Funding

General Financial Information | Semester Scholarship Information | Additional Wake Scholarship Information | Summer Scholarship Information | Short-Term Scholarship Information | Outside Scholarships

General Financial Information

Wake Forest University is a strong believer in the study abroad experience for all of its students. In an increasingly interdependent world, there is no question that a deeper understanding of global cultures and languages will be invaluable in many aspects of students’ academic, professional, and personal lives.

How much will study abroad cost?
Program costs vary, depending on location and type of program.

If a student chooses to study on a Wake Forest program, then they will pay WFU tuition, a housing fee, and meal and program fees (if applicable). Each program page will have specific information about costs and out-of-pocket expenses.

Starting with the Fall 2022 semester, if a student chooses an Affiliate (non-WFU) semester abroad/away program, then they will pay Wake Forest tuition, with housing and meal fees (if applicable) billed directly to the student by the Affiliate program provider or host institution. For more information, see this Home School Tuition for Affiliate Programs FAQ.   

Is there financial aid available for study abroad programs during the summer?
Yes, there are limited scholarships through the Center for Global Programs and Studies and sometimes departmental funds are available through the German and Russian Departments.

Private or Direct PLUS loans are other options to cover study abroad expenses during the summer. You may have remaining Federal Direct loan eligibility available for the summer semester. You will need to complete the Summer Application for Aid in the Student Financial Aid Office if you plan to borrow loans.

Can I use my Wake Forest financial aid for study abroad?
Yes. Students participating on one of Wake Forest’s study abroad programs are awarded aid in the same way as for a semester on the Reynolda Campus. Students enrolled in WFU Study Abroad Programs are directly billed for tuition and room charges. Financial aid will be applied towards the direct charges and any excess is refunded to you.

Students enrolled on Affiliate programs will be considered enrolled at Wake Forest for the purpose of applying for aid under both Wake Forest and the federal Title IV Higher Education Act aid programs. Financial aid will be disbursed to your student account and you are responsible for making payment directly to the host institution.

An Affiliate program’s costs will vary.  The Student Financial Aid Office calculates the budget for a program by including the direct costs of Wake Forest tuition, Affiliate room & board, and the indirect costs of personal, transportation, books & supplies. Optional/incremental costs including non-standard housing charges, and visa permit fees are not considered in the budget. Please contact Student Financial Aid if you should have questions about certain non-standard costs.

For students enrolled in Affiliate programs in which the total cost of attendance is less than the total cost of attendance for a comparable semester on the Wake Forest Reynolda Campus, the financial aid is prorated to meet the need within the study abroad budget. If the cost of attendance for the affiliate program is greater than the costs for a comparable semester on the Wake Forest Reynolda Campus, Student Financial Aid cannot guarantee to meet the full demonstrated need. Wake Forest will pay the Affiliate program’s tuition up to the WFU tuition rate amount. Students who elect to go on approved Affiliate programs with a higher tuition cost will be charged the tuition differential between the program rate and the Wake Forest rate.

Student on both types of programs — WFU and Affiliate — also may be eligible for additional study abroad specific aid.

*For more information contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at 336.758.5154.

When will my financial aid be disbursed to my student account?
Financial aid proceeds will be disbursed to your account no sooner than 10 days prior to the start date of the study abroad program. Failure to complete financial aid requirements such as verification or certain loan forms, may cause a delay in the disbursement of funds.

How do external scholarships impact my financial aid award package?
Any external scholarships received must be reported to the Financial Aid Office and the Center for Global Programs and Studies. External scholarships are considered resources and will be included as part of your financial aid award package. The total financial aid, including grants, scholarships, and loans cannot exceed need or the cost of attendance for the semester abroad.

How will I be billed for my semester or year abroad?
Students who enroll in a Wake Forest study abroad program continue to pay tuition directly to Wake Forest University and are billed accordingly.

Students who choose to enroll on Affiliate abroad/away programs will pay Wake Forest tuition, with housing and meal fees (if applicable) billed directly to the student by the Affiliate program provider or host institution. Students will be responsible with paying their respective study abroad institutions directly for all non-tuition fees. 

