For students who might need financial assistance to study abroad, there is currently $70,000 available in study abroad Foundation Scholarships for which students can apply.
Each year, hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships are available to Truman State University students through Foundation Scholarships. These scholarships are open to students each semester, and though applications for the general Foundation Scholarships closed Nov. 3, applications for study abroad Foundation Scholarships are now open.
Becky Pike, manager of Foundation Scholarships, said individual scholarships have different criteria students must meet to apply for them. Any full-time student can apply, as long as they fit the criteria for the scholarship they’re applying for.
Many study abroad scholarships are based on financial need, which requires students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Foundation Scholarships are made available by donations from Truman alumni and other donors. Pike said there are more than 500 Foundation Scholarships available and they are intended for a diverse range of students. The criteria for each scholarship is created by its donors. Scholarship recipients are chosen by a committee made up of faculty and staff.
“Some scholarships are renewable, some are for study abroad and some are given to students in emergency situations,” Pike said. “But the majority are advertised for current students in October and February.”
Pike said while the criteria set by the donors makes the scholarship distinct, such as a scholarship that can only go to students who have graduated from a particular high school, the Office of Advancement has the responsibility to ensure the criteria is not too restrictive and can annually be met.
The Foundation Scholarship program awarded more than $1 million to students for the 2017 fiscal year.
“A lot of our donors really want to see students have the opportunities to do some amazing things,” Pike said. “Especially those students for which it is something their family might not be able support.”
To apply for a Foundation Scholarship, students can follow the Foundation Scholarship Application link under the Student Finances Tab on TruView.