By: Emory Waye, Contributing Writer

When researching any kind of university program, such as study abroad, the abundance of information can become overwhelming very quickly. There is plenty of valuable information about students’ study abroad experiences, but less practical information on cost, scholarships, and how to apply. This is everything you need to know about the cost and process of studying abroad, summed up as concisely as possible.

1. Finding the Right Program For You

The study abroad program offers over 800 programs in 60 different countries. The available programs are listed on South’s website and you can access them here. These are some of upcoming programs available for the May and summer terms.

The application deadline for many of these programs is coming up on Feb. 14. Information regarding each program can be found by clicking the blue hyperlink on the left side of the screen. Each program has five tabs: program overview, application, available courses, financial information, and refund/withdrawal policies.

Minimum GPA requirements to study abroad are 2.25-2.75. Each program is different but you can earn between 1 and 6 credit hours. Most study abroad programs costs cover:

• Tuition for the credit hours you take
• A program deposit of $350
• All program-related in-country transportation
• Excursions in the itinerary
• Some meals
• Airport pickup
• Hotel/Hostel/Cabin Housing

However, each program will vary in costs and what is covered by your payment.

2. Talk to a Study Abroad Advisor

Studying abroad is a huge commitment, and there are staff members who specialize in helping students find the right program. Just as you meet with an academic advisor to plan your class schedule, you need to meet with someone to decide whether studying abroad is a good option for you and which program will help you on your degree path. Three study abroad advisors are available to discuss your options. You can schedule an appointment here.

If you have found a program you are interested in and need more information about the specific commitments, you may also talk to any of the faculty professors leading the trip. Their email addresses, phone numbers, and office locations are available on the front page of the specific program guide.

3. Scholarships

You may not have considered studying abroad because of the perceived high costs. However, South has several scholarship opportunities to aid with the cost of this experience.

JagSpot is South’s scholarship services search tool. When viewing the gallery of scholarships, you may notice that there is no option to apply directly from that page, which can be confusing. In order to be able to apply to any type of scholarship, including study abroad, you must navigate to the student page on the left side of the screen and log into your student account.

You then must fill out the General Scholarship Application for the Academic Year 2025-2026 in order to unlock all other scholarship opportunities.

There are several different scholarships available to specific programs of study, as well as to anyone who is interested in study abroad in general. JagSpot will automatically recommend scholarships that are relevant to you, and your home page should look something like this. The USA Paws Around the World scholarship and the Clint Harper Barefoot Global Impact Endowed Scholarship are examples available to all majors.

While you may assume applying for scholarships is a waste of your time, fewer people apply than you may think. Each scholarship has a designated amount of funding and sometimes only a handful of people apply, meaning that each individual who applies will receive more money if that is the case.
The amount awarded for each scholarship ranges from $250 to $3,000 depending on how long your study program is and which scholarships you apply for.

4. Apply!

Finally, once you’re ready to apply for your chosen program, you can click the blue “Apply Now” button at the bottom of the page.

Good luck with your study abroad endeavors! Make sure to reach out to the International Education & Study Abroad Office for any and all help with this process.