Fund for International Service Learning

Students interested in studying abroad have many options to support them financially. Schools often let students transfer their school aid to programs abroad. Well-established scholarships already exist for the benefit of study abroad candidates. So why do we need another one?

Service-learning serves a higher purpose than study abroad by itself. Both the student and the service recipients benefit from the experience and grow with exposure to one another's viewpoints. Unlike study abroad experiences where students can often choose to remain in a protective bubble, service-learning students must engage and participate in the local culture to which they've come. We seek to encourage what we believe to be a highly beneficial form of international experience.

Studying abroad is filled with unexpected costs that aren't covered by loans and grants. For individuals in financial need, the costs of travel, visa fees, clothing, luggage, etc. can all represent small but very real barriers to attending a program abroad.

At FISL, our aim is to help as many students as possible attend international service learning programs because we believe so strongly in the value these programs hold for everyone involved.