SRAS Program Grants to Study Abroad
SRAS Program Grants are “stackable” – apply for as many as four at a time, with a maximum of two from each category below. The awards can be combined to boost your funding and help you achieve your goals. Note all awards below require a program length of at least 6 weeks in order to apply.
Apply for your SRAS study abroad program first. Once you open an application for your program you will have access to our grant funding application.
SRAS encourages students from minority serving institutions to study abroad.*
The Award: Actual awards vary by the specific program, location, and length of program you choose, but average awards are: $300 for any standard SRAS program lasting six to ten weeks, $500 for full semester programs, and $750 for academic year programs.
Application Materials: When you apply for your SRAS study abroad program, you will additionally submit:
- Proof of enrolment in or graduation from a minority-serving educational institution.
Application Deadline: SRAS grants are connected to SRAS programs. Applications for this grant are due on the same day as the related program application. Decisions are made after the application deadlines.
* This award does not apply to Texas A&M students, as we already built this award into the Affiliation Discount that you receive.
Apply for back-to-back SRAS programs in different locations and save!
The Award:
$500 applied to the final session/semester when you study in 2 different SRAS locations for a semester plus summer program of at least 6 weeks in duration.
$1000 applied to the final semester when you study in two SRAS semester programs in different locations.
$1500 applied to final session/semester when you study in any three SRAS programs in different locations. Only one of the programs may be a summer program (6 weeks minimum duration).
Additional Application Materials: Sign up for qualifying programs.
Application Deadline: SRAS grants are connected to SRAS programs. Applications for this grant are due on the same day as the related program application.
Dedication: This grant was founded in honor of Charles Braver, an educator who promoted travel and cross-cultural understanding. Find out more about Charles Braver at the bottom of this page.
Sign up for two consecutive programs in the same location to qualify.
The Award: $1000 is applied for two consecutive SRAS semester-long programs in the same location (fall + spring). $500 is applied toward combining a summer program of at least 6 weeks with a fall or spring semester in the same location.
The discount is applied toward payment for the second program.
Additional Application Materials: Sign up for qualifying programs.
Application Deadline: SRAS grants are connected to SRAS programs. Applications for this grant are due on the same day as the related program application.
You qualify for this scholarship if you…
- Receive a Boren, FLAS, or Gilman Scholarship for the SRAS program you applied for;
- Study abroad after or while in the military*;
- Have completed a government internship in the past year**;
- Are teaching a full class (either as a state certified teacher, graduate assistant, or professor);
- Return abroad as an SRAS alum***;
- Are an honors program student**** at your home university.
- Are a current student participating in a Language Flagship Program.
The Award: Actual awards vary by the specific program, location, and length of program you choose, but average awards are: $300 for any standard SRAS program lasting six weeks to ten weeks, $500 for full semester programs, and $750 for academic year programs OR full semester + a summer program of at least 6 weeks.
Application Materials: When you apply for your SRAS study abroad program, you will additionally submit:
- Proof from the relevant organization that you qualify.
*Active duty or honorably discharged; does not include ProjectGo applicants or non-commissioned ROTC.
**Military training such as boot camp and officer corp training do not count as “government internships” in this case
*** Returning abroad means you have previously participated in a study abroad program with SRAS that was at least 6 weeks in duration.
****In this case an honors program student means you are participating in a program that has special classes as part of an honors college, not just that you have a special status from receiving high grades.
Bring two or more friends abroad!*
The Award: Three students or more students signing up for the same session or semester of the same program each receive a $500 discount for any program of 10 weeks or longer, or $300 for programs that are at least 6 weeks. Groups of six or more will receive a bonus to the cultural program (an extra paid trip out of the city, guided excursion, etc.).
Application Materials: All participants must name each other as part of their application for their SRAS study abroad program.
*Does not apply to students who already receive special group pricing from SRAS, which includes Affiliation Discounts.
Program F.A.Q.
What are the deadlines? The deadline for the grant application is the same as the deadline for the corresponding academic program the student intends to apply the grant to. So, if the student is applying to an academic program with Oct 15 listed the application deadline, applications for the grant should be in by Oct 15.
What if I am not currently a student anywhere? Not a problem. For more on eligibility issues, please see our “Getting Started” page on academics.
Are there any other academic/GPA requirements for these awards? Yes, minimum GPA of 2.5 required.
Can I really apply for multiple awards? Yes. Up to four at a time, with a maximum of two from each category listed
More Funding for Study Abroad
In addition to the above opportunities, SRAS offers Online Research Internships and a Location Ambassador program that can help fund your study abroad!
There are many more outside sources of funding as well. We’ve listed every single one that we know of here!
Who Was Charles Braver?
Our Explorer Grant was founded in honor of Charles Braver, one of the most inspirational world explorers we have ever met.
Charles Braver first studied with SRAS in 2000 on a summer language program at Moscow State University. He returned again in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Seemingly, Charles could not get enough of Russia – and especially the people he befriended there. He took full advantage of every day – heading out to explore as soon as classes ended. The height of his exploration of Russia was in 2005 when he undertook the great “Trans-Siberian adventure.” Little did we at SRAS know that there was a reason our active and happy Charles was so focused on making the most of each day. Charles passed away in November 2006 after a long and fierce battle against melanoma. Those of us who had the privilege of interacting with Charles will always remember him as a wonderful person whose learning and passion ended too soon.
