I initially believed studying abroad was not meant for someone like me; a full time student from a low-income family, who worked multiple jobs to help support their self. My perception changed after attending a study abroad seminar, where I met a student who studied in Japan for a year completely on scholarships and grants. Their story of overcoming the financial challenges inspired me to stop making excuses for why I could not do the same. It became clear I needed to start setting in motion how to make my dream to travel a reality just like they did.

 

I spent months researching and applying to different programs, writing scholarship essays and waiting anxiously for responses. The answer to my prayers came in many ways. I go accepted into the program I wanted to Korea and more importantly, I was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship for $5000, my university’s International Education Fund scholarship for $1500 and Globalinks Learning Abroad’s Diversity Scholarship for $1500 and a $500 bonus award for being a Gilman Scholar. Paired with the government grants HOPE and PELL that I already received for schooling, I had over $14,000 to apply towards my plane ticket, tuition, and living expenses abroad. The fear of going to a school overseas, which costs 3 times as much as I normally pay for school, was no longer a concern for me.