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ISA Scholarships

The following is a list of scholarships and grants offered to students participating in one or more ISA program. Please see each scholarship description for eligibility requirements, application materials and required documents.

The Dr. Carlos E. Castañeda Memorial Scholarship and Correspondent Internship Opportunity

Born in Camargo, Mexico in 1896, Carlos E. Castañeda immigrated to the United States with his family when he was in the sixth grade. Through immersion he quickly gained fluency in English and excelled in school. Orphaned at the age of 14 Carlos became the head of the household. While caring for four sisters he continued to educate himself and eventually enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin in 1917 where he earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees.

In 1927 Dr. Castañeda returned to the University of Texas and took a position as the librarian of the Genaro García Collection. Over the next 31 years he worked to make this collection, now known as the Benson Latin American Collection, one of the world's most prestigious. An authority on early Mexican and Texan history Dr. Castañeda also became an associate professor of history.

As a testament to his early struggle and life long pursuit of academic excellence, ISA offers $45,000 annually in working scholarships to be used towards ISA programs in memory of Dr. Castañeda. The Dr. Carlos E. Castañeda Memorial Scholarship and Correspondent Internship Opportunity is both a merit and financial need-based scholarship that assists students from affiliated universities with the expenses of studying abroad. (View list of ISA-affiliated universities/colleges).

In pursuit of its goals of enhancing cultural awareness and providing students with the independence and language skills necessary for the workplace, The Dr. Carlos E. Castañeda Memorial Scholarship and Correspondent Internship Opportunity seeks to help those who may not otherwise be able to study abroad. See below for the requirements for these scholarships and/or DOWNLOAD: Application Form (PDF).

Availability

  • 10 x $2,000 for Fall Study
  • 10 x $2,000 for Winter/Spring Study
  • 2 x $2,500 for Academic Year Study

Eligibility

  • Be accepted to an ISA semester, trimester, or year program. Please note that students participating in an ISA Customized or ELAP stand-alone Program are not eligible for this scholarship.
  • Attend an ISA-affiliated university. View list of ISA-affiliated universities/colleges.
  • Be enrolled in second or third year of undergraduate Education at time of ISA program participation at an affiliated U.S. University/college that does not have rules limiting scholarship eligibility. To see if your university has rules limiting your eligibility, please check the following list.
  • Have completed at least one year of college level foreign language or the equivalent. (Courses must appear on official transcript.)
  • Be on financial aid.
  • Have at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA.

Application

Along with the scholarship application the following items are required to be considered for an award:

  • COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT(S) - One official copy from each college/university attended. The transcript submitted with the ISA program application will suffice only if it is an official transcript.
  • ESSAY - Please keep under 400 words. Essay must answer the following:
    • What are your goals for your study abroad experience (academic, personal and/or professional)?
    • What or who motivated you to study abroad?
    • Describe how you anticipate dealing with and adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings, cultural differences, and separation from family and friends?
  • RESUME - The last section(s) of your resume must describe your extracurricular activities and/or work experience.
  • LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION - Must be written by an academic reference (professor, advisor, etc.) either on or attached to the ISA letter of recommendation form.DOWNLOAD: Letter of Recommendation (PDF).
  • SUPPORTING FINANCIAL AID DOCUMENTS - You must include BOTH of the following items from the most recent term that they are available:

Deadlines and Recipient Notification

Complete applications must be postmarked by:

  • Fall/Year: April 30th
  • Winter/Spring: October 30th

Scholarship application documents and completed program applications and materials must be postmarked by these dates. Scholarship application deadlines are evaluated independently of program application deadlines and will not be extended even if the program application deadline is extended. Incomplete and/or ineligible applications will not be considered.

Recipient Notification:

Students selected for awards will be notified of their status approximately six weeks after the application deadline, and a list of awardees will be posted on the ISA website. ISA will inform the home university of the scholarship award, and the amount will be credited to the ISA student account at the time of the award. It is the student's responsibility to discuss the ISA scholarship with his/her home university and determine whether the financial aid award will be affected if the student is awarded a scholarship by ISA.

Other Information

Qualifying applicants may also apply for theISA Diversity Scholarship, but must complete a separate application. Students will only be awarded a maximum of oneISA scholarship.

Dr. Carlos E. Castañeda Memorial Scholarship recipients have the opportunity to participate in the Correspondent Internship.

Full details of the internship opportunity will be provided to scholarship recipients, but students will have the opportunity to blog, take photos, add content to the ISA Student Blog. Additionally, students may become part of the local offices abroad, based on the need of their particular ISA office.

The Michaela Farnum Memorial Scholarship

These scholarships are dedicated to the memory of Michaela Farnum, a junior at Seattle University studying international business and Spanish, who was a participant in the ISA program in Chile. Michaela was a very involved student who worked with her youth organization, as a camp counselor, as a resident assistant (RA), and as a work-study student in the International Office.

