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How to Get Travel Scholarships to Explore the World for Less

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I’ll never forget the day my newly minted middle schooler announced she and a friend hatched a plan during lunch in the school cafeteria to travel the world together. “When we’re in college, we’re going meet and travel together,” Emily confidently told me as she rattled off a list of countries that were on their bucket list. Even though we still have a few years until Emily heads off to college, I love that she wants to explore the world especially since I know travel scholarships exist to help her extend her learning beyond the classroom and make a difference in the world.

Since attending the White House Summit for Study Abroad and Global Citizenship, I’ve learned about the wealth of funding options that exist for students interested in studying abroad during their college years and beyond. Hosteling International USA (HI USA) is one of the organizations I met whose programs promote global citizenship and make it easy to see the world.

travel scholarships

Explore the World Travel Scholarships

Since HI USA believes travel should be as much about making a difference in the world as it is about seeing it, they’ve created Explore the World Travel Scholarships to help 18-30 year olds finance their international trip that includes an educational or service component. This year year HI USA expects to award 86+ scholarships to would-be travelers around the country.

This is the fourth year of HI USA providing Explore the World Travel Scholarships. Last year 104 scholarships were awarded to young people across the U.S. so they could learn Arabic in Jordan, volunteer in India and Vietnam, teach math in the Dominican Republic, or board a plane for the very first time to study abroad in Europe. HI USA reports scholarship recipients returned home from their travels with a profound sense of intercultural appreciation and a renewed dedication to spreading the word about travel and tolerance at home.

travel scholarships

Tianna, a 23-year-old from New York City traveled abroad for the first time in her life, teaching and volunteering at a daycare center near Cape Town, South Africa. The above pictures provide a glimpse into her experience and read about what past recipients accomplished thanks to Explore the World funds.

Who is Eligible for Explore the World Travel Scholarships?

The HI USA Explore the World Program Details section has detailed information about the eligibility requirements, application process, and program requirements. Here’s a quick look at the eligibility requirements:

  • Must be 18-30, with financial need, and live or go to school inone of 14 metro areas
  • Should have an educational or service trip already in mind but cost is getting in the way
  • Application deadline is March 2, 2019

More details on eligibility can be found at www.hiusa.org/travel-scholarships.

Sending your child to another country to study abroad may feel terrifying from a parent perspective but there’s no better way to become a global citizen than experiencing different countries and cultures around the world. My advice is to start traveling, even locally.  I’ve written about the value of local and international travel as ways to build your child’s confidence and thinking as a global citizen so they will be ready to study abroad when they’re older:

Looking for inspiration for family trips? Read my family travel posts:

HI USA is a nonprofit organization with a purpose to create a more tolerant world. I love they believe everyone should be able to experience the transformative power of travel, regardless of socioeconomic status. No compensation was received for this post.

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