Who is eligible? How do I apply? When are the application deadlines? Will an award from AMIDEAST affect my financial aid at my home institution? Are there other sources of funding besides AMIDEAST Arab Heritage Fund Scholarships?

AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in the Arab World is pleased to announce a new funding opportunity for participants in our summer, semester, and academic-year programs.  The Arab Heritage Fund is an endowment created by AMIDEAST to support the organization’s efforts to promote greater understanding in the U.S. about the peoples and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa.  It is supported by individual, organizational, and corporate donors.  Beginning in summer 2010, we will offer a limited number of need-based scholarships to selected students.  Awards, which will be made in the form of a program fee reduction, will average between $500 and $1000 for summer programs, and between $500 and $2,000 for semester and academic-year programs.  In exceptional circumstances, awards of up to $2000 may be made for summer programs, and up to $5000 for semester and academic-year programs.

Who is eligible?

Please note that individuals from the Middle East who are seeking to study in the U.S. or who are looking for funding to support their studies at their home university are not eligible for this scholarship. AMIDEAST will not respond to such emails or applications.

Funding is available only to participants in AMIDEAST Education Abroad Programs in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, and Morocco, and awards will be made only to students who submit a complete scholarship application and a complete program application by the established deadlines (see below).  Preference will be given to applicants who are:

• Currently enrolled at a college or university that is either a member of the AMIDEAST Academic Consortium or an AMIDEAST Affiliate (Rutgers University, University of San Francisco, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee). 
• First-generation college students and/or members of groups that historically have been underrepresented on study abroad programs.

Please note:  Although preference will be given to students from Consortium and Affiliate institutions, that is not the only factor that will be taken into consideration in the review of scholarship applications.  Students from all colleges and universities are encouraged to apply.

How do I apply?

To be considered for a scholarship, please download the scholarship application form here, fill it out as indicated, and submit it to AMIDEAST by the appropriate deadline (see below).  Please keep in mind that part of the form must be completed by a representative of your home institution’s financial aid office, so you should plan to give them the form well in advance of the deadline.  To be eligible for a scholarship you must also submit your complete program application by the published deadline; in addition to financial need as assessed on the scholarship application form, AMIDEAST will also take into consideration the information provided in program applications when making award decisions.

When are the application deadlines?

Will an award from AMIDEAST affect my financial aid at my home institution?

Please note that receipt of a scholarship from AMIDEAST may result in changes or reductions to the financial aid you receive from your home institution.  We therefore strongly urge you to consult with your financial aid office prior to applying for an AMIDEAST Arab Heritage Fund Scholarship, to determine whether you might be affected by such a reduction or change.  If you are awarded an AMIDEAST Arab Heritage Fund Scholarship, we will inform the study abroad office at your home college or university; you are responsible for reporting any award to your financial aid office.  

Are there other sources of funding besides AMIDEAST Arab Heritage Fund Scholarships?

You may be eligible for financial aid and scholarship funding other than that offered by AMIDEAST.  Make sure to consult with your financial aid office to find out whether your home college or university allows institutional aid to be used for study abroad, and whether you may be eligible for federal financial aid.  We also encourage you to consider two nationally competitive scholarship programs that are of particular interest to AMIDEAST program participants:

Gilman Scholarships

The Gilman Scholarship Program offers a competition for awards for undergraduate study abroad and was established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000.  This scholarship provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study abroad programs worldwide.  Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need.  Students who apply for and receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad and are planning to study certain languages abroad (including Arabic) may also be eligible to receive an additional Critical Need Language Supplement from the Gilman Scholarship Program.  Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Gilman Scholarship Program is congressionally funded and is administered by the Institute of International Education through its Southern Regional Center in Houston, TX.  For more information, visit the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship website at www.iie.org/gilman.

Boren Awards for International Study

Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program (NSEP), which focuses on geographic areas, languages, and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security.  Applicants are expected to identify how their study abroad program, as well as their future academic and career goals, will contribute to U.S. national security, broadly defined.  NSEP draws on a broad definition of national security, recognizing that the scope of national security has expanded to include not only the traditional concerns of protecting and promoting American well-being, but also the challenges of global society, including sustainable development, environmental degradation, global disease and hunger, population growth and migration, and economic competitiveness.  Boren Scholarships provide financial assistance to U.S. undergraduate students to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad, including but not limited to the Middle East.  Boren Scholars represent a variety of academic backgrounds, but all are interested in studying less commonly taught languages, including but not limited to Arabic.  For more information, visit the Boren Awards for International Study website at http://www.borenawards.org/

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