High School Study Abroad Scholarships

SUMMER '23 APPLICATIONS CLOSED. STAY TUNED FOR SUMMER '24!

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The Colosseum in Rome, Italy
High School Summer Abroad students at the airport

Today’s interconnected world requires a range of global competencies—with intercultural awareness and communication skills at the top of the list. That’s why CIEE’s high school summer abroad programs focus on language proficiency, local interactions, and intentional reflection in countries all over the world. 

We seek to provide life-changing study abroad experiences to as many motivated high school students as possible. It’s a critical part of our overall mission: to encourage and prepare students to connect and communicate across cultures, and make a positive impact on society, both globally and locally. 

Start Your Scholarship Application Today!

City Skyline of Tokyo, Japan

Global Navigator Scholarships

That’s where Global Navigator Scholarships, the largest study abroad scholarship fund for high school students in the U.S., come in.   

Our high school study abroad scholarships make study abroad opportunities more accessible to more students, which in turn magnifies the positive impact on our world.  

These selective scholarships are a prestigious honor that can help you stand out on your college applications, résumés for career opportunities, and other experiences to come. 

High School Summer Abroad students on an excursion in Copenhagen

What Types of High School Scholarships Can You Apply To?

There are two types of Global Navigator scholarships available: 

  • Academic Merit Only scholarships cover 10% of tuition costs (this is the price listed on every high school summer abroad program page of our website). You don’t need to submit financial information in the application. 

  • Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarships cover 20% to 100% of tuition costs. You must submit financial information in the application. 

Applying for a Scholarship

Who can apply?

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Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarship: Any current freshman, sophomore, or junior who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident may apply. Students may submit a new application each year if they have declined Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarship awards from previous years within the accept/decline window. Students who confirmed travel and cancelled later or who failed to communicate their accept/decline decision within that window are not eligible to apply.  

Students who have traveled on an Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarship in previous years are not eligible for the scholarship again. However, they are still eligible for an Academic Merit Only scholarship and an alumni discount. 
 
Academic Merit Only scholarship:
All high school students may apply.  

HOW DO I APPLY?

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1. Click “Apply” or “Apply Now” on any of our high school summer abroad program pages 

2. Once you create an account or log in and start an application, you will be asked: “Do you want to apply for a scholarship?” Select the type of scholarship you’re interested in (Academic Merit + Financial Need or Academic Merit Only).  

3. The application will be slightly different when you apply for an Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarship than when you apply for an Academic Merit Only scholarship. For the Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarship, you will select your top three choices for programs (you must include at least 1 Language & Culture program). For the Merit Only scholarship, you will apply directly to your top choice program. 

Note: When you apply for an Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarship, we will do our best to award you a scholarship for one of your top choices. However, if program spots have been filled, you may be awarded a scholarship for another program. 

WHAT INFORMATION OR DOCUMENTS WILL I NEED TO PROVIDE?

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During the application process, you will need to provide the following: 

For Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarships, you will need to provide additional documents: 

  • Proof of your U.S. citizenship or permanent residency 
  • A copy of your legal guardian(s)’s most recent 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return form. You will need to enter some key data points from the 1040 in the application. 

WHAT DO SCHOLARSHIPS COVER?

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High school scholarships to study abroad aim to make the cost of studying abroad with CIEE more affordable. CIEE awards millions in scholarship awards each year to help cover the program tuition (this is the price listed on every high school summer abroad program page of our website).  

The program tuition includes your:  

  • Classes 
  • Housing 
  • 3 meals/day 
  • Ground transportation (once in-country) 
  • Access to local phone and WIFI  
  • Excursions and cultural activities 
  • Travel medical protection 
  • 24/7 on-site support 
  • and more 

Note: Scholarship money cannot cover the cost of airfare to and from the country, passport or visa fees, or personal spending money. To make your study abroad experience even more affordable, see our fundraising section. 

WHICH PROGRAMS OFFER SCHOLARSHIPS?

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All our CIEE Global Navigator High School Summer Abroad programs offer scholarships. Our Multi-Destination program "Global Entrepreneurship & Innovation in Europe" only offers Merit Only scholarships.

WHICH SCHOLARSHIP SHOULD I APPLY FOR?

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If you need financial aid to be able to participate on program and can meet the eligibility requirements, you should apply for the Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarship. 

If you don’t have a financial need or you have received an Academic Merit + Financial scholarship in the past, you should apply for the Academic Merit Only scholarship. 

WHAT IS THE SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINE?

