International architecture

International and Intercultural Programs

OIP Suite
Batten Center 22
Phone 757.455.3279

Scholarships

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program

The Gilman Scholarship Program, sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and administered by the Institute of International Education (IIE), lowers barriers to undergraduate study abroad by providing awards of up to $5,000 to undergraduates demonstrating financial need.

Due to the high level of interest in the program, and because of the program's focus on students with financial need, the current cycle of competition is open only to students receiving federal Pell Grant funding at the time of application.

To be eligible for a Gilman International Scholarship, an applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

  1. The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of their study abroad.
  2. The applicant is applying to or has been accepted into a study abroad program eligible for credit by the student's accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.
  3. The applicant is studying abroad for at least 4 weeks in one country. Programs going to more than one country are eligible if the student will be studying in one country for at least 4 weeks.
  4. The applicant is studying abroad in any country except Cuba or a country on the State Department's current Travel Warning list.
  5. The applicant is studying in the fall, spring, or academic year terms including winter inter-sessions. Summer only programs are not eligible.

Additionally, Gilman Scholarship recipients will be expected to comply with the Fly America Act, which stipulates that recipients of federal funds fly on US Flagged Carriers. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of the Gilman web site for more information.

Application materials and instructions must be downloaded from the Web and are available online at the Institute of International Education web site. Before applying for the Gilman Scholarship, students should visit the Office of International and Intercultural Programs in Blocker Hall 20. Because program acceptance is required prior to applying, it is important that students visit the OIP early in the semester to research possible study abroad programs for which to apply.

The English-Speaking Union Scholarship (Summer Program)

This year, the Richmond Branch of the English-Speaking Union will again award a scholarship to a Virginia undergraduate student for summer study at the University of Oxford, the International Shakespeare Globe Centre in London, or the Scottish Universities International Summer School in Edinburgh.

Candidates from Virginia Wesleyan College must be nominated for this scholarship and the scholarship will be awarded on the basis of academic performance, scholarly or extracurricular accomplishments, and quality of character. Jacob White, last year's nominee, was awarded an ESU scholarship for summer 2006. “The scholarship made my study abroad experience possible," White said. "I was able to make connections with students from around the world and experience life at Oxford. It was a pleasure working with Dr. Loring and other faculty members when preparing my application. After the mock interview I felt well-prepared and was relaxed and at ease during the actual interview.”

Students interested in this program must contact Dr. Kate Loring for further information (kloring@vwc.edu). The deadline for application is not available for 2008. Please contact The Office of International and Intercultural Programs (oip@vwc.edu) or visit the ESU website to learn more at http://www.esuus.org/Scholarships_Exchanges.htm.

This program, administered by the English-Speaking Union of the United States in conjunction with the participating British institutions, provides an exceptional opportunity for teachers and rising college seniors to attend summer study programs in either of three locations: the Globe Theater in London, which offers Teaching Shakespeare in Performance; the University of Oxford, which offers English Literature courses as well as courses in History, Politics and Society; and the University of Edinburgh, which offers Literature in Twentieth Century Britain. The Richmond Branch of the ESU endeavors to provide funds sufficient to cover the costs of tuition and transportation.

The purpose of this award is to provide an opportunity for one or more Virginians attending college within the state to take courses in a British University during the coming summer in order that he may pursue a scholarly interest and may gain an intimate knowledge and understanding of the British people. This award supports the purpose of the English-Speaking Union: the promotion of understanding, good will and peaceful cooperation among all the people of the world who speak the English language.

Since the award winner will represent the Richmond Branch of the English-Speaking Union to the British people, the candidate should indicate that his thinking and interests are not opposed to these purposes of the English-Speaking Union. Reasons for supporting the purpose and work of the English-Speaking Union may be included in the statement filed with the application.

The British University and the intended course of study is chosen by the award winner, but the applicant should indicate a preference for the kind of study at the time of the application. All arrangements, including those for university entrance, registration, passport, and travel to Great Britain, are the responsibility of the award winner.

The amount of the award covers the cost of three weeks of study at the selected university and a travel allowance. The award will be given in dollars according to the exchange rate at the time of the candidate's acceptance to the British program.

The applicant must:

  1. Be a citizen of the United States and a legal resident of Virginia and a registered student at a Virginia college. Preference will be given to applicants who could not study abroad without financial assistance.
  2. Be at least 18 years old and less than 23 years old by this coming June 1.
  3. Be a junior who will complete the junior year this coming June in an accredited university or college which has been invited to nominate one applicant and be proposed by his dean or similar official of the institution.
  4. Have the written consent of the applicant's parent or guardian for him or her to apply for the award and pursue the summer course at the British university if selected the winner, without any further obligation or responsibility on the part of the English-Speaking Union.
  5. Be possessed of the following:
    1. Literary and scholastic ability and attainments.
    2. Qualities of character, truth, courage, devotion to duty, kindliness, unselfishness and fellowship.
    3. Ability to lead, and desire to take an interest in his or her companions.
    4. Physical vigor, as shown by interest in sports or other activities.
    5. Pleasing personality.