When not in Russia, Charles was a master teacher for nine years in the CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP) at the New York City College of Technology. A brilliant educator, Charles was dedicated to teaching and learning. He created an amazing body of project-based courses in diverse content areas such as world and local history, civics, journalism, literature and cultural studies, and national and world geography, among others. Charles brought out the very best in his students through his exceptional communication skills, knowledge of the world and of linguistics, dedication to the highest standards, technological know-how, life experience, creativity, generosity, caring, humor, humility, and more. He was a consummate educator who knew the art and science of teaching, and did it all with élan.
If the world had more students with Charles’ curiosity, more educators with Charles’ energy and wide knowledge base, and more diplomats with Charles’ tact, charisma, and open understanding, the world would be a far, far better place. This grant hopes to help provide the world with more people like Charles.
– What Friends Say about Charles –
“Charles and I met at Moscow State University in 2000. We were both studying Russian at the university. He was living on campus for the experience, before moving in with a host family. Charles was like that, he always wanted to test and savor the experience. We ended up spending a lot of time together getting to know each [other] and Moscow. We explored Gorky Park, Tretyakov museum, the Pushkin, and discovered a small Georgian restaurant tucked away near the Park Kultury metro stop that was to become our favorite. We bartered at Izmailovsky, sat on the Kremlin steps watching the honor guards of the ‘Great Patriotic War’ change on the hour. We always agreed to meet on certain platforms- “you get in the last car, I’ll be in the first car-we’ll meet at Beloruskaya-a practice that continued though our friendship once we returned home. We spent a lot of time eating pelmeni and vareniki in Brighton Beach, buying Russian music, books and newspapers, trying to barter with and squeezing through the babushki at the international Russian food market. Charles was great with people. He would walk up to anyone on the street and start asking questions in a manner that would invite not only an answer, but quite possibly an invitation to dinner. I admired that in him-his love for people, their lives and his love for knowledge. He cared for people, reached out to them and they returned his affection.”
– Rusty Brockman, fellow SRAS student
“In summer of 2005 I had the great pleasure to travel with Charles across Russia on the Trans-Siberian Railroad.
“Although the disease that would ultimately take his life had already made itself known, it was remarkable how Charles dealt with it. Other than having to make certain that we had access to a refrigerator so he could keep his interferon fresh and an occasional afternoon nap (to which I never objected) you would not have known that anything was amiss. His enthusiasm and excitement never waned.
“Of all the qualities Charles possessed, the one that most touched me was his passion. His passion for languages, for new cultures, for people, for his students and for his family was always evident.
“Charles loved interacting with people and people loved interacting with him. This was not only true here at home but also in the middle of Siberia. When our train stopped for 10 minutes or so in some little town in the middle of nowhere Charles would disembark not only to buy fruit and cheese for the remainder of the trip but to talk to the women and men selling the food. For Charles needed not only the nourishment the food would provide but the nourishment he received in his conversations with and questioning of the ladies who baked the bread and the men who harvested the fruit. And when he made contact with them -in that moment- I believe they got the inkling that this lanky American who spoke excellent Russian was a very special person. A very special person and a very special friend.”
– Ted Bajo, Personal Friend
“I first met Charles at Lomonosov Moscow State University while I was working there for the International Students’ Office. Since then we became friends sharing our ideas on a great variety of subjects including the one-dimension-ness of some people and the main features of the “Russian soul,” which very few foreigners can identify. Charles was the one who could! He loved Russia and its people, spent much time learning and traveling there, and always wanted to meet new people to learn more.
“Charles’ attitude towards life in general and Russia in particular struck me the most when he decided to take the Trans-Siberian railroad journey after being diagnosed with cancer. Very few people, I believe, would not give up in a situation like this. I must admit that he set an example for me.”
– Natalia Rostova, SRAS Consultant
Commonly Asked Questions
The program here is wonderful. All of my teachers have been extremely helpful and I have made friends both here in the dorms and with others who live in the city and find that I often have many opportunities to practice Russian outside of the classroom. Already I feel that my Russian has improved immensely, especially my listening and speaking.
At a time in my life when I was at a crossroads regarding where my career might take me, this course showed me a path that truly inspired me, and I haven’t looked back since.
I’ve studied in Irkutsk and St. Petersburg with SRAS, but [Bishkek] is, by far, my favorite because of the intense focus on speaking skills. I spend about three hours, 4 times a week speaking one-on-one. It’s such a unique opportunity! The people are also especially friendly here. My homestay is fantastic, the coordinator is a never-ending wealth of help, and the food of Central Asia is delicious.
I spent Fall and Spring with your program in St. Petersburg and it was truly the highlight and culmination of my University experience and just a banner year! I can’t thank you enough for or gush enough about your program. I recommend it to just about everyone I talk to, whether or not they’re interested in learning Russian.
My semester back home so far has been incredibly influenced by my semester abroad with SRAS and I find myself talking about it almost daily. Since many of my classes touch on the region (Europe after Socialism, Central Asian Politics), I’m able to add comments and insights unavailable to me before. My contributions to our Russian club have also been greatly enriched. Thank you for everything you did to facilitate this experience and going out of your way to ensure our success.
I wanted to find a program that combined my love of Russia and my passion for environmental studies. Because of my interest in environmental issues, Lake Baikal had always been a site of interest to me. Studying abroad in Siberia gives you the opportunity to see a completely different side of Russia and the Russian people. Just think, few people at home even know that Siberia is anything but a wintery tundra!