Students who receive Wake Forest financial aid funds can request their funds by submitting the WFU Student Refund Request Form. Refund checks will not be sent to study abroad institutions on the student’s behalf. The refund will be made payable to the student. For further explanation of the student refund process and the ways in which the refund can be released to the student, please visit the Financial Services website here: http://finance.wfu.edu/sfs/student-refund. Direct deposit is the best option to secure a faster refund; students can opt to set up direct deposit via WIN.

My invoice indicates payment is due on a certain date to the host institution. However, my financial aid is scheduled to disburse on a much later date. How do I notify the host institution?
You may request a payment deferral form or a financial aid assessment form from the host institution, or you may provide the host institution’s Bursars Office or Billing Specialist with a direct contact to the WFU Student Financial Aid Office’s Study Abroad Coordinator. The form or a letter will be completed and sent directly to the host institution on your behalf.

My visa application requires that I show proof of financial means during my study abroad term, but I rely on financial aid or scholarships to have sufficient funds.  How do I acquire a visa letter to the Consulate General that proves this?
Contact the Study Abroad Coordinator in the Student Financial Aid Office in advance. The letter will be prepared and ready for pick-up or emailed directly to you upon request.

Can I pay for my study abroad program using a 529 College Savings Plan?
529 College Savings Plans vary from state to state. Therefore you should consult with your plan before you decide on your study abroad program. As a general rule, money from a 529 plan can be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment required for study at any accredited college or university in the United States and at some foreign universities.

My parent receives a tuition benefit from her employer. Can this benefit be applied towards my study abroad program?
Your parent must contact the Human Resources Benefits Specialist at the university or college for approval and to coordinate the payment of the benefit to the host institution.

Can I apply my ROTC scholarship towards study abroad programs?
Please confirm with the Wake Forest University Department of Military Science whether or not ROTC scholarships are available for study abroad programs.

Can I use my Veterans’ Education Benefits towards my study abroad program?
VA education benefits may not apply to some study abroad programs. For example, they cannot be used for affiliate programs that do not run through a U.S.-based, accredited university. Please check with the VA Certifying Official in the Financial Aid Office to determine whether or not VA education benefits may be used for your program of interest.

Semester Scholarship Information

To be considered for the study abroad scholarships awarded through the WFU Center for Global Programs and Studies, complete the form below. Students will be considered for all scholarships for which they are eligible. Scholarships are awarded based on need and/or merit, major area of study, and location of study, and . All students are encouraged to apply.

Application for Study Abroad Scholarships for SEMESTER Programs

By submitting the form above, students will be considered for the following scholarships:

• Anne Lindsay Sanford Study Abroad Scholarship
  Established by alumna Anne Lindsay Sanford, this fund provides financial support for study abroad to undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need. Preference is given to students majoring in health-oriented sciences and other science-based disciplines.  
  
• Casa Artom Fund for Italian Studies
  Scholarships are made available to one or two students each semester who will be participating in the WFU program in Venice. Well-qualified students who can demonstrate need are eligible to apply.
• David Hadley/Worrell House Scholarship Fund (London)
  Awarded on the basis of need to undergraduate students participating in the Wake Forest programs in London, England.

• Global Citizens Scholarship
  The Center for Global Programs and Studies offers the Global Citizens Scholarship for students who study abroad on approved credit-bearing programs in a Spring semester. Funding for the Global Citizens Scholarship is made available by the Provost’s Office as part of the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan. Scholarship awards will range from $1,000 to $5,000 for Wake Forest-sponsored programs and for Affiliate programs (offered through approved program providers or other universities). Students may apply for this scholarship prior to receiving official acceptance to their program.

• Hubert Humphrey Studies Abroad Scholarship: Casa Artom (Venice)
  Awarded on the basis of need and merit to undergraduate students participating in the Wake Forest programs in Venice, Italy.
• Hubert Humphrey Studies Abroad Scholarship: Flow House (Vienna)
  Awarded on the basis of need and merit to undergraduate students participating in the Wake Forest programs in Vienna, Austria.
• Hubert Humphrey Studies Abroad Scholarship: Worrell House (London)
  Awarded on the basis of need and merit to undergraduate students participating in the Wake Forest programs in London, England.
• Ivy Hixson Fund 
  Awarded on the basis of need and merit to provide assistance to undergraduate students studying in the WFU Worrell House program in London. 
• Scales International Studies Scholarship
  Established in honor of Dr. James R. Scales, this scholarship is available to students with outstanding academic ability who study abroad on an approved credit-bearing program.