Michaela's experience was cut short when she tragically lost her life in a hiking accident in the mountains of La Campana National Park in Chile. We hope that qualifying students will be helped by this scholarship, and will do so in memory of this student who only began to realize her dream of study abroad.

The awards from this scholarship began in 2008 and $5,000 is offered annually, to be used towards ISA Summer programs. The Michaela Farnum Memorial Scholarships are both merit and financial need-based scholarships that assist students with the expenses of studying abroad during the summer terms. See below for the requirements for these scholarships and/or DOWNLOAD: Application Form (PDF).

Availability

  • 5 x $1,000 for Summer Study

Eligibility

In order to apply for these awards, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Be accepted to an ISA Summer program. Please note that students participating in an ISA Customized or ELAP stand-alone Program are not eligible for this scholarship.
  • Be enrolled in second or third year of undergraduate Education at time of ISA program participation at a U.S. University/college that does not have rules limiting scholarship eligibility. To see if your university has rules limiting your eligibility, please check the following list .
  • Have completed at least one year of college level foreign language or the equivalent. (Courses must appear on official transcript.)
  • Be on financial aid.
  • Have at least a 3.25 cumulative GPA.

Application

Along with the scholarship application the following items are required to be considered for an award:

  • COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT(S) - One official copy from each college/university attended. The transcript submitted with the ISA program application will suffice only if it is an official transcript.
  • ESSAY - Please keep under 400 words. Essay must answer the following:
    • What are your goals for your study abroad experience (academic, personal and/or professional)?
    • What or who motivated you to study abroad?
    • Describe how you anticipate dealing with and adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings, cultural differences, and separation from family and friends?
  • RESUME - The last section(s) of your resume must describe your extracurricular activities and/or work experience.
  • LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION - Must be written by an academic reference (professor, advisor, etc.) either on or attached the ISA letter of recommendation form.DOWNLOAD: Letter of Recommendation (PDF).
  • SUPPORTING FINANCIAL AID DOCUMENTS - You must include BOTH of the following items from the most recent term that they are available:

Deadlines and Recipient Notification

Complete applications must be postmarked by:

  • Summer: February 28th

Scholarship application documents and completed program applications and materials must be postmarked by these dates. Scholarship application deadlines are evaluated independently of program application deadlines and will not be extended even if the program application deadline is extended. Incomplete and/or ineligible applications will not be considered.

Recipient Notification:

Students selected for awards will be notified of their status approximately six weeks after the application deadline, and a list of awardees will be posted on the ISA website. ISA will inform the home university of the scholarship award, and the amount will be credited to the ISA student account at the time of the award. It is the student's responsibility to discuss the ISA scholarship with his/her home university and determine whether the financial aid award will be affected if the student is awarded a scholarship by ISA.

Other Information

Qualifying applicants may also apply for the ISA Diversity Scholarship, but must complete a separate application. Students will only be awarded a maximum of one ISA scholarship.

ISA Diversity Scholarships

ISA began offering this scholarship in the fall of 2008, with $10,000 in awards annually to be used towards ISA programs. The ISA Diversity Scholarships aim to encourage students of a broader cultural make-up to participate in ISA programs by offering funds to assist with the expenses of studying abroad. See below for the requirements for these scholarships and/or DOWNLOAD: Application Form (PDF).

Availability

  • 2 x $1,000 for Summer Study
  • 2 x $2,000 for Fall Study
  • 2 x $2,000 for Winter/Spring Study

Eligibility

In order to apply for these awards, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Be accepted to an ISA program. Please note that students participating in an ISA Customized or ELAP stand-alone Program are not eligible for this scholarship.
  • Be enrolled in second or third year of undergraduate Education at time of ISA program participation at a U.S. University/college that does not have rules limiting scholarship eligibility. To see if your university has rules limiting your eligibility, please check the following list .
  • Have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

Application

Along with the scholarship application the following items are required to be considered for an award:

  • COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT(S) - One official copy from each college/university attended. The transcript submitted with the ISA program application will suffice only if it is an official transcript.
  • ESSAY - Please keep under 400 words. Essay must answer the following:
    • How do you see yourself contributing to the cultural diversity of your study abroad group overseas, and how do you plan to contribute to efforts on your campus to increase the participation of diverse students in study abroad programs?
  • RESUME - The last section(s) of your resume must describe your extracurricular activities and/or work experience, and any work with study abroad programs or multicultural student organizations on campus.
  • LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION - Must be written by an academic reference (professor, advisor, etc.) either on or attached to the ISA letter of recommendation form.DOWNLOAD: Letter of Recommendation (PDF).

