Study Abroad Scholarship
Over the past five decades, World Affairs’ one-of-a-kind education programs have inspired and equipped close to 10,000 young people to be global citizens. Students meet with leading experts, work with local nonprofits, explore international careers and study abroad, as they strengthen their leadership skills, civic engagement and geopolitical awareness.
Join our youth-centered civic and leadership programs.
Applications for Summer 2024 scholarships are now closed.
Ready to broaden your horizons? Immerse yourself in a different culture? Form life-long ties with people on the other side of the globe? World Affairs can help make this happen. Every year, we offer study-abroad scholarships to high school sophomores and juniors from Northern California so they can join one of The Experiment in International Living’s renowned summer programs.
These intercultural exchange experiences include homestays, language, arts, community service and ecological (or even culinary!) adventures. You’ll come back with new perspectives, lasting friendships and deep cross-cultural understanding.
Destinations may vary from year to year, but past awardees have traveled to Vietnam, Spain, South Africa, Jordan, the United Kingdom and Tanzania.
Each scholarship covers the cost of domestic and international flights, as well as passport fees. Check out the recording from an informational webinar we held in December with parents and students where we covered all things in detail about applying for the scholarship and the programs.
Biodiversity in Costa Rica. Cooking in France. Public Health in India. These are just some of the life-changing journeys our scholarship recipients have experienced. Sound like a dream come true? Dream no more. And read on (carefully) …
Scholarship recipients need to…
- …be flexible about program placement.
- …demonstrate financial need.
- …be mature, open-minded and ready to embrace a new culture.
- …be up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations.
- …come to The Experiment’s pre-departure spring orientation in Daly City, California or online.
- …come to our fall Welcome Back Night, in Daly City or online.
- …write a post-program review and a reflection essay that we will share with our donors.
Scholarship recipients and their families pay for…
- …all necessary immunizations.
- …personal spending money during the program.
Application Nuts and Bolts
Step 1: Apply
- Fill out The Experiment’s online application for admission and financial aid.
- On the first page of the application for admission, choose “yes” for the question “Were you nominated to apply by your sponsoring organization, mentoring organization or sending high school?” Then, select “World Affairs Council of Northern California” from the “ELI Partner Organization/School” drop-down menu.
Application Nuts and Bolts
Step 2: Get a Passport
- U.S. Citizens: Do you have a passport valid through February 28, 2025? If not, visit Travel.State.Gov to apply for or renew your passport ASAP. Do not wait! Passport processing currently takes up to nine weeks, so please apply by January 22, 2024. Refer to The Experiment’s FAQ page for more information at https://www.experiment.org/apply/.
- Non-U.S. Citizens: Do you have a passport valid through February 28, 2025? If not, please check with your nearest consulate for more information.
Application Nuts and Bolts
Step 3: Submit Confirmation Materials
The following forms will be provided by The Experiment and must be submitted as part of their application process two weeks before the start of the program:
- Conditions of participation forms
- Health forms
- Electronic color copy of your signed passport
- Acknowledgment of risk form
- COVID-19 Vaccination Card Copy: May 1, 2024