• Lowell and Anne Tillett Eastern European Scholarship
  Funds given for study in Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Russia and other countries in the former Soviet Union whose culture and language are Slavic-based. Preference given to programs of two to three months in duration.

• The Hamilton Family Fund for International Studies
  Established by Margaret and Joe Hamilton, this fund provides study abroad scholarships, for students with financial need, to aid the cost of travel, incidentals, and other special expenditures unique to study abroad programs.

• WFU Study Abroad Scholarship
  Awards range from $1,000 to $2,000. To be eligible students must (1) study abroad on a WFU-sponsored program or an approved Affiliate program; (2) receive academic credit while abroad; (3) be fully enrolled; and (4) be an undergraduate while studying abroad. Students may only receive this scholarship once. Students may apply for the scholarship before being accepted to a study abroad program. The deadline to apply for Spring scholarships is around October 19. The deadline to apply for Fall scholarships ranges from February 15 to March 15. Please check with the Center for Global Programs and Studies for exact deadlines each semester. Late applications will not be accepted.

Additional Wake Forest Scholarship Information

There are additional study abroad scholarship opportunities for WFU students to consider that are not administered by the WFU Center for Global Programs and Studies. Details on how to apply for these are listed below

• Mercuri Family Scholarship for Italian Studies Fund
  Established by Rita and Michele Mercuri, this scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate student(s) studying abroad on an approved, credit-bearing program during a semester or summer session.  Recipients must have passed at least one course in Italian at Wake Forest before studying abroad, and course work while in Italy must be focused on Italian language, culture, history, arts, humanities, or sciences. For summer study, this scholarship can be used for the Genoa program only. To apply for this scholarship students will write an essay stating their reasons for wanting to study in Italy and submit it to the Italian Studies Program. For additional information please contact Corey Cantaluppi, cantalcd@wfu.edu.

• Page Acree Humanities in the Sciences Scholarship
  Funds provide scholarship support for undergraduate students who are majors in Biology, Chemistry, Health & Exercise Science, Mathematics/Computer Science, or Physics, who have career objectives in medicine or science-related fields that require human service, and who also wish to take un-required academic work in the humanities. The support is to enable the student(s) to enhance and increase their humanitarian and ethical awareness. Proposals must come from science majors who are competitive for medical school entry and who intend to study the humanities abroad. Applications are usually due in late February/early March. For more information click on the link above.

• Pro Humanitate Scholars Program (Independent Study Projects)
  These scholarships provide support for five students and faculty each year who collaborate on a community-related research project (most likely during the summer months).

• W.D. Sanders Scholarship
  Scholarships of up to $2,000 are awarded to qualified students (rising sophomores, juniors and seniors) for intensive language study in Germany or Austria. Students must have completed German 153 by the time they go abroad. Awards are given for the following, in order of priority: 1) summer language study, 2) supplemental aid for a semester or year abroad with IES, or 3) supplemental aid for junior year abroad with any other program. Applications are available in October from the German department office. The deadline for the Sanders Scholarship is the Monday after Thanksgiving break.

• William Royall Scholarship
  Established in 1991 by a gift from the family and friend’s of Dr. William Royall and his son Dr. William B. Royal, this scholarship provides an award of $500.00 for excellence in classical studies, with preference given to students who plan to travel abroad to classical sites. For more information and application forms, contact the Department of Classical Languages, Tribble Hall B6.

• MacAnderson Scholarship
  Awards of $2,000 made to students participating in programs at a European University with a foreign language component. Applications for this scholarship may be obtained from the WFU Financial Aid Office (04 Reynolda Hall).

• Lindmor Scholars Fund Scholarships
  The Lindmor Scholars Fund provides annual financial assistance to undergraduate majors and minors in the Department for the Study of Religions to participate in trips to developing nations. Examples of support include service learning trips, study abroad, and summer internships. Support from the fund may be used for travel and travel related expenses, or scholarships for tuition. Deadline for Fall is March 15. Deadline for Spring is Sept. 15. More information can be found on the Lindmor Scholars page.
  

Summer Scholarship Information

• Summer Access Scholarship
  Awards up to $5,000 for students who receive financial aid. Student must participate in a WFU Summer Program. Scholarships will be awarded on a competitive basis and are intended to make summer study abroad more accessible to WFU students. Deadline is Feb. 15. Late applications will not be accepted. For more information, contact Tyler Favale, Study Abroad Advisor: Summer & Short-Term Programs, favalet@wfu.edu.

