MSU Office of Study Abroad Scholarships
MSU undergraduate students applying to any credit-bearing study abroad program are eligible for Office of Study Abroad (OSA) Scholarships. MSU graduate students applying to join a credit-bearing group program abroad are also eligible; however, graduate students pursuing individual or independent research abroad are not. A special award is reserved for MSU medical students participating in a College of Human Medicine or College of Osteopathic Medicine study abroad experience.
Some scholarships are based exclusively on academic performance; others are based on a combination of academic performance and financial need. Some scholarships have additional requirements.
You need only submit one application in order to be considered for all the OSA scholarships for which you are eligible. You may receive more than one award.
All awards are very competitive! Approximately 30% of students who apply for the OSA scholarships will receive an award.
LISTEN TO SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS: This video celebrates the commitment of the MSU Federal Credit Union, who funds the university's largest study abroad scholarship program.
Available Scholarships
Awards based on ACADEMIC MERIT ONLY
If you have an overall GPA of 3.5 or better, you may be eligible for the Charles and Marjorie Gliozzo Merit Scholarship or the Office of Study Abroad Academic Excellence Awards. Merit-only awards are among OSA's most competitive; most awardees have a GPA of 3.75 or above. However, a high GPA does not guarantee an award. The quality of the required essay is crucial. Your application for merit-only awards must include a 600-word essay describing how study abroad will help you reach your academic and personal goals. Your essay will be scored on both its content and the quality of writing. (Important: Do not exceed the 600-word limit.) No FAFSA is needed for these awards.
Advice for merit-only applicants
All scholarships are highly competitive, but competition for merit-only awards is particularly intense because they constitute only 25% of all scholarships available.
Though the minimum overall GPA to be eligible is 3.5, it is unusual for a student with a GPA under 3.7 to win a merit-only award. On the other hand, a high GPA does not guarantee an award.
The quality of your essay is crucial. Because many merit-only applicants have a GPA of 3.8 or higher, it is important to compose your essay very carefully.
- Remember to focus your essay on how study abroad will help you meet your personal and academic goals.
- Do not exceed the essay length limit. Evaluators will stop reading your essay after 600 words.
- Shorter, more carefully crafted essays often receive the highest scores, so make every word count. Avoid unnecessary flourishes and remember to stay on topic.
- Have someone review your essay before you submit it.
See sample essays from recent awardees here.
NOTE: Merit-based scholarships are not available for the Freshman Seminar or Spring Break scholarship rounds.
Awards based on FINANCIAL NEED and ACADEMIC MERIT
If you have an overall GPA of 2.5 or better and a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file with the MSU Office of Financial Aid* you may be eligible for one or more of the following. No essay is required for these awards.
MSU Federal Credit Union Scholarships (MSUFCU)
- MSUFCU's generosity makes these one of the largest awards available from OSA.
Forest Akers Scholarship
- For students with high "financial need", but not eligible for Pell grants.
MSU Alumni Association Scholarship
Eleanor and Charles Greenleaf, Sr. Scholarship
Office of Study Abroad Need and Merit Awards
Georges Jules Joyaux Memorial Fund Scholarships
- For undergraduates spending at least four (4) weeks in a French-speaking country. First-time participants in study abroad, juniors and seniors preferred.
Brigitte and Thomas Huff Scholarship
- For study in Germany. Permanent residents of Kalamazoo County preferred.
Kellogg Foundation Scholarship
- For majors in Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Eli Broad College of Business.
The Carol Welch Endowed Scholarship
- For Michigan residents and residents of Brooklyn preferred.
Medical Study Abroad Scholarship
- For College of Human Medicine or College of Osteopathic Medicine Students.
The Martha and Keith Peters Scholarship
- For students participating in the German Language and Culture in Mayen, Germany program.
Office of Study Abroad (OSA) Freshman Seminar Abroad Scholarship
- For participants in the Freshman Seminars Abroad.
Award Amounts
| Spring break programs | $250 |
| Freshman Seminar programs | $250 |
| Summer or winter break programs (2-12 weeks) | $250-$1,000 |
| Semester programs (13-20 weeks) | $500-$1,500 | Academic year programs (more than 20 weeks) | $500-$1,750 |
Awards and scholarship amounts may vary depending on funding availability.
Application Process
In order to apply for an MSU OSA Scholarship you must first submit a program application. You will see a link for the scholarship application on your "My Study Abroad" checklist once you have submitted your online program application. In order to be considered for OSA scholarships, follow the link, where you may submit an essay for merit scholarships if you have a 3.5 GPA or better, after which you will need to check the appropriate boxes in the Agreements section before hitting the submit button.
To be considered, submit your application before the deadline (see below) corresponding to your program. You must submit a separate scholarship application for each program to which you apply.
If you withdraw from a program, for any reason (voluntary or involuntary), any award you may have won will be revoked. If your award is revoked after funds have been disbursed to you, you will be billed for the award amount through your MSU student account.
Deadlines
| Spring Break (need-based awards only) | January 15* |
| Summer, Fall Semester or Academic-Year | March 1* |
| Freshman Seimnars Abroad (need-based awards only) | June 7* |
| Winter Break and Spring Semester | October 15* |
*If the deadline falls on a weekend, applications must be submitted the working day after the deadline.
Testimonial Requirement
All scholarship recipients will be required to submit a written testimonial and 2-3 photos showcasing your experience abroad. Details about this requirement can be found here.
Acknowledgements
The Office of Study Abroad thanks the following generous donors for making special awards possible so more students will be able to reap the many academic, personal, and professional benefits study abroad experiences provide.
The MSU Federal Credit Union
The National Board of the MSU Alumni Association
The Australia-Pacific Council
The Forest Akers Endowment
Charles and Marjorie Gliozzo
The Eleanor and Charles Greenleaf Sr. Endowment Fund
Thomas and Brigitte Huff Scholarship
Dr. Georges Joyaux Memorial Fund Scholarship
The Kellogg Foundation
Ms. Laura Mandziuk - The Land Down Under Scholarship
Ms. Carol Welch
The Office of Study Abroad administers the Office of Study Abroad Academic Excellence Awards, the Office of Study Abroad Need and Merit Awards, and the Overseas Study Endowment Fund.
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