SJU student group with the Eiffel Tower in the background

St. John’s Study Abroad Funding

Who would say "no" to free money?

The opportunity to study abroad may only come once in a lifetime. And while it offers students the chance to expand their personal and academic horizons, we understand that finances play a major role in the decision-making process for many students and families. With that in mind, St. John’s offers substantial grants to make semester-length study abroad more affordable. These grants are offered based on availability and student financial need, and students may apply their grant to the program fee for St. John's semester programs in Europe (Western Europe: $9,260; Semester in Paris or Rome: $8,745) in order to make their international education dreams a reality – without the financial burden. Students will be notified by the Office of Student Financial Services of their eligibility for a study abroad grant twice per academic year... that's how committed we are to globalizing every student's education!

Scholarship Opportunities

The links below highlight application-based scholarship opportunities, but you should think of your existing St. John’s financial aid—and any additional study abroad grants you’d receive toward a semester abroad—as the “base” for determining how much study abroad will really cost you and your family. For further information, including making a direct comparison between studying abroad and studying in NYC, please contact our colleague in the Office of Student Financial Services: Kayon McKenzie. If you're a veteran interested in studying abroad, please contact Amy Park.

Students from other U.S. universities should also contact their home institution's financial aid office, as well as our Visiting Student page, for specific information on the type of aid available to each individual.

Beyond these St. John's sources for funding, OIE also provides an extensive list of external funding opportunities.  Make sure to plan early as some of the application deadlines fall early in the semester.
 

Learn More

In keeping with St. John's global mission, OIE is proud to announce the new Global Opportunities (GO) award. Available to St. John's incoming classes of 2021, 2022 and 2023, the GO award offers $2500 to eligible second-year students to support global education in one of our summer sessions (see below) in either Rome or Paris following your second year at St. John's. 

The award is granted on a first-come, first-served basis due to space limitations, so an early application is key!  Students must be academically eligible for their study abroad program. The GO award may not be available for the few majors which don't have space in their curriculum to allow for study abroad.

The Italian Cultural Center Scholarship

The Italian Cultural Center (ICC) seeks to encourage knowledge of and enthusiasm for Italy by funding talented students who have been accepted to study abroad at St. John’s Rome Campus during the summer, fall or spring sessions. Through the generosity of the ICC scholarship, SJU students have been awarded over $870,000  to date, to assist them with their study abroad experience.

Applicants must be currently matriculated undergraduate students who have completed their first year at St. John’s, have a minimum 3.25 GPA, and have commitment to sharing their learning abroad and their passion for Italy through a project or event upon their return to New York.

This award is applicable to the following St. John’s University programs, with the following awards:

  • Rome Summer Session I or II: $3,000
  • St. John's Semester in Rome: $2,000
  • Western Europe Semester (WES): $1,000 (required class: Italian 1010 unless WES: Pharmacy)

To apply, please complete the online ICC Abroad: Passion for Italy scholarship application  along with your study abroad application. Here are a few other application details:

  • Be sure to meet the ICC’s application deadlines: Fall semester – April 1; Spring semester - October 1; Summer term – March 1 
     
  • Write an essay (minimum 250 words) describing your interest in Italy, what you hope to learn inside and outside the classroom, and what you’ll do upon return to New York to “share Italy” with the St. John’s community. Sample projects include: dorm events co-sponsored with RAs, focusing a class project or presentation on Italy, among many others.
  • Provide one reference letter or email from a St. John’s faculty member with whom you have studied. Letters must be emailed to the Office of International Education by the professor writing your recommendation and received by the deadlines listed above.
     
  • Reminders: to apply, you must be a currently enrolled and matriculated undergraduate of St. John’s University, have completed your first year, and have a GPA of 3.25 or higher.
     
  • Upon completion of the time in Rome, recipients will receive an invitation to attend an ICC Welcome Reception where they will meet the ICC Board members and informally talk about their experiences in Rome.

FAQs

Are all matriculated undergraduates at St. John’s eligible for this program?

  • Nearly… Students may not apply only if they receive full tuition in the form of a scholarship, or if they receive tuition remission (typically through a family member employed at St. John’s).

Do I need to be Italian or Italian-American to apply?

  • Absolutely not! You just need a commitment to learning about Italian culture, then spreading your love of Italy upon your return. 

The Licari Scholarship, funded through a generous donation by CCPS Professor of Management & Marketing Andrea Licari, seeks to provide needy undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to study abroad on one of St. John’s short-term faculty-directed programs.  The Licari Scholarship will provide 3 to 5 grants of between $500 and $1000 to students demonstrating high financial need to help defray the cost of their participation in a St. John's faculty-directed summer or winter program.  This scholarship is only open to St. John's students studying abroad on a January stand-alone program or a summer program, and may be applied both to our programs at St. John's campuses in Europe (Paris and Rome) or to programs traveling beyond those two cities, such as our programs to Cuba, Argentina and Morocco.

Requirements:

Applicants must:

  • have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • demonstrate financial need.  Priority will be given to students who are considered Pell-eligible. 

Application process:

  • The Office of International Education (OIE) will review student essays and provide recommendations to the Office of Financial Services.
     
  • The Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS) will select the final recipients based on OIE recommendations.
     
  • OSFS will notify successful applicants of their selection. 

Deadline for Application

  • For Winter programs: October 15
  • For Summer programs: March 15

Simply click here to apply online!!