• WFU Study Abroad Scholarship
  Awards range from $500 to $1,000 for WFU programs and up to $2,000 for WFU programs in non-traditional locations (locations other than Europe or Australia). To be eligible students must (1) study abroad on a WFU program; (2) receive academic credit while abroad; (3) be fully enrolled; and (4 )be an undergraduate while studying abroad. Students may only receive this scholarship once. Students may apply for the scholarship before being accepted to a study abroad program. The priority deadline to apply for Summer scholarships is February 15. Consideration will be given to applications received after February 15 depending on remaining funds. Applications will not be accepted after March 15. For more information, contact Tyler Favale, Study Abroad Advisor: Summer & Short-Term Programs, favalet@wfu.edu.

• Sullivan Scholarship
  The Sullivan Scholarship is awarded through the Biology department for students who intend to do a field-based summer or short term program abroad. BIO majors and minors receive priority but it is open to all majors. Most awards are from $1,000-$2,500. To apply, go here

• Mercuri Family Scholarship for Italian Studies Fund
  Established by Rita and Michele Mercuri, this scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate student(s) studying abroad on an approved, credit-bearing program during a semester or summer session.  Recipients must have passed at least one course in Italian at Wake Forest before studying abroad, and course work while in Italy must be focused on Italian language, culture, history, arts, humanities, or sciences. For summer study, this scholarship can be used for the Genoa program only. To apply for this scholarship students will write an essay stating their reasons for wanting to study in Italy and submit it to the Italian Studies Program. For additional information please contact Corey Cantaluppi  cantalcd@wfu.edu.

• W.D. Sanders Scholarship
  Scholarships of up to $2,000 are awarded to qualified students (rising sophomores, juniors and seniors) for intensive language study in Germany or Austria. Students must have completed German 153 by the time they go abroad. Awards are given for the following, in order of priority: 1) summer language study, 2) supplemental aid for a semester or year abroad with IES, or 3) supplemental aid for junior year abroad with any other program. Applications are available in October from the German department office. The deadline for the Sanders Scholarship is the Monday after Thanksgiving break.

• MacAnderson Scholarship
  Awards of up to $2,000 made to students participating in programs at a European University with a foreign language component. Applications for this scholarship may be obtained from the WFU Financial Aid Office (04 Reynolda Hall).

• Page Acree Humanities in the Sciences Scholarship
  Funds provide scholarship support for undergraduate students who are majors in Biology, Chemistry, Health & Exercise Science, Mathematics/Computer Science, or Physics, who have career objectives in medicine or science-related fields that require human service, and who also wish to take un-required academic work in the humanities. The support is to enable the student(s) to enhance and increase their humanitarian and ethical awareness. Proposals must come from science majors who are competitive for medical school entry and who intend to study the humanities abroad. Applications are usually due in late February/early March. For more information click here.

• Lindmor Scholars Fund Scholarships
  The Lindmor Scholars Fund provides annual financial assistance to undergraduate majors and minors in the Department for the Study of Religions to participate in trips to developing nations. Examples of support include service learning trips, study abroad, and summer internships. Support from the fund may be used for travel and travel related expenses, or scholarships for tuition. Additional information can be found on the Lindmore Scholars page. 

