Scholarships for Education Abroad
Education abroad is key to preparing students to lead in an interconnected world, succeed in a competitive job market and make a positive impact in their communities and across the globe.
UT has the third-highest rate of study abroad participation in the country, and eighty-five percent of UT alumni rank their study abroad experience as the top contributor to their post-graduation success, according to a recent poll.
But for many Longhorns, the cost of study abroad is a significant obstacle. Over 60 percent of UT students who study abroad depend on some form of financial assistance. Your support can remove that barrier and provide UT students with a transformative international experience that will profoundly impact their studies, lives and careers.
Support Scholarships for Education Abroad
Scholarship Helps Future Physician Gain Global Heath Experience in Chile
I was always interested in studying abroad, but I never knew where I wanted to go or if I could afford it. I was very lucky and fortunate to receive enough scholarships. I especially encourage minority and low-income students to take advantage of their opportunities at UT to study abroad. It is a truly unique, life-changing experience.Rose Yeh, B.S. Biochemistry '17, studied abroad in Chile
Unforgettable, captivating and eye-opening. That’s how Rose Yeh describes her study abroad experience in Chile. An aspiring physician, Rose wanted to improve her Spanish fluency and her professional proficiency to better serve the Hispanic community in Texas.
Not only did her experience in Chile provide her that opportunity, but she was also able to participate in a health seminar that allowed her to learn about the healthcare system in Chile and work in a community located in the low-income area of Santiago.
"It gave me a different perspective on things that I take for granted in the U.S.," she described. "In the future, I want to serve underserved populations when I become a physician. They often are the ones that are lacking medical supplies and the right type of physicians that can help them. I would say that by helping them improve their health, we would improve the overall health system or improve some of the problems that are occurring in the U.S."
Rose leveraged several scholarships to fund her experience abroad, covering almost 90 percent of the cost. Without the scholarships, Rose would not have been able to study abroad and gain skills that uniquely prepared her for a career as a physician in Texas.
Invest in the next generation of global leaders like Rose.
Internships Abroad Change Course of Student Career Success
Interning abroad helped me market myself in more ways than one. Aside from the skillset that comes with my majors, now I have more job opportunities open to me because of the skills I learned during my internship abroad. I underestimated how interested employers are in applicants with foreign work experience. There has not been a single interview where the conversation didn’t spend at least 20 minutes talking about what it’s like working in another country.Justin Roberson, B.A. '18 Linguistics and International Relations and Government, interned abroad in China
Justin chose an internship in China to build his resume and help give him a competitive edge in applying for his first job.
"Aside from the skillset that comes with my majors, now I have more job opportunities open to me because of the skills I learned abroad," he explained. "I also underestimated how interested employers are in applicants with foreign work experience. There has not been a single interview where I didn’t spend at least 20 minutes talking about what it’s like working in another country."
International internships give emerging young leaders like Justin critical professional experience that strengthens their resumes and prepares them for career success after graduation.
But it can be challenging for students to pursue an international internship. Your support helps ensure that more UT students have the opportunity to intern abroad, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Support international internship experiences.
Experience Abroad Continues to Impact UT Alumnus’ Career
Global acumen can allow for more successful business relationships on an international level. Global acumen allows us to be culturally sensitive, aware and accepting of the people around us and their differences.Adil Danawala, B.S. '18 Chemical Engineering, studied abroad in Singapore
For UT alumnus and first-generation college student Adil Danawala, studying abroad was a self-investment. He believes his experiences living abroad equipped him with qualities and skills to succeed as a professional, such as social skills and cultural sensitivity to build meaningful international business relationships. He is currently working as a business technology analyst for Deloitte Consulting.
"Studying abroad is a self-investment. Most people will say 'it changes your life,' it sounds cliché, I know, but it truly does," he describes.
Adil took advantage of scholarship and financial aid to offset the cost of his exchange program and was able to travel throughout East and Southeast Asia in addition to immersing himself in Singapore's blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Western cultures.
"As a consultant, who travels for a living, it is important to bring global acumen to the table," he says. "In fact, one of the firms that I previously interned for uses 'global acumen' to measure their employees’ overall performance."
Make international experience possible for first-generation college students.
Invest in Education Abroad
Make study abroad accessible to all students at UT, especially those who would otherwise be unable to afford it. Give them the chance to build tangible skills and gain the experience to lead and succeed in a globally competitive workplace.