The School of Social Work is dedicated to assisting students in finding financial assistance for their international internships.
School of Social Work Study Abroad Opportunity Fund
The School of Social Work offers two students the School of Social Work Study Abroad Opportunity Fund per year (two awards). Up to $1600 towards airfare and international safety and security fees/travel insurance is available per award. Applicants from a variety of backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply, with a preference given to students with a demonstrated a financial need. All BSW, iBSW, MSW, and iMSW students in good standing are eligible to apply. One award will be awarded for the Spring semester, and one award will be awarded for the Fall semester. The Fall semester application will run from September 15 – September 28, 2025 with awards used for Spring or Summer. Interested students can apply here. The deadline to apply for the Fall semester is September 28, 2025.
The Spring semester application will run from February 1 – February 15, 2026 for awards to be used Spring, Summer or following Fall.
Master’s Project Travel Grants
The Graduate College’s Master’s Project Travel Grants provide reimbursement to Illinois students for travel-related costs incurred for the completion of an off-campus, short-term project required of one of the University’s master’s degree programs. Approximately 10 grants of up to $500 will be awarded given sufficient funding. For more information, visit the University of Illinois Graduate College site.
The deadline to apply for travel concluding August 31, 2026 is anticipated November, 2025.
Gilman Scholarship
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship provides enrolled students, who are Pell grant recipients, up to $5,000 for either study abroad or an internship abroad. If you plan to study a language critical to U.S. national security while abroad, you can apply for an additional $3,000. If you plan to conduct STEM-related research while studying abroad, you can apply for an additional $1,000.
Freshmen through Seniors who are U.S. citizens or nationals, Pell grant recipients, in good academic standing, and will be participating in a credit-bearing study abroad program or international internship are eligible to apply.
Get tips about applying from recent Illinois Gilman Scholars.
The national deadline is October 3, 2025.
Info Sessions are being held on:
- August 28, 2025: 3:30 – 4:30 pm Lincoln Hall, Rm. 1090
- August 29, 2025: 9:00 – 10:00 am via Zoom
A Gilman Scholarship Workshop will be held on August 29, 2025 at 3:00 – 4:00 pm at IUB 514.
The Illinois Club Scholarships
These scholarships have not yet been made available for 2025-2026.
These scholarships are given to outstanding students in the areas of global studies, humanities and social sciences, science and engineering, education, and art.
Currently eligible students are undergraduates at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who will have earned at least 60 credit hours by the Spring 2025 semester and expect to graduate no earlier than December 2025. A minimum GPA of 3.0 is also expected. Applications are being accepted between now and 5pm CST on October 12th, 2024. More information is available on The Illinois Club Scholarship page.
Currently available scholarships are:
- Global Focus Award
- Humanities and Social Sciences Award
- Engineering and Science Award
- Isabelle Purnell Education Award
- The Judith Life Ikenberry Creative Arts Award
Any questions should be directed to scholarship@theillinoisclub.org.
Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies Undergraduate Fellowship 2025-2026
This scholarship is available for students in the process of applying to, or being accepted to, an approved study abroad or internship program in Brazil. Award amounts may be up to $2,000. Awards are determined based on the cost and length of the study abroad program and the availability of funds.
Application Deadlines
- February 15 for summer short-term, summer, fall, or academic year programs.
- September 15 for winter break, spring break, and spring semester programs.
More information can be found on the the Lemann Center website.
The university offers many scholarships and grants for students studying abroad. You can find the options here.