Create a USAC scholarship and help another student explore the world.
Financial barriers are among the leading reasons students miss out on the opportunity to study abroad. Scholarships are often the deciding factor in whether a student can pursue their dreams and experience the lifelong, transformative impact of international education.
Behind every scholarship is a student whose future, perspective, and life trajectory can be profoundly changed through global education.
One student dreams of seeing an Asian temple in person and making a deep, introspective connection to something they’ve only seen in textbooks — studying abroad makes it possible.
Another student experiences the kindness of a stranger during their first week abroad. Maybe they took the wrong train and wound up lost in their host city, and a local person stops to help them navigate their way back to their dorm, despite language barriers.
Many students find best friends or even people they can call family during their study abroad, forming relationships that span the globe.
If you encountered a similar experience while studying abroad, starting a scholarship is a great way to keep that spirit of discovery and connection alive. It also allows you to pay it forward by helping another student experience the profound impact of international education.
While starting a scholarship may sound like a big step, it’s not as difficult as you think. Here are some basic things to consider.
Choose an organization that shares your passion
University Studies Abroad Consortium (USAC) is a nonprofit organization that supports international education, always puts students first, and is dedicated to making study abroad affordable. For more than 40 years, it has provided discounts and scholarships to ease financial roadblocks and enable more students to experience meaningful study abroad.
When you work with USAC …
- We double your investment. USAC will match your investment up to $1 million, meaning that a $500 donation turns into a $1,000 scholarship.
- We do most of the legwork. USAC manages scholarship applications and awarding students, so you have less to manage.
- We offer you an opportunity to make a lasting impact on deserving students. Starting a scholarship can change lives, literally. In fact, the number one thing students mention upon returning home is that study abroad was “life-changing.”
Set applicant criteria that supports your passions
When starting your own scholarship, you have the opportunity to inject energy into the interests you’re passionate about. Whether you want to help students at your alma mater go abroad, spark greater interest in the host university you attended overseas, encourage students to visit a specific country, or represent a certain major, scholarships are the perfect place to highlight that cause. These parameters are the criteria that make a student eligible for a scholarship.
Keep in mind that the more criteria you put down for students to earn your scholarship, the fewer students might be eligible. Find a balance between being specific and open-minded so you can reach deserving students while also serving your passion.
When creating a USAC scholarship, it will be listed on our discounts and scholarships page along with its criteria, making it clear to prospective students how their goals align with your passions.
Decide how involved you want to be
Donors have a choice in the level of their involvement with their scholarship recipients. You can be very involved in the process, from reading scholarship applications to choosing the final recipient, or you can stay a bit more hands-off.
Many donors with specific, passion-focused scholarships find that they want to be more closely involved. Donors who are passionate about international education in general, rather than a specific country or university, often enjoy supporting USAC’s general fund for all scholarships.
Rest easy with donor services
There are administrative tasks that need to be done to solicit applications, evaluate essays, and award the funding. If you don’t have the hours to dedicate to this process, consider starting a scholarship with USAC because we do the work for you.
USAC gathers and evaluates applications so you don’t have to, and our single-application process eliminates the need for a dedicated administrative process for your scholarship— no essays to review, no GPA minimum requirements set by the programs, and we don’t do special solicitation.
We maintain regular contact with scholarship recipients while they are studying abroad and will pass along updates to you (and photos, if provided). At the conclusion of their study abroad program, students will write a reflective testimonial, which we will also share with you, so you can appreciate the impact of your generosity and see firsthand how life-changing it is in students’ lives.
Plan your financial investment
Plan your scholarship on the timeline that works for you. USAC requires a financial commitment six months prior to the start of the scholarship, meaning that a donation made in January could be used by students on summer or fall programs that year.
There are multiple options to consider when planning your scholarship. An annual donation ensures your scholarship renews each year, making it an ongoing award available to students. An endowment is a large, lump-sum donation made that will be invested and maintained on the earned interest.
Keep your receipts
Donating part of your income to a nonprofit’s charitable mission saves you money in the long run. The amount you give away can’t be taxed, which lowers the overall amount of income that you pay taxes on at the end of the year.
As a 501(c)(3), your donation to USAC is tax-deductible. Maintain all your donation receipts for tax filing. Your receipt will include your name, the amount, the date, and USAC’s EIN.
Change someone’s life
Meaningful experiences are provided by meaningful donors like you. Your scholarship enables students to have meaningful study abroad experiences around the world, make a lasting impact on people and communities, and become a generation of capable, competent global citizens.
Are you interested in starting a scholarship? Email us at giving@usac.edu to get started.
