Financial Aid & Scholarships

Affording Semester at Sea

We recognize that a study abroad experience is a significant investment-and also know it's one of the best possible investments for a student's future.

We are committed to helping as many students as possible realize the benefits of that goal. About 40% of Semester at Sea participants receive ISE scholarships or work grants each year.

ISE awards $3.25 million in financial aid annually. To be eligible, students do not necessarily need to qualify for standard forms of financial aid (such as Pell Grants) on their home campuses. Applicants are strongly encouraged to file the FAFSA and submit the Student Aid Report to ISE along with tax returns from the most recent tax year and any supplemental information that might be helpful in our review.

For thousands of students, financial aid has helped to make their Semester at Sea voyage a reality. Careful cabin category selection and strategic choices with the International Field Program options can help students keep costs down and maximize program affordability.

Testimonials

"I cannot put into words how much it means to me to have received this scholarship; because of this, I can go on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure."

—Ashlee Giardi, Spring 2007
University of Colorado, Boulder

"Certain financial barriers had originally fostered doubts as to whether or not I could afford Semester at Sea. However, thanks to their generous scholarship fund and compassion toward my situation, the voyage of a lifetime has gone from being a distant dream to an unbelievable reality."

—Phillip Arrendondo, Fall 2008
Stanford University
(Palo Alto, CA)

"Thank you... for making the voyage affordable. I cannot wait to travel the world, and this is by far the best opportunity I will probably ever have."

—Matt Barrett, Spring 2007
Presbyterian College

"Without the financial aid from ISE, I would have missed out on the opportunity to participate in this program that changed my life. Working on the ship what a great experience because, for one thing, I became very close to the other work study students as well as the rest of the shipboard community."

—Coretta Henry, Spring 2008
Metropolitan State College
(Denver, CO)