Financial Need scholarships

EF Study Abroad's Financial Need Scholarships are given to students who demonstrate need for financial assistance based on income, to put towards travel on an EF program. Eight scholarships are given out to Financial Need recipients each year. See details on application requirements and submit your entry today!

To be eligible, you must be:

1. Enrolled on a 2022-2023 EF Study Abroad program
2. 18 years of age or older
3. A current part-time or full-time student enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program
4. In good standing with your institution
5. In good financial account standing with EF Study Abroad payments

Affiliated community members, spouses, or friends of Group Leaders are not eligible.

View our full terms and conditions here.

What you need to apply for this scholarship:

We recommend having these three materials ready to go before you start your application. You will have the ability to copy and paste your responses in the entry boxes supplied on the application form.

1. Letter of recommendation

Ask an educator (a professor, administrator, or teacher, for example) to paint a holistic view of you as an individual and as a student that speaks to your character, passion, drive, and deservingness of this scholarship. Length should be about 250 to 500 words. No need for a paper copy—you'll simply be copying and pasting your recommendation in the application once you're ready.

Below are some suggestions if the person writing your recommendation is looking for inspiration:

Your ability to overcome challenges
Your academic strengths, interests, and pursuits
Why you are deserving of an EF scholarship

Please provide the first name, last name, and email address of the educator who has written your recommendation for verification purposes.

2. Proof of financial need

To demonstrate proof of financial need also associated with your institution, please provide a statement from your financial aid office that states:

You have a FAFSA form on file at your institution (no need to include the actual form with this application, just a verification that you have one on file)
Based on personal information you have provided your institution with from the FAFSA form, you are deserving of financial aid
You currently receive, or do not receive, financial aid from your institution, towards tuition or traditional college expenses

3. Family size and average household income

In the form for the Financial Need scholarship, you will be asked to list your household's average income and family size. This information will be kept confidential.

How we evaluate Financial Need scholarship applicants:

Applicants will be selected based on need according to house hold income and family size in addition to proof of financial need as stated by the University or Financial Aid office. Failure to include the name and contact information of the educator who wrote your letter will result in loss of points.

Your Letter of Recommendation will be scored 1 – 4 points based on the following inclusions:

Holistic view of applicant: academic strengths, interests, and pursuits
Applicant’s character: passion, drive, ability to overcome challenges
Reason the applicant is deserving of an EF scholarship

Timing and application deadlines

Deadlines are based on your program departure date as outlined below.

Program Departure Date	Deadline
For Travel February 1, 2024 - April 30, 2024	October 31, 2023
For Travel May 1, 2024 - December 15, 2024	February 7, 2024

*We will notify all applicants if they have been awarded a scholarship or not approximately 6 weeks after the scholarship deadline for your travel window.

Ready to apply?

Submit your three materials together by the deadline outlined above.

Apply now