Applications must be typewritten. In the event that the space provided on the application is not sufficient to record the requested data, the applicant will prepare and attach supplementary sheets to the application. The following must also be furnished with the application:

  1. Two photographs or snapshots, between 2 and 2 1/2 inches wide and between 2 and 3 inches high, taken within the past six months. The applicant should put his name and his college on the back of the photographs.
  2. A certified copy of applicant's college record through the last completed term.
  3. A statement, typewritten and double-spaced, of 300 words or less, telling why the applicant would like to study in the British Isles this coming summer. The applicant should give some indication of reading and background in relevant subjects.
  4. Three letters of recommendation.

    A letter attesting to the applicant's character, scholarship, achievements, capacities, talents, leadership, etc., from either the president of the institution or the applicant's faculty advisor.

    A letter attesting to the applicant's qualifications from a faculty member of the school.

    For detailed information on how to apply, visit The English Speaking Union's website.

Freeman-ASIA Awards

Freeman-ASIA (Freeman Awards for Study in Asia) is designed to support American undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study overseas in East or Southeast Asia.

In the past, there have been few funding opportunities for study abroad in Asia. However, with the generous support of the Freeman Foundation, the Institute of International Education (IIE) now administers the Freeman-ASIA Awards in order to give more American undergraduate students the means to study in East and Southeast Asia.

Freeman-ASIA Award recipients are expected to share their experiences with their home campuses to encourage study abroad in Asia by others, and to spread greater understanding of Asian peoples and cultures within their home communities.

Since the launch of the program in 2000, Freeman-ASIA has supported over 2,500 U.S. undergraduates with their study abroad plans in East and Southeast Asia.

Eligibility:

  1. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application.
  2. Must currently receive need-based financial aid or demonstrate, through FAFSA, a verifiable need for financial assistance to participate in the proposed study abroad program. The Applicant is required to submit the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) figure, calculated through FAFSA, with the Freeman-ASIA Financial Need Validation Form and statement of financial need through the on-line Freeman-ASIA application.
  3. Must be an undergraduate student in good standing, pursuing his or her first bachelor's degree, at a two-year or a four-year institution of higher education in the United States.
  4. Must have at least one term of enrollment remaining at the home institution in the U.S. upon returning from studying abroad in Asia.
  5. Must have applied or have been accepted to a country-based study abroad program in: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. A multi-country program is eligible only if the applicant will spend at least 8 weeks in one of the countries stated above and will have intensive language study during that period.)
  6. Must have applied to or have been accepted by a study abroad country-based program that awards academic credits through the home campus or other U.S. accredited college or university. The proposed length of study in the host country must be a minimum of 8 weeks for a summer term, 10 weeks for a quarter term, and 12 weeks for a semester term.
  7. Must have little or no previous experience in the country in which he or she plans to study. A Summer Term applicant must not have spent more than 4 weeks in the proposed country of study within the last 5 years. A Semester or an Academic Year Term applicant must not have spent more than 6 weeks in the proposed country of study within the last 5 years.
  8. Must submit the on-line Freeman-ASIA Student Impact Survey within one month of returning to the United States and must initiate his or her service project to promote study abroad opportunities in Asia on the college campus and in the local community.
  9. Must submit the Freeman-ASIA Final Service Report on the implementation of his or her service project at the end of the term following their return to the United States.
  10. Must not be a previous Freeman-ASIA Award recipient.

For further details and information on how to apply, please visit the Freeman-Asia homepage.

Fulbright Scholarship

Programs are available in Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Taiwan, Korea, and over 80 more countries. Check the Fulbright web site or contact Dr. Kate Loring at kloring@vwc.edu for more information.

Irish-American Scholar Program

The Irish-American Scholar Program is sponsored by The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), The United Methodist Church and The Roman Catholic Church in cooperation with The Business Education Initiative (BEI) of Northern Ireland, Queens University, University of Ulster and Belfast Institution of Further and Higher Education.

Virginia Wesleyan College is a church related college participating in the BEI Program during the 2007/2008 academic year. Sophomore, junior and senior students at U.S. church related colleges and universities participating in the BEI Program during the current academic year. Students must meet a minimum grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.

The application process is as follows:

  • A complted application form
  • An academic transcript through the fall of 2007 semester
  • A 500-word essay describing the applicant's educational objectives while studing in Northern Ireland
  • Two letters of reference - one from the student's academic advisor and one from a faculty member or administrator at the applicant's institution
  • Students planning to study art must also submit a portfolio of their work with their application.

Representatives of each denomination and participating school in Northern Ireland will review the applicaitons and make the final selections and placements. Applicants will be notified on their placements by the end of March 2008. The VWC application review deadline is January 21, 2008. Applications must be posted for consideration by February 1, 2008.

Tuition and fees will be waived at the Irish institutions for Irish-American Scholars. Students are responsible for their travel costs, room, board, books at the host institution and any applicable charges at the home institution.

As part of the Irish-American Scholars program, recipients are expected to attend a one-day leadership seminar each semester in Belfast.

Rotary International District 7600

This scholarship is for Seniors only. They have three scholarship programs. Academic Year Ambassador, Multi-Year Ambassador, and Cultural Ambassador. This scholarship is most appropriate for language study.

If you are interested in becoming a Rotary Ambassador, please visit the Rotary International homepage.