AFS-USA Global Citizen Scholarship & Aid
AFS-USA is committed to making study abroad opportunities accessible to all students, regardless of financial background. To simplify the process and increase affordability, we have removed the application fee and integrated financial aid into the standard application.
We support the demonstrated financial need of all accepted applicants, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to participation who qualify for a scholarship. AFS-USA partners with FAST (Financial Aid for School Tuition), an independent third party, to review applicants' tax and income information and determine financial aid eligibility.
What You Need to Know
- No Cost to Apply – AFS-USA has eliminated the $200 application fee, making it free to apply.
- Flexible Program Options – Students can choose from short summer, semester, and academic year programs.
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Rolling Admissions – Applications are reviewed as they are submitted, and early applications are encouraged due to limited funding and program spots.
- Fall programs: Applications close in March
- Spring programs: Applications close in October
- Summer programs: Applications close in May
- Seamless Financial Aid Process – Financial aid and scholarship applications are now built into the main application. Applicants who do not wish to be considered must opt out, rather than completing a separate application.
- Holistic Application Review – We assess applicants based on qualities such as compassion, open-mindedness, adaptability, resilience, and curiosity. Essay questions and a teacher recommendation help provide a well-rounded understanding of each student.
- Transparent Scholarship Awards – Once an application is reviewed, accepted students receive a Program Offer letter detailing any scholarships or aid they qualify for.
For questions about scholarships or financial aid, please contact Adriana Miladinovic (amiladinovic@afsusa.org) or Caitlin Schneider (cschneider@afsusa.org).