While international travel is expensive, studying abroad at NC State is becoming more financially realistic for more students, with the university handing out an additional  $60,000 in scholarships each semester since 2012.

“We are committed to increasing the number of students who study abroad by 50 percent by 2019,” said Julia Law, associate director of Curriculum Integration in Study Abroad.

Because of the widespread availability of scholarships, students are able to participate in one of the more than 400 programs in 60 countries worldwide. Scholarships are offered through NC State as well as national, international, region-specific and program-specific scholarships.

“Some governments like Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Japan and others even offer American students scholarships to get them to study in their country,” Law said.

“The scholarships are out there as long as you take the time to look for them and you’re serious about it,” said Kaleb Jessee, a junior in sport management who studied abroad in Ireland.

The Study Abroad office has partnered with the various colleges on campus, University Development, the Division of Academic and Student Affairs and Chancellor Randy Woodson to raise in these additional funds.

“We’re proud of the success we have made so far, and we hope it continues,” said Law.

The Chancellor’s funds have also helped provide scholarship money, according to Law.

“Some of the funds went to us, and some went to undergraduate research and service spring break programs,” Law said.

Woodson has been helping to support high impact experiences like study abroad, undergraduate research, and alternative spring break programs, since research has shown that participation in such activities leads to higher graduation rates and academic success, Law said.

A comprehensive rubric is used when the study abroad office selects who will receive scholarship funds.

The criteria includes how the foreign university meets the student’s needs, GPA, recommendations, length of study abroad, financial need and previous study abroad experience, according to Law.

“Typically longer study abroads get preference over shorter ones,” Law said. “Nontraditional locations like South America, Africa, Asia also usually get preference versus western countries like those in Europe.”

Students who act as an ambassador for at least a semester are also given preference for scholarship. These students act as photojournalists during their time abroad and then promote international education upon their return to NC State.

The average scholarship awarded is $1,000 and about one of every three students who applies for a scholarship gets it, according to Melissa Emerson, a senior in chemical engineering  who also studied abroad in South Africa.

“The scholarship I got definitely helped,” Emerson said. “It was provided by the College of Engineering and it helped me pay for my flights.”

Increasing diversity in students who study abroad is another goal of the Study Abroad office.

“We want to bump up the numbers of males, STEM students, students with disabilities, and students from various ethnic and racial groups,” Law said.

Funding information sessions will be offered in Talley Student Union on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. and Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 2:30 p.m.

“Studying abroad looks outstanding on your resume,” Jessee said. “At interviews, it’s one of the first things they asked [about].”

Other students also shared positive feedback about their experience.

“I became a much more independent person,” Emerson said. “I realized the type of person I wanted to be and I gained a lot of good life skills.”