The College of William and Mary is ranked first among public schools for study abroad participation by the Open Doors 2023 Report on International Educational Exchange. Ask any student who has studied abroad and you’ll quickly understand why it’s a popular choice. Who wouldn’t want to spend a lab period scuba diving in Australia or take an art class in the Medici Chapel of Florence? With a wide variety of programs around the world, the opportunities can seem endless, but many students find themselves stuck on one particular question: not where to go, but how to pay for it?
The William and Mary Global Education Office lists more than 900 programs which range from being William and Mary faculty lead to through third party organizations. These programs, which include winter, summer, semester and academic-year long terms, span 72 countries across more than 200 cities. Spain and the United Kingdom had the greatest numbers of unique programs, with 148 and 135 respectively. The majority of offerings are in Europe, which hosts 613 programs. These programs are listed on the Global Education Office’s study abroad program search database and are pre-approved for students to enroll in, but they do not represent the complete list of opportunities for students. Students can also petition to register for an unlisted program, for example by directly enrolling in a foreign institution.
For students who qualify for financial aid, a study abroad experience may be more affordable than it seems. Financial aid will cover up to the cost of a traditional semester at the College, provided that the student is enrolled full-time. In addition, students are encouraged to apply for scholarships to bolster their funding. Desirae Sandridge ’26, did just that.
In the summer of 2024, Sandridge, a kinesiology major and biology minor, traveled to South Africa where she studied, shadowed medical personnel, went sightseeing and hiked. Like many others, she felt uncertain about the cost of the program when she first looked into studying abroad.
“The one thing that [the school was] completely sure about that they tell everybody that's getting a scholarship is you will get money if you get aid, which I appreciated,” Sandridge said.
This is especially helpful to students who receive financial aid during the school year, but not summer terms. Regardless of term and financial aid status, any student can combine scholarships with other funding. And there is no shortage of scholarships to choose from.
The College offers 23 scholarships for study abroad. Any student studying abroad can apply for a need-based scholarship from the Reves Center. From there, the scholarships vary widely in eligibility criteria, offering something for everyone.
Traveling to Korea, Dublin, U.K., Scandinavia, Florence, Lithuania, Israel or an Arabic or French speaking country? There’s a scholarship for that. Studying business, art, history, international relations, government, dance, German, French or Judaic studies? There’s a scholarship for those too.
“This year, Reves expects to be able to award $700,000 in study abroad scholarships on top of financial aid and other external resources,” Associate Director of International Studies Kate Hoving said.
Beyond those offered by the College, third party providers and other external programs offer 38 different scholarships. Many students utilize a mix of scholarships and financial aid.
“With so many different programs and scholarship options, it’s really the kind of thing a Reves advisor can help with,” said Hoving. “We work with students to try to leverage as many different sources of funding as possible.”
Knowing the value of the study abroad experience, the Reves Center acts as an advocate and a resource.
“We want to make study abroad possible for every student who wants to participate,” Hoving said.
When asked if her program was worth the cost, Sandridge expressed satisfaction with the program.
“Yes, by far the experience alone is worth it,” Sandridge said.
She left South Africa with seven credit hours, a renewed interest in public health and the experience of a lifetime. Hoving affirmed a similar message to students considering studying abroad.
“First of all, we know it can seem daunting — from selecting a program to getting the finances together — but the fact is there are lots of options, and the staff at the Reves Center are here to help you, so don't assume something is impossible until you've talked with us,” Hoving said.
With so many ways to fund the study abroad experience, the question isn’t ‘where to go and how to pay for it,’ but ‘where to go and what to do?’