Scholarships and Funding

Open to Penn State students from any campus wishing to incorporate sustainability themes into their education abroad experience

Award amounts:

• Embedded course - $1,000

• Summer program (non-embedded) - $1,500

• Fall/spring/academic year semester program - $2,000

Awardee expectations:

• Attend two sustainability-focused events prior to the education abroad program start

• Identify at least one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to incorporate into academic and co-curricular experience abroad

• Document their engagement in sustainable action while studying abroad, including participation in Stay Local/Big Impact Small Footprint if they are a semester-long student

• Select at least one way to continue their engagement with sustainability and use their experience to serve their communities, such as: 

  • participation in a related student organization

  • present at the Penn State Undergraduate Exhibition, or similar event

  • commit to a volunteer, internship, or paid position related to sustainability

For more information, and to apply, please navigate to the information page!

Launched in spring 2023

Specific weekends where semester-long education abroad student participants pledge to remain in their host city and avoid hosting friends and family from other cities

We encourage all students to consider using less carbon-intensive travel options during weekends and semester breaks

We have been joined by 9 other Big Ten Academic Alliance Universities for the 2023-2024 school year under the name "Big Impact Small Footprint"

Penn State students who take the Stay Local/Big Impact Small Footprint pledge will be entered to win $100 through a random drawing (multiple awards available)

Educational opportunities and community engagement activities focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals are available to students who take the pledge

Read about the Stay Local pledge initiative in Penn State News

Are you an education abroad professional who wants to join the #staylocalabroad movement?  Contact educationabroad@psu.edu to learn more!

Find more information on our dedicated Stay Local Abroad site

Spring 2024 students, take the pledge!