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Financial Aid & Scholarships



Financial Aid
USM STUDENTS
Financial Aid is available for students accepted on a USM study abroad program. Students are encouraged to begin applying for financial aid well in advance of their program deadline. NOTE: Before applying for financial aid, students must have completed the FAFSA, available on the Southern Miss Office of Financial Aid website.

Forms of Financial Aid:
  • Alternative loans or "outside loans" are available for all students. These are signature loans through certain lending institutions and are handled in the same way as an unsubsidized loan.  If a student does not meet income or credit rating qualifications, a co-signer, anyone having an appropriate credit rating, may be required.  
  • Faculty/staff/dependent tuition waivers may be used following the regulations set by the university.  Contact an OSA staff member to see if your tuition waiver may apply.
  • Graduate assistantships may be used to help cover portions of the tuition costs of your USM study abroad program following the regulations set by your department.  Contact an OSA staff member to see if your GA is applicable.
  • GI Bill benefits help qualifying Veterans and their family members pay for all or some of the costs for college, graduate school and training programs.  To find out if you qualify click here.
  • Parent PLUS loans are borrowed on behalf of the student by their parents.
  • Pell grants are usually awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree.  Need is determined by the student’s EFC calculated from the FAFSA.  To know if you are Pell Grant eligible, please consult your SOAR account.
  • Subsidized loans are awarded to those students with a lower family contribution or other financial circumstances.
  • Unsubsidized loans are available for any student that wishes to borrow regardless of family contribution. The amount that you may borrow depends on your classification at the time you attend the program.
The options above may be used in any combination to cover your program's costs and estimated expenses.

NON-USM STUDENTS
Financial aid should be applied for through your home institution. Financial aid agreements between USM and other universities are available upon request.  If more information is needed, contact the USM Office of Study Abroad at 601.266.4344 or studyabroad@usm.edu.
 
Scholarships

Students are encouraged to apply for scholarships. They should review eligibility requirements before applying. Students should not solely rely on scholarships to fund study abroad programs; alternative funding should also be considered.

Scholarship Databases:

  •  The Golden Opportunities Scholarship and Competitive Programs Application System (GO System) was created by the USM Foundation for USM students. To access USM study abroad scholarship opportunities, be sure to complete your application for fall, spring, or summer.
  • Study Abroad Funding features detailed descriptions of hundreds of study abroad scholarships, fellowships, grants, and paid internships for U.S. undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students and professionals.
  • Go Overseas is a database of scholarships and grants for study abroad, including options for graduate students.
  • Beglobalii by DA Global includes a database where students can sign up and search for study abroad-specific scholarships.
  • All Abroad is a database for general study abroad, diversity study abroad, and non-traditional country destinations.
  • GoAbroad is a search engine for travel opportunities and has an extensive database of available study abroad scholarships. 

Specific Criteria-Based Scholarships:

Country and Program-Specific Scholarships

  • Each year, BUTEX awards several scholarships to students studying abroad for either a semester or for a whole academic year within the U.K.
  • DAAD is a database for students studying abroad in Germany for either a semester or an academic year.
  • The World Languages website offers scholarship opportunities for USM Foreign Language majors.
  • Pathways Summer Scholarship Program awards competitive scholarships for students participating in the International Internship Program.
  • Southern Miss Business 2025 Study Abroad/Away Scholarship is available to USM College of Business students who wish to participate in business-specific study abroad programs.
  • Eagle Fever is an online crowdfunding platform that allows USM student groups, faculty, and staff to launch and share fundraising initiatives with their campus community and beyond.
Greek Life Scholarships
 
  • The Alpha Chi Omega Educational Assistance Scholarship offers financial assistance to members of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority who are pursuing continuing education, including studying abroad.
  • Alpha Delta Pi provides scholarship resources that may be applied to study abroad programs.
  • Chi Omega grants the Humphreys Chi Omega Study Abroad Scholarship to Chi Omega collegians in good standing who wish to expand their academic and career goals through the experience of studying abroad. The program MUST be a minimum of eight weeks.
  • Phi Mu extends two scholarship opportunities to prospective study abroad students:  
    • o   Beverly Harrison Gooch International Scholarship for women studying or interning abroad.
    • o   Kris Shelter Bridges International Scholars Fund for study abroad students. Applicants must demonstrate financial need.
  • Pi Kappa Phi- The Durward W. Owen International Scholars Award helps support students participating in study abroad programs, focusing on providing financial support to those who may not otherwise have the chance to participate.
  • Sigma Alpha Epsilon awards a Study Abroad Scholarship to undergraduates who are currently studying abroad or have been formally accepted by their college or university to study overseas.
  • Zeta Phi Beta offers the Deborah Patridge Wolfe International Fellowship. The Applicant must be a U.S. student studying full time abroad or an international student studying full time in the U.S. Three letters of recommendation, a transcript, a 150–word essay, and proof/plan of academic study signed by the program director are required to be submitted.

*Do you want assistance with your Nationally Competitive Scholarship applications? Book an appointment with Mary Beard, Director for Nationally Competitive Programs and Awards. Email Ms. Beard at mary.a.beard@usm.edu or visit the Nationally Competitive Programs website.


For more information, visit NAFSA's Financial Aid for Study Abroad: An Undergraduate Student's Resource.