

The Efiginia Rhodes Tirado International Scholarship was established to recognize the extraordinary accomplishments of Efiginia Lao Rhodes, particularly her journey to this country and the development of an extremely successful family and life, and to advance O'Neill's global initiatives efforts by helping a student with overseas study expenses.

To be considered for this award students must apply for the O'Neill International Equal Opportunity Award.

Amount of Award: Up to $1000

Who May Apply: Undergraduate or graduate students with a 3.4 GPA or higher who are particpating in an O'Neill spring break, summer, or exchange program.

Application Periods and Deadlines:

Spring Semester Programs: August 1- September 1

Spring Break Programs: September 1- October 1 

Summer Programs: November 4- December 8

Fall Semester Programs: January 1- February 1

The Scholars of Global Citizenship Award is dedicated to enabling high-achieving students to benefit from an intensive overseas study program through O'Neill International. The O'Neill International Office Scholarship Committee will review all applications for this award and allocate available funds to qualified candidates accordingly. 

This scholarship requires the following application materials:

Essay (500 words): Please describe the importance of studying abroad to your academic, professional, and/or personal goals. How does the specific program you are applying for relate to your goals, and what do you hope to gain from this experience?

Unofficial IU Transcript: Please upload a copy of your unofficial IU transcript.

If you have questions concerning the application process, please contact the O'Neill International Office at oio@iu.edu. 

Amount of Award: Varies

Many academic departments across campus offer students from their departments scholarships for study abroad that may be used toward any IU approved overseas experiences (including O'Neill International programs)!

If you are a major or minor in a department other than O'Neill, make sure to check with your department to discover additional funding opportunities:

College of Arts and Sciences

Department of Spanish and Portuguese

Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies

Jacobs School of Music

Liberal Arts and Management Program

Amount of Award: $500-$4,000

Eligible students must enrolled at IU Bloomington full-time and be in any one of the following programs:

• 21st Century Scholars Program
• Groups Scholars Program
• Hudson & Holland Scholars Program
• Academic Support Center (OVPDEMA-funded tutors only)
• FASE Mentoring Program (FASE mentors only)

To be eligible, students must be in good disciplinary and academic standing and maintain academic progress toward degree completion to receive the scholarship. They should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.

Scholarships range from $500-$4,000.

Additional information is available online.

Amount of Award: Average of $1,200

The Hutton Honors College has numerous opportunities available to help students study abroad. All IU Bloomington undergraduate students are welcome to apply (you do not need to be a Hutton Honors student); however, most scholarships have a strict GPA requirement: cumulative GPA of 3.40 or major GPA of 3.70 to be eligible.

Application deadlines:

• Winter Break programs - Last Friday in October
• Spring Break programs - Last Friday in October
• Summer programs - Friday before spring break
• Fall Semester Exchanges - Friday before spring break
• Spring Semester Exchanges - Last Friday in October

Amount of Award: Up to $3,000

Awarded annually to IU sophomores or juniors who are members of the Indiana University Student Foundation, have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, have financial need, and are participating in an IU-approved, credit-bearing overseas study program as part of an educational experience for a semester, academic year, or summer study.

More Information

Amount of Award: $500

This scholarship, offered through the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, gives scholarships to fund IU-Bloomington students who are participating in service-learning courses that require international travel.

Amount of Award: Maximum of $500

The Alternative Break Grant is designed to support students in participating in a service-focused experience during their spring break, winter break, or Thanksgiving break. Applicants for this grant must have a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher or a GPA of 3.7 or higher in their major. Please direct all inquiries to hiep@iu.edu

Deadline: First Friday in February

Award Amount: Up to $5,000

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, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic competitiveness.

The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study and intern abroad programs worldwide.

Program must be at least 3 weeks in length.

Applications will not be considered for a country with a travel advisory of 3 or 4.

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.

It provides awards of $5,000 for undergraduate 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.

Deadlines vary, please see website for more information.

Award Amount: Up to $5,000

• Semester - up to $5,000
• Summer Programs - prorated by number of weeks in-country (with a minimum of $1,250)

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.

Eligibility Requirements

• U.S. citizen or permanent resident
• Currently enrolled as an undergraduate at a college or university in the U.S. (graduate students are not eligible)
• Study abroad program must be eligible for credit at the student’s home institution
• Study abroad program must be at least 4 weeks (28 days) in country/countries

Preferences: FEA gives preference to students with demonstrated financial need, and strongly encourages students to apply who represent a group that is traditionally underrepresented in education abroad. These groups include, but are not limited to:

• First-generation college students
• Minority students

To be considered for summer financial aid, you must have filed your FAFSA and meet the eligibility requirements:

• You must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours
• You must be making satisfactory academic progress.

If you’re an undergraduate student who received a less-than-full-time Pell Grant during the academic year, you may be eligible for one in the summer.

To be considered for summer financial aid, you must have filed your FAFSA and meet the eligibility requirements:

• You must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours
• You must be making satisfactory academic progress.

You may be able to borrow a Federal Direct Loan or a Federal Parent PLUS Loan unless you’ve already borrowed the maximum allowed for the academic year.

For additional information please visit Student Central.

If you aren’t eligible for scholarships / federal aid or weren’t awarded as much funding as you actually need, you or your parents might consider taking out a private student loan through a bank, credit union, or other lender. 

You should always consider federal student loans before private loans:

• Federal loans are usually much more affordable.
• Federal loans allow you to put off repaying them until after you graduate.

Before you apply for a private loan, complete your FAFSA to see if you qualify for a federal loan.

For additional information please visit Student Central.