California State University study abroad programs offer students a rich global education, helping them develop strong intercultural communication and language skills and benefiting their future careers. To provide greater access to these opportunities, the CSU has awarded scholarships to more than a dozen students from across the university for the 2022-23 school year as part of its biannual CSU International Programs (CSU IP) scholarship program.
The CSU offers one of the most affordable study abroad programs in the nation. Students enrolled in CSU IP programs pay the same systemwide tuition fee, which is $5,742 per academic year for full-time undergraduate students, and minimal campus and program fees.
While CSU financial aid, scholarships, fee waivers and loans apply to study abroad programs, CSU IP provides additional scholarships to help students pay for travel expenses, housing, dining and extracurricular activities. This is especially important for first-generation, Pell-eligible students who are less likely to be able to afford the extra costs.
“I wouldn't have been able to study abroad if it weren't for receiving
CSUN student Kobby Tran scholarships or the support I got from my study abroad advisor," says Kobby Tran, a third-year California State University, Northridge student majoring in Asian American studies and Japanese.
Tran, who transferred to CSUN this semester from CSU Channel Islands, was awarded a Lyman G. Chaffee Scholarship and will spend the 2022-23 school year studying at Waseda University in Shinjuku, Tokyo. He says being awarded the scholarship means he will have the opportunity to explore the country he has admired for so long, meet new people and strengthen his Japanese language skills.
Fourth-year Chico State University student Humberto Partida says he chose to study abroad with CSU IP because of its affordability. Receiving a CSU IP Scholarship helped him pay for his travel expenses and lodging while he studies at the CSU Florence Center in Italy, one of several CSU IP Study Centers where courses are taught in English by local faculty.
“This experience is so meaningful to me because I am doing something that neither my parents nor anyone in my family has done," Partida says. “As a Catholic, I am also grateful to be able to learn about the rich history and traditions of my faith and explore the many beautiful churches."
In his short time abroad, Partida—a political science and international relations major with a European and international studies minor—has already completed an intensive Italian language course, visited several other cities in Italy and made friends with other international students and locals alike.
CSU IP makes available six types of scholarships, most of which require applicants to demonstrate a high financial need and some that are made possible through the generosity of former CSU IP participants:
- CSU IP Ghana Scholarship
- CSU IP Language and Culture Scholarship
- CSU IP Scholarship
- Lyman G. Chaffee Scholarship
- Michelle Marriot Study in France Memorial Scholarship
- Ward Wallach Memorial International Scholarship
“Awarding these scholarships enables more first-generation, Pell-eligible students from underserved backgrounds to experience the significant impact studying abroad can have on their lives and their future careers," says CSU IP Director Jaishankar Raman, Ph.D.
CSU IP has been providing study abroad opportunities since 1963, serving more than 500 students each year. Participants earn resident academic credit at their respective university while they pursue full-time, yearlong study at a host university or special study center abroad. To date, nearly 25,000 students have studied abroad through the CSU IP.
The program serves the needs of students in more than 100 designated academic majors and has affiliations with more than 60 recognized universities and institutions of higher education in 18 countries, offering a wide selection of study locales and learning environments.
The
CSU IP scholarship application for the spring 2023 term is now open. Visit the
CSU IP website to learn more about study abroad opportunities and scholarships.