Deadlines and Recipient Notification

Complete applications must be postmarked by:

  • Summer: February 28th
  • Fall/Year: April 30th
  • Winter/Spring: October 30th

Scholarship application documents and completed program applications and materials must be postmarked by these dates. Scholarship application deadlines are evaluated independently of program application deadlines and will not be extended even if the program application deadline is extended. Incomplete and/or ineligible applications will not be considered.

Recipient Notification:

Students selected for awards will be notified of their status approximately six weeks after the application deadline, and a list of awardees will be posted on the ISA website. ISA will inform the home university of the scholarship award, and the amount will be credited to the ISA student account at the time of the award. It is the student's responsibility to discuss the ISA scholarship with his/her home university and determine whether the financial aid award will be affected if the student is awarded a scholarship by ISA.

Other Information

Qualifying applicants may also apply for an ISA Memorial Scholarship, but students will only be awarded a maximum of one ISA scholarship.

ISA Freeman-ASIA Supplemental Scholarship

The Freeman-Asia scholarship and ISA Supplemental Scholarship are designed to support U.S. undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study overseas in Asia. "The program's goal is to increase the number of Americans with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures." To encourage other students to study abroad the recipients must share their experiences to help carry out the program's goal of increasing understanding of Asia in the United States. DOWNLOAD: Application Form (PDF).

Availability

  • 1 x $500 for all semester terms

Eligibility

In order to apply for these awards, students must meet the following criteria:

  • Be awarded the Freeman-ASIA Scholarship. www.iie.org/Programs/Freeman-ASIA
  • Be accepted to an ISA program. Please note that students participating in an ISA customized or ELAP stand-alone program are not eligible for this scholarship.

Application

The following items must be submitted or your scholarship application will not be considered:

  • COPY OF NOMINATION EMAIL- Must be a copy of the original letter/award form presented upon receiving the Freeman-ASIA Scholarship.
  • STATEMENT- Please keep under 300 words. Must answer the following:
    • Why did you choose to study abroad in Asia with ISA?
    • How do you plan to promote a better understanding of Asia in the United States?

Deadlines

Application must be received by your ISA program start date

Sibling and Repeat Student Grants

ISA and ELAP offers grants to students who have previously participated in an ISA or ELAP program, regardless of the length of time (if any) that passes between the two programs. Please note that students participating in an ISA Customized Program are not eligible for this scholarship.

  • $100 ISA SUMMER PROGRAM GRANT - Students who enroll in an ISA SUMMER program or an ELAP stand-alone program of 4 to 10 weeks in length after having participated previously in an ISA program of any length (not including intensive month programs) will receive a $100 grant towards the latter program.
  • $100 ELAP PROGRAM GRANT - Students who enroll in an ISA or ELAP stand-alone program after having participated previously in an ELAP stand-alone program of at least 4 weeks (not including ELAP Spring Break or Sevilla 12-week Internship programs) will receive a $100 grant towards the latter program.
  • $350 ISA SEMESTER/TRIMESTER/YEAR PROGRAM GRANT - Students who participate in an ISA TRIMESTER, SEMESTER or ACADEMIC YEAR program or an ELAP stand-alone program of 12 to 16 weeks in length after having participated previously in an ISA program of any length (not including intensive month programs) get a $350 grant towards the latter program.
  • SIBLING GRANT - Students will qualify for this $200 grant if they are the sibling of a former ISA, LPI or ELAP student, or if two siblings are simultaneously attending ISA or ELAP programs. If the trips are simultaneous, one participant would receive the grant.

Disclaimer: Students who participate in an ELAP Spring Break program or an ELAP 12-week internship program in Sevilla are not eligible for a repeat student grant. Students who choose to participate in ELAP during their ISA semester or trimester program or who participate in an ELAP Add-on program are not eligible for a repeat student grant.

Kalyn Peterson Memorial Scholarship

This ELAP scholarship is being offered in the memory of Kalyn Elizabeth Peterson whose life was cut tragically short in 2010. Kalyn leaves behind a legacy of promoting diversity and putting others' needs before her own. From a young age Kalyn volunteered her time at a major hospital and was involved in several other civic organizations. Recognized for her abilities to bring about the best in others, Kalyn's talents to help others less fortunate will be memorialized through the recipient of this scholarship.

The award from this ELAP scholarship began in 2011 from $1,500 - $3,000 (depending on the amount of donations received each year in Kalyn's name) is offered annually to one recipient, to be used toward ELAP programs. The Kalyn Peterson Memorial Scholarships are financial need-based scholarships that assist students with the expenses of their ELAP program abroad. For full eligibility and application requirements and all applicable forms, please visit:

www.myelap.com/resources/kayln-peterson-memorial-scholarship