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Study Abroad Dilemma
Hamurabi
MiamiRegistered User regular
MiamiRegistered User regular
So early in this semester, I decided I wanted to study abroad for both the experience and for the resume padding.
I applied to this study abroad program, and this scholarship for funding. I feel I have a very solid chance of getting the scholarship, as it's basically tailor-made for me (financially challenged ethnic minority looking to study a Critical Needs Language in an "unconventional" country, and wrote a fairly awesome statement-of-purpose letter); I've already been accepted to the study abroad program itself.
Problem is, CIEE (the third-party program provider) is asking for the confirmation fee right away, and it's $300 and non-refundable. I won't know if I got the scholarship until "late April or early May." If I were 100% certain I was getting the $8,000 from the scholarship, this obviously wouldn't be a big concern, but given that I'm not 100% certain... I stand to potentially lose $300.
I called up CIEE, and the dude on the other end suggested there wouldn't be a problem postponing my confirmation until I found out whether or not I got the scholarship, and that I should contact the program director directly to make sure. I emailed her, and she pretty much flat out said they couldn't guarantee me a spot if I delayed paying the $300 confirmation fee. I sent her a follow-up email detailing the kind of shitty position she was putting me in, and asking her earnestly to lay out the odds of my spot being given to someone else given the enrollment history of this particular program; it's the weekend, so I haven't gotten her reply yet.
This could go two ways, as I see it:
1. I delay coughing up the $300 until I know for sure that I got the scholarship, and run the risk of my spot being given to someone else so that I wind up with funding but no program (assuming I get the scholarship). It'd already be too late by this point to apply to another summer program, though I guess I could try to directly enroll at some university with relevant coursework for their summer term. Alternatively, I could try to work something out with the scholarship people to apply the funding to a fall program.
The other downside is that I'd have wasted my entire summer because I was kind of counting on this study abroad program to happen.
2. I cough up the $300. If I get the scholarship, everything is hunky-dory and there are high-fives all around.
If I don't get the scholarship, I can either eat the loss or see if the scholarships I applied to from CIEE themselves lowered the cost of attending the program enough that I could pay for it myself. There were like three of them I applied to at once, and they range from a $1,000-5,000 reduction in the cost of the program, and the program costs $6,775 to begin with.
In terms of contacting people about the problem for help: I've already contacted CIEE, though I guess I could try appealing to someone higher up than the person running my program, to see if they can't bend the rules a little given my situation; I've already emailed my study abroad advisor at school about the issue and am waiting for a reply; and I haven't contacted the Gilman scholarship people, but it occurs to me that it might not be the worst idea to let them know about my situation to see if there isn't something they can do for me.
Any ideas?
I applied to this study abroad program, and this scholarship for funding. I feel I have a very solid chance of getting the scholarship, as it's basically tailor-made for me (financially challenged ethnic minority looking to study a Critical Needs Language in an "unconventional" country, and wrote a fairly awesome statement-of-purpose letter); I've already been accepted to the study abroad program itself.
Problem is, CIEE (the third-party program provider) is asking for the confirmation fee right away, and it's $300 and non-refundable. I won't know if I got the scholarship until "late April or early May." If I were 100% certain I was getting the $8,000 from the scholarship, this obviously wouldn't be a big concern, but given that I'm not 100% certain... I stand to potentially lose $300.
I called up CIEE, and the dude on the other end suggested there wouldn't be a problem postponing my confirmation until I found out whether or not I got the scholarship, and that I should contact the program director directly to make sure. I emailed her, and she pretty much flat out said they couldn't guarantee me a spot if I delayed paying the $300 confirmation fee. I sent her a follow-up email detailing the kind of shitty position she was putting me in, and asking her earnestly to lay out the odds of my spot being given to someone else given the enrollment history of this particular program; it's the weekend, so I haven't gotten her reply yet.
This could go two ways, as I see it:
1. I delay coughing up the $300 until I know for sure that I got the scholarship, and run the risk of my spot being given to someone else so that I wind up with funding but no program (assuming I get the scholarship). It'd already be too late by this point to apply to another summer program, though I guess I could try to directly enroll at some university with relevant coursework for their summer term. Alternatively, I could try to work something out with the scholarship people to apply the funding to a fall program.
The other downside is that I'd have wasted my entire summer because I was kind of counting on this study abroad program to happen.
2. I cough up the $300. If I get the scholarship, everything is hunky-dory and there are high-fives all around.
If I don't get the scholarship, I can either eat the loss or see if the scholarships I applied to from CIEE themselves lowered the cost of attending the program enough that I could pay for it myself. There were like three of them I applied to at once, and they range from a $1,000-5,000 reduction in the cost of the program, and the program costs $6,775 to begin with.
In terms of contacting people about the problem for help: I've already contacted CIEE, though I guess I could try appealing to someone higher up than the person running my program, to see if they can't bend the rules a little given my situation; I've already emailed my study abroad advisor at school about the issue and am waiting for a reply; and I haven't contacted the Gilman scholarship people, but it occurs to me that it might not be the worst idea to let them know about my situation to see if there isn't something they can do for me.
Any ideas?
Hamurabi on
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1. The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, who gives out awards of up to $8,000 to deserving undergraduate students for the study abroad program of their choice.
2. CIEE, a reputable and established third-party provider of international study abroad programs.
The $300 non-refundable confirmation fee is from CIEE. Though CIEE does offer their own "scholarships" (read: reductions in the price of the program), the "scholarship" I was referring to above was the one I've applied for from the Gilman program.
Do understand though, that from their perspective you could be something of a "flight risk" where they end up with no one to send because they gave you a slot and then you couldn't pay. At any rate, good luck!
Not at all. I just did one in France (program cost of $11,000) and they're pretty unconcerned about that kind of thing.
But you'll feel a bit of a dick if you get the scholarship and then lose your place, won't you?
It's like any application deposit, and with something that can so profoundly improve your life I'd say it's more than worth the chance.
Most of them are gonna be similar deadlines, enough at it probably won't make much of a difference. And they almost all have a deposit. There are lots, though, so it may be worth a shot.
Also, consider checking CIEE for their own scholarships. The third-party providers almost always have excess funds dedicated to scholarships just because so few people apply to them.
Your best bet is to keep pressuring CIEE, since they are often fairly flexible and willing to work with students. The more concrete a date you can give them as to when you'll know, the better.
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They all require quite a bit of advance planning (Mine was almost a year in advance) and I've never seen one sans a refundable deposit. Study abroad is a really involved process. You wouldn't believe how much work I had to do to go to France.