First-Year Funding
Agora Fellowships
The Agora Fellows program provides undergraduate students a space to experiment with public discourse in a collaborative environment of their peers. Fellows learn rhetorical concepts as they engage challenging topical issues throughout the year. They also develop facilitative techniques to host monthly deliberative forums for the student body.
Fellows convene the first three weeks of each month throughout the academic calendar. Typically, up to ten students are accepted into the incoming cohort.
- Applications for 2024 fellowships due by February 28, 2024
Asia Foundation LeadNext Fellowships
With the profound structural changes that will transform geopolitics, global governance, the global economic order, and social landscape over the next decade, a new generation of globally minded leaders is imperative. The LeadNext program equips emerging leaders across cultures and disciplines with strong international networks, exposure to wide-ranging experiences, and leadership tools to thoughtfully steer the future.
- Fully funded
- Leadership training, monthly virtual masterclasses, Global Leaders Summit, and fellow mentorship
- Applications typically due by October
- Eligibility
ASMEA Grants
To stimulate new and diverse lines of discourse about the Middle East and Africa, ASMEA’s Research Grants Program seeks to support research on topics that deserve greater attention. An applicant may submit a proposal on any topic as long as it is directly relevant to the five broad areas outlined below, and constitutes new and original research. Grants of $2500 will be awarded.
Boren Scholarships
Boren Scholarships, an initiative of the National Security Education Program, provide unique funding opportunities for U.S. undergraduate students to study less commonly taught languages in world regions critical to U.S. interests, and underrepresented in study abroad, including Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America, and the Middle East. The countries of Western Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded. Scholarships and deadlines vary.
- Applications for the 2024 Boren Awards due by January 31, 2024
Burch Fellowship
Passion. Commitment. Imagination. Leadership. Burch Fellows are exceptional students who bring these qualities to an academic endeavor that falls within the University’s mission. Applicants must have the imagination and resourcefulness to plan a fellowship experience that allows you to pursue of an intense interest well beyond the scope of an academic course or summer internship.
The range and nature of fellowship experiences is bounded only by feasibility, and the imagination and resourcefulness of successful applicants. The duration and location of the fellowship experience will vary, but the fellowship experience should be completed within a calendar year from the time the fellowship is awarded or before graduation, whichever comes first.
- Applications for 2024-25 fellowships due by January 15, 2024
Carolina Blue Honors Fellowship
Designed for ambitious students who possess a strong work ethic and sense of adventure, the Carolina Blue Honors Fellowship provides up to $6,500 to support self-designed, international learning experiences. Past fellows have enjoyed volunteering with underserved youth with Project Beisbol in Colombia, interning in sport marketing in Australia, planning, executing and closing an esports tournament in Denmark, monitoring and optimizing athlete performances in New Zealand, and more!
- Internship Route and Faculty-Mentored Research Route
- Applications for the 2024-25 Carolina Blue Honors Fellowship due by February 1, 2024
Carolina Center for Jewish Studies Undergraduate Grant
Thanks to generous private support, the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies is able to offer several grants supporting undergraduate student research and travel.
There are three types of grants available:
- UNC study abroad grants
- Jewish language instruction grants
- research and travel grants for independent/non-Study Abroad projects
- Applications due by February 26, 2024
CHCI Congressional Internship Program
On programming days, interns will have a full day centered on CHCI’s four Pillars of Leadership—Civic Engagement, Social Responsibility, Self Empowerment, and Promoting Community and Hispanic Culture. During these weekly sessions, participation in discussions surrounding issues that affect the Latino community will help interns explore a variety topics while building strong relationships that can help throughout their career. CHCI’s curriculum is centered around a graduate-level non-credit public policy course taught by The George Washington University Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute and Trachtenberg School of Public Policy.
- Summer program applications due by December 1, 2023
- Fall program applications due by March 1, 2024
- $3,125-$3,750
- Congressional Office Internship Placement
- Housing and transportation costs paid
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)
The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities. The program includes intensive language instruction and structured cultural enrichment experiences designed to promote rapid language gains.
- Funded
- Room, board, language instruction, visa fees, and travel within host country paid for
- 8-10 weeks
- Non-competitive eligibility for U.S. government employment upon completion
- Applications typically due by November
Curriculum in Global Studies Undergraduate Summer Awards
The Curriculum in Global Studies gratefully accepts proposals for monetary awards to support Undergraduate students who have secured/are securing globally oriented experiences, including internships, study abroad, research, and other similar endeavors for Summer 2024. The aim is to provide financial support so that students can pursue opportunities that will enrich their academic and professional careers. These experiences can be based in the US or abroad.
