Studying abroad can be costly, and to alleviate that, The University of Alabama offers many scholarship opportunities to students who are interested in saying “Roll Tide” in a far-off locale.  

“All students can complete the scholarship application for currently enrolled students,” said Mary Spiegel, executive director of undergraduate admissions. “This application is found on the student’s myBama account, under the academics tab.”

Spiegel said this application screens for scholarships for studying abroad and typically, these scholarships are awarded based on a student’s major and department. The deadline for the application was Dec. 1.

“Once you are a currently enrolled student, you are awarded by the department of the major that you are enrolled in,” Spiegel said.

Students can also apply to UA Away, a scholarship initiative created in 2010 in the division of student affairs that raises money to support students in financial need. Although it is a three-prong program, Sara Hartley, assistant to the vice president for external affairs, said one part of this is helping students study outside of the Capstone, called Study Away.

“Students travel to another country, city or university to study in their academic fields,” Hartley said. “The Study Abroad Program and the National Student Exchange Program offer these opportunities. Scholarships began being awarded last year.”

Hartley said there are fall and spring application deadlines for UA Away scholarship money and students are judged based on essay questions.

“The UA Away scholarship has two application cycles,” Hartley said. “One deadline is in the fall, for students traveling away in the spring. The second deadline is in the spring, for students traveling in the summer and fall. Students are judged primarily on the two essay components of the application. We ask them to identify the correlation between the experience and their educational and professional goals. In addition, they are asked to describe their financial need for the scholarship.”

Jessie Ashton, a junior majoring in kinesiology, received a UA Away scholarship to go to Ecuador in May 2013.

“I went abroad May 2012, and will be going again in May 2013. I didn’t receive a scholarship for the first trip, but just received the Sandee Kirby Witt UA Away Scholarship at the Greek Excellence Awards,” Ashton said. “I went through the Panhellenic Scholarships, and filled out a few short essays, recommendations and basic information.”

Ashton said she thought the application was simple and straightforward, making it easy for students to apply and receive a UA Away scholarship.

“It was simple, and completely worth it. I would do it again in a second, and really don’t know how it could be any easier,” Ashton said. “I know Capstone International is always available to help students find ways to fund their trips abroad.”

Additionally, Spiegel said students with pre-existing scholarship money to help pay for their study abroad programs.

“Students who have scholarships may use the scholarship dollars for study abroad with the approval of their college/school scholarship representative,” Spiegel said. “The first step for a student would be to meet with the Study Abroad office and determine when and what program they wish to attend and then meet with their college/school scholarship representative. Once a student has been approved by the Study Abroad office, a student can complete the study abroad form that is found under the academics page of their myBama account. Students with UA housing scholarships are not able to use their housing scholarships for study abroad.”

Hartley encourages students to look into the range of scholarship opportunities offered at the Capstone to help students afford studying abroad.