Fall Abroad Experience

The Spring semester is typically the most popular semester to go abroad - at GW and nationally! Perhaps you've had friends even recommend that you go abroad in the Spring. The Spring semester certainly does have its own benefits, but if you have the flexibility to choose, we're here to show you how a Fall semester abroad can be everything a Spring semester is and more! The Fall Abroad Experience (F.A.E) is the Office for Study Abroad's scholarship program aimed at helping balance our Fall and Spring participation. In addition to the benefits of F.A.E described below, there's plenty of reasons why you should consider Fall for your semester abroad! Not convinced? Check out why Fall Abroad is the best kept secret:

F.A.E Benefits

Financial Aid

Fall Abroad Experience students are eligible to receive a scholarship for their fall study abroad semester.  Funding requires a timely completed application, available on GW Passport. Funding and participating provider partners are subject to change annually, check back for up-to-date details regarding subsequent Fall semesters.

Scholarships for the participating providers are not guaranteed for all applicants and are based on merit and/or financial need. 

For all applicants, to receive any associated OSA or provider F.A.E. scholarship, you must be committed to the qualifying program in GW Passport by the commitment deadline. 

Note: Global Bachelor's Program in their cohort semester and ACE Trilateral Degree Program students are not eligible for this program in its entirety. 

If you are a student interested in additional financial support, you are encouraged to review these resources:

OSA Funding

• $1,500 tuition award reserved for the first 75 applicants committing to a GW Exchange Program, GW Study Program, or Direct Enroll Program with a successful F.A.E application
• Additional $1,000 awards may be available on a financial need basis for subsequent applicants dependent on funding availability (subject to change annually)

Provider Program Scholarships

• $2,000 for all IFSA applicants to approved programs in Barcelona, Prague and Shanghai; $1,000 to all IFSA applicants applying to Havana
• $1,500 for select CIEE applicants who have applied to F.A.E (up to 30 applicants selected on a need-basis)
• $1,500 for DIS applicants who have applied to F.A.E. 
• $1,000 for CET applicants who have applied to F.A.E.
• $1,000 for select CYA applicants who have applied to F.A.E. (CYA F.A.E. scholarship cannot be paired with other CYA Scholarships - students can only apply to one or the other)
• $1,000 for IAU applicants who have applied to F.A.E. (IAU F.A.E. scholarship cannot be paired with other IAU Scholarships - students will be awarded whichever is of a greater value)
• $1,000 for SIT applicants who have applied to F.A.E
• APA applicants who have applied to F.A.E. can have their visa costs covered by APA (up to $300)

How it Works

Step 1: Apply to a GW-approved study abroad program for Fall 

Step 2: Submit an application in GW Passport for the "Fall Abroad Experience" (Opens mid-December, Closes May 1)

All Fall Abroad Experience applicants will automatically qualify for Early/Priority Registration for the subsequent GW Spring semester. Students who applied to a qualifying study abroad program receive notice of whether they've been awarded the scholarship.