Do you want extra money to fund your world travels? Fortunately, there are countless study abroad and travel scholarships, grants, and fellowships available for those looking to travel on the low!

Kaila’s email…

Hi Maya,

The end of my senior year has been really busy with finalizing my college decision and preparing for my Senior Projects (internship). I am attending Saint Joseph’s University in the fall and have received financial aid, but it will definitely not cover all expenses….

Applying for scholarships isn’t just a means to pay for university; it’s a long-term investment.

Scholarships are absolutely empowering. The process of applying alone is a much bigger investment than we usually think. It’s clear that scholarships and other types of student funding programs provide monetary value, but they also provide other lesser known benefits.

Before I even knew about the CLS program, an Arabic student and CLS recipient on campus told me that I should apply to the program in order to supplement the Arabic curriculum that was used at Cornell. Along with encouraging me to apply, he gave his best advice and told me what he did to improve his chances of winning the scholarship.

Here’s what he told me….

I know, you’re probably wondering how in the world can students possibly “create” their own scholarships. And I promise you that I’m not presenting any gimmicks or tricks, just resourceful and effective alternative methods to fund your education. So, let’s get started.

Here are 4 methods that you can use to cover your university expenses.

Your professors and teachers aren’t as scary as they seem, I promise. In fact, your professors can be your best advocates and greatest resources when it comes to paying for your education.

I’ll tell a short story to show you.

The McNair Scholars program is amazing. It prepares students from underrepresented and underserved sectors of society to undertake academic research and thrive in graduate school. Most chapters of the McNair Scholars program even provide participating students with generous stipends, funded summer research programs, and a host of other academic resources and financial support.

Dee-1’s viral video, “Sallie Mae Back” perfectly captures the reason why providing students with the necessary knowledge, guidance, and resources for a debt-free graduation is extremely important.

It’s super easy to forget a scholarship’s mission while applying for it. We get so caught up with all of our accomplishments and our dreams of graduating debt free with money in the bank.

But, we must remember that winning a scholarship is never just about you, it’s about a greater community, a greater cause, a greater mission.

Below is an email highlighting the potential power of simply asking for more financial aid from your college or university.  After being accepted into a masters degree program at the University of Chicago, I emailed the program director and asked him if it was possible that the university could provide me with more funding. Although the institution was generous enough to award me with half tuition, I wasn’t sure if taking out a $45,000 loan for that particular program would be the best move for me. So I’d figured I’d try asking for more aid to see what happens.