Short-Term Scholarship Information

Center for Global Programs Short-Term Program Scholarship,

Outside Scholarships and Post-Graduate Opportunities

• AASAP/UK Lord Acton Memorial Scholarship (semester)
  The Lord Acton Memorial Scholarship will provide a deserving study abroad student with financial support to pursue academic study in the United Kingdom. The £1,000 merit-based scholarship will be awarded to the applicant who demonstrates an understanding and appreciation of the value of an international educational experience and who agrees to share with AASAP/UK members the ways in which the scholarship has helped to fulfill academic and personal ambitions.
• Boren Scholarship (NSEP) (semester & STEM students in summer)
  These scholarships are available to students who study in critical world areas such as Africa, Asia (China and Japan), Eastern and Central Europe, Latin and South America and the Middle East. There must be a strong language component in the student’s program. Science, political science, history, business and economics majors are especially encouraged to apply. Awards may be as large as $8,000 for a semester. Interested students should contact the Center for Global Programs and Studies at (336) 758-5938. https://www.borenawards.org/
• Bridging Scholarships (semester)
  The Bridging Project offers scholarships to American undergraduate students participating in study abroad programs in Japan and majoring in any field of study. Recipients will receive stipends of $2,500 or $4,000, depending on the length of their study abroad program in Japan. Funding is made possible from private foundations and major U.S. corporations through donations to the nonprofit US-Japan Bridging Foundation. Applications are accepted twice a year for Bridging Scholarships. Information on the Bridging Scholarships and downloadable application forms are available: http://www.aatj.org/studyabroad/japan-bridging-scholarships.
• Critical Language Scholarship Program (summer)
  The United States Department of State offers scholarships for overseas intensive summer language institutes in thirteen critical need foreign languages. CLS institutes provide fully-funded group-based intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences for seven to ten weeks for U.S. citizen undergraduate and graduate students. Students may apply for one language, and will be placed at institute sites based on language evaluations after selection. Languages offered: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, and Urdu. http://www.clscholarship.org/
• Diverse International Women of Color Scholarship (Summer)    This scholarship is designed to assist women of color who are exceptional in their studies and need financial assistance to study abroad. DIWC will award (5) $500 scholarships to women of color who have been accepted to summer study abroad programs. The 2021 Application Deadline is May 1. For more information and to apply, visit https://diwcfund.org/diwc-scholarship/.
• Diversity Abroad (semester & summer)
  Browse the Diversity Abroad scholarship database here.
• Fund for Education Abroad (semester & summer)
  FEA is expanding access to study abroad by raising awareness of its benefits to the individual and value to the collective, and by granting scholarships of up to $10,000.  Applicants from groups underrepresented in study abroad and those destined for non-traditional locations are given preference, in an effort to make the demographics of U.S. undergraduates studying abroad reflect the rich diversity of the U.S. population. Scholarships are considered for both semester and summer programs that include at least 4 weeks of study. For more information, please visit: fundforeducationabroad.org/applicants/.
• Gilman Scholarship Programs (semester & summer)
  Founded under the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000, this congressionally-funded program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and administered by the Institute of International Education. The program aims to encourage students to choose nontraditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe and Australia and aims to support students who have been traditionally underrepresented in study abroad. This includes but is not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in underrepresented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, students with disabilities, and students of nontraditional age. The Gilman Scholarship provides awards of up to $5,000 for U.S. citizen undergraduate students at two- and four-year institutions to pursue country-based undergraduate opportunities abroad of up to one academic year. To be eligible students must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application and cannot be studying abroad in a country currently under a U.S. Department of State Travel Warning or in Cuba. For more information, full eligibility criteria and the online application please access the Gilman Program website.
• IIE Freeman-ASIA (semester & summer)
  Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. Please refer to the program website in early January for further updates: www.iie.org/freeman-ASIA.
• June Jordan Joy Fund
  This fund is open to all Black women who have been accepted to a study abroad program and is focused on expanding access to women who normally wouldn’t have access to the funds necessary to undertake joyous experiences while abroad. As such, commuter students, non-traditional students, and students with a GPA under 3.0 are especially encouraged to apply. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.junejordanjoy.com/
• Richter Scholarship
  Scholarships of up to $6,000 are available for competitive independent study or research projects, requiring travel away from Winston-Salem, for undergraduate and graduate students. International projects are especially encouraged. Each student will be required to have a faculty mentor for the project. Copies of the final reports/artistic presentation will be forwarded to the Trustees for the Richter Funds. For more information go here here https://ureca.wfu.edu/student-resources/richter.
• Turkish Coalition of America (semester & summer)
  Turkish Coalition of American (TCA), a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that aims to foster a better understanding of U.S.-Turkey relations and Turkish Americans here in the U.S. Eligible students will receive between $500 and $2,000. Since 2007, these scholarships have subsidized the cost of study abroad for students who are traditionally underrepresented in study abroad programs. Applications are considered on a rolling basis for eligible students attending study abroad programs of any length of time in Turkey, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, please visit the following link: http://tc-america.org/scholarships/minority.htm.
• Other Resources
  For information about postgraduate scholarships and fellowships, please use the following link: www.wfu.edu/scholars.
  For additional resources, please refer to the Study Abroad Funding Directory at: www.StudyAbroadFunding.org.