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March 1, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EST 
 
If you are applying for an Academic Merit Only scholarship award and decide you want to go on a program, with or without financial aid, you may contact us so that we can fast track your acceptance and reserve your spot on program. Programs fill up as the deadline approaches. 
 
If you have any questions, please contact your school or email CIEE at hsabroad@ciee.org. 

HOW ARE SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS EVALUATED?

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All scholarships are competitive. Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarships are based on a combination of the level of need, merit, and passion for our programs. Your transcript, GPA, a teacher recommendation, and the quality of your application are factors in judging merit. 

Academic Merit Only scholarships are based on your transcript, GPA, a teacher recommendation, and the quality of your application.   

WHO CAN I ASK TO COMPLETE MY TEACHER RECOMMENDATION?

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You must ask for a recommendation from any teacher who has had you in class for at least six months and is not related to you. You can choose any teacher from any subject. They don’t have to teach the language/subject of the high school summer program you’re interested in. Choose the teacher that knows you best. 

Note: It will be your responsibility to make sure your teacher receives the recommendation form (we will send it by email) and completes it by the scholarship deadline. 

WHEN WILL I KNOW IF I RECEIVED A SCHOLARSHIP?

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Academic Merit + Financial Need scholarship announcements will go out the week of March 20. You will have 10 days after announcements go out to accept or decline the award. 

Academic Merit Only scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis, typically within two weeks of submitting the application. 

WHAT IF I DO NOT RECEIVE A SCHOLARSHIP?

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If you do not receive a scholarship but you still want to travel with us, give us a call at 1-866-583-0332. We can talk about program availability and the process of traveling without a scholarship.  

If you are unable to travel without a scholarship, we encourage you to apply again next year if you are still eligible

ARE THERE RESOURCES TO HELP ME COMPLETE MY SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION?

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We have a few resources that can help you get through the entire application process.  

  • Visit our Application Support page for step-by-step instructions on completing your application. 
  • Join weekly Virtual Presentations to connect with our team as we walk you and other high school students through our programs and application process. 
  • Check out our Scholarship FAQs. It’s a useful and printable resource that goes more in depth into scholarship eligibility requirements and the overall process. 
Students in Rome writing in class

Additional Costs

  • Scholarship money cannot be applied to your airfare to and from the country, your passport or visa fees (if required), or your personal spending money. Check out airfare prices before applying to a specific program. This will help you and your legal guardian make the best choices based on your budget. For example, a flight to Mexico or the Dominican Republic can be half the price of flying to Spain! 
  • You will be responsible for paying the cost of program tuition that is not covered by your scholarship. 
  • For fundraising advice, see our fundraising section

Get Started

Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:
  • 2

    Start an application and select the scholarship you want to apply for (Academic Merit + Financial Need or Academic Merit Only).

    Apply Now
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    Complete all your application tasks and wait to hear back from us about your award!

Still Have Questions?

We’re here to help! Call our team at 1-866-583-0332 or send us an email at hsabroad@ciee.org today. 

Want to schedule a call with a CIEE Enrollment Coordinator in your area? Find a time that works for you on our bookings page

What Students Are Saying

  • “Because of the great scholarship opportunities given by CIEE, I would recommend high school summer abroad programs to my low-income peers who don’t believe that study abroad is possible for them.” 

    Ruhi S. | Global Navigator Alum | Spanish Language & Culture in Seville, Spain
  • “CIEE helped me achieve one of my lifelong goals of traveling to Paris. I would have never been able to afford the trip out on my own, but CIEE helped me get a scholarship!” 

    Lorena C. | Global Navigator Alum | French Language & Culture in Paris, France
  • “CIEE gives out a lot of scholarships, so if you can’t afford to go, you're very likely to get the money to make it possible. The high school summer abroad programs are really great and an amazing opportunity to study abroad.” 

    Josef S. | Global Navigator Alum | French Language & Culture in Toulouse, France
  • “As someone who received a scholarship and someone from a family who struggles financially, it was more than worth it!” 

    Hala A. | Global Navigator Alum | Leadership & Service in Youth Development in Mohammedia, Morocco

GOOD TO REMEMBER!

  • Your scholarship award is applied directly to your account and goes toward your CIEE high school summer abroad program tuition for a single summer session. 
  • Students who have received a Global Navigator Scholarship for a previous summer are not eligible to apply. 
  • Scholarship decisions are awarded to a specific program and session and decisions are final. 
  • Scholarships are not transferable to another program or session.
  • For general program information and to view our program terms and conditions, check out our High School Summer Abroad FAQs