Daughters of the Revolution Scholarship
Each year the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) awards multiple scholarships to students showing dedication to the pursuit of higher education in diverse areas of study including history, economics, law, political science, medicine, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, elementary and secondary education, chemistry, math, science and English.
- Applications for 2024-25 scholarships due by January 31, 2024
Freeman-ASIA Program
The Freeman-ASIA program is designed to support U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures. Must be an undergraduate student with a minimum GPA of 2.8.
- $3,000-$7,000
- Airfare, transportation, basic living costs paid
- Applications typically due in March
Gilman International Scholarship
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity.
- up to $5,000
- Applications for 2024-25 scholarships due by March 7, 2024
Note: To be eligible for the Gilman Program, applicants must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship.
Food Science Summer Scholars Program
NC State University’s Summer Scholars program recruits top students from across the country to develop their skills in food science research, education, and outreach. The scholar experience balances collaborative project work with a faculty mentor, lab group, and a variety of career development opportunities, like workshops, field trips, and guest speakers.
- Stipend, on-campus housing, travel costs to Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) meeting provided
Halpern Award
The Halpern Fund recognizes excellence in undergraduate work by students engaged in academic research or study or charitable development work in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and/or Uruguay. The award is designed to offset expenses incurred by students. Students may use the award for UNC-Chapel Hill approved study abroad or exchange programs; unpaid internships or volunteer opportunities that will yield a specific academic outcome (e.g., essay, report, artistic project); or an independent program of research or study supervised by a member of the faculty community.
- Strong preference given to students whose research and travel program is focused on Argentina
- Applications due in October or February, depending on academic term of study abroad
- Application
The Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship
The Herbert Lehman Scholarship is a national, highly competitive scholarship that makes annual awards to qualified, outstanding undergraduate students. Herbert Lehman Scholarship awards are $3,000 per year for four years totaling $8,000 (as long as scholars remain in good academic standing and continue to meet the scholarship criteria).
- Up to $12,000 over 4 years
- Applications for 2024-25 scholarships due by April 1, 2024
Into the Fields Internship
Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF) develops the leadership of college students from diverse backgrounds, giving them the opportunity to work directly with farmworkers in the Carolinas. Each year, SAF trains approximately 25 students on issues that farmworkers face, and places them to work full-time with migrant education programs, legal aid offices, rural health clinics, community-based organizations, and farmworker unions. SAF interns increase the capacity of the organizations they work with by outreaching to over 5,000 farmworkers & their families each summer.
- $4250 stipend
- Housing and mentorship provided
- Out-of-state students from farmworker families receive support securing paid travel to North Carolina
- Applications for 2024-25 scholarships due by February 7, 2024
Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship
The Mahatma Gandhi Fellowship was established in 1998 by Sangam, UNC’s South Asian awareness student group. The Fellowship awards two students each year up to $3,000 to execute a project of their own design that benefits South Asians in some way, whether it is through direct service or increasing awareness of South Asian culture and issues. Minimum GPA of 3.0.
The National Italian American Foundation
Thanks to the generosity of the Italian American community, the National Italian American Foundation has awarded over $10,000,000 in scholarships since its founding. NIAF administers nearly 200 scholarships annually, ranging in value from $2,500 to $12,000 to Italian American students studying a wide variety of subjects.
- Applications for 2024-25 scholarships due by March 1, 2024
- Available scholarships
Phillips Ambassadors
The Phillips Ambassadors scholarship offers undergraduates at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University a unique opportunity to study abroad in Asia. The Phillips Ambassadors Program is open to UNC Chapel Hill and select Duke University undergraduate students across all majors who are applying for a university-approved study abroad academic program in Asia (excluding Central Asia).
- $6,000 stipend provided
- Semester long
- Study abroad in one of these programs
- Deadlines and Application
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
SURF recipients are expected to engage in undergraduate research, scholarship, or performance for at least 9 weeks, with a minimum of 20 hours/week during the summer, although depending on scope, some projects may require more than the minimum of 20 hours/week. About 60 individual awards are issued each summer.
SURF projects must be carried out under the supervision of a UNC-Chapel Hill faculty research advisor. Additional collaboration with a postdoctoral fellow or graduate student mentor is encouraged when relevant to the research project. The typical SURF award is $4,000. Students in certain program areas are eligible to receive additional funding. Please note that the $4,000 is a stipend to help students with living expenses and/or for any needed travel or supplies if applicable. You are not required to submit a budget for your SURF.
- Applications for the 2024-25 SURF program due by February 1, 2024