Best Mattress Sleep scholarship

Hey Guys! 

So I got an email a while back about this scholarship, and I somehow missed it when I was going through the mail.  But Best Mattress asked me to pass the information on to you all in case you’re interested!  It’s a scholarship for $1,000 (good start on a study abroad plan!) and the deadline is May 19, 2017 so you need to jump on it fast!  I’ve posted the information below.  Scholarships don’t have to cover the entire cost of your trip if you can add them together.  So here’s a great place to begin planning for your dream trip to study!  The website is here.

BestMattressReviews.com Sleep Scholarship

Travel Cheap And Travel Young: 10 Countries You Can Visit On A College Budget

by Clay Winoweicki via “Elite Daily”

With the travel season upon us, it’s time to begin exploring again and creating memories that last.

Like everyone else, I’m pretty much broke and can’t afford to go on a luxury trip across Europe, but just because the university takes all my cash doesn’t mean I can’t still travel.

Here is a list of 10 countries that rank on the low-end for cost right now:

Bolivia

Home to many activities and sites, this cheap country will have you living like a king for less than you would think. You can get a nice place to stay, food, transportation and even alcohol for less than 20 USD per day.

---

Thailand

Thailand has been trying to revamp its tourism as of late and many tourism companies have been offering excellent deals. I’m a huge advocate of hostels, but if that isn’t your thing, you can get a private room with a bathroom for less than 30 USD per night.

If you are open to bunks, you can easily get by for an entire day on that price.

---

Greece

With the state of the economic condition in Greece, prices are low and the tourism will help bring in some more much-needed money. The country is mind-numbingly beautiful and features amazing coasts and architecture.

This is one of the best locations in all of Europe for cheap travel. . . . .

READ MORE

How to Land the Study Abroad Scholarships of Your Dreams

via “Go Abroad”

Affordability is often the number one concern of students interested in studying abroad, yet most students have no idea how much financial support is available to students who want to go abroad! If you are contemplating a study abroad program because of financial concerns, check out GoAbroad’s Directory of hundreds of study abroad scholarships. Every student can find the financial aid they need to study abroad, justselect from the drop-down menus above and clickSearch!

If you are just starting your search and feeling overwhelmed by financial assistance opportunities or searching for the best way to sift through financial aid options, then follow GoAbroad’s Step-by-Step Guide to getting study abroad scholarships:

1. Visit your Study Abroad and Financial Aid Office.

This should be the very first step you take in searching for financial assistance to go abroad. Start with your university, because quite frequently there are scholarship opportunities specifically offered to students interested in participating in study abroad or other international programs. But even if your university doesn’t offer study abroad scholarships, your Study Abroad and Financial Aid Offices will both have plenty of resources and potential scholarships to share with you to get you started.

2. Understand your Financial Aid Options.

Make sure you know the difference between a grant, fellowship, scholarship, and all other forms of financial support, before you start an application. Each type of aid will garner different expectations for applications and of potential awardees, and therefore you should approach each uniquely and for different reasons, depending on what type of program you plan to pursue abroad.

• Check out this GoAbroad Article about Funding Options for definitions of various financial aid types
• For detailed information about Student Loans, visit GoAbroad’s Study Abroad Loans Directory

3. Take into Account your Degree Level. . . . .

READ MORE

Funding – Bridging Scholarships for Study in Japan

Who:

• The U.S. – Japan Bridging Foundation
• American Association of Teachers of Japanese

What:

• Bridging Project – a program that actively recruits students twice a year to apply for study abroad programs in Japan.  The goal is to introduce cross-cultural relationships and spark an interest in Japan. You can either spend a year or just a semester there at a Japanese University.  It looks like you choose your program and they help with travel/living if you win.  You have to submit a report within 60 days of the program’s ending to the foundation about your experience.

Who Can Apply?: American Undergraduates interested in Japan and currently enrolled in a US university.  Japanese language study is not a pre-requisite – any major can apply. The study abroad program you choose must transfer the credits back to the US university (be part of your major). SUMMER PROGRAMS ARE NOT INCLUDED.  

How Much?: Approximately 100 scholarships for a total of $350,000. $2500 for semester-programs and $4000 for year-long programs. Intended to help with “travel and living expenses”

Paperwork:

• Application (on the website)
• Short Essay (up to 500 wrds)
• Transcript
• Letter of Recommendation

Where to find out more: Link

 

Common Study Abroad Expenses

Your first step in estimating expenses is to determine what is included in the Program’s Package.  The school/organization will give you a price that you have to pay to them, and what is provided through that package varies from program to program.  Usually, it will include tuition, housing, a certain number of “culture trips” (may be extra!), transportation between hotel and school morning and afternoon (for short programs), VISA (may be extra!), and the assistance of a program advisor.

Some things to verify include:

• Transportation Fees – does this include flights, trips to and from the school and hotel, trips to internships, extra trips offered during the program, etc.
• Housing Fees – Is there a deposit required by the hotel? What amenities are provided by the hotel? Is breakfast offered? What about a gym or exercise facilities? Is there a mini kitchen in the room or are you required to eat out?  How about laundry facilities? An iron? Wireless? How many people in a room? 
• Program Fees – Are all culture trips included in this price? Books? Exam software or notebooks? Transcripts?  All classroom expenses?
• Flights – If flights are included, how many suitcases do you get free?
• VISA – Is the VISA included or are you getting that on your own (this is important for your time considerations as well- VISA can take weeks to obtain)?
• Books  – Are they included?

In addition to the fees required by the school, you will have a number of out-of-pocket expenses. Many of these will depend on your own choices (e.g. shared or private rooms), but certainly some of them are requisite no matter what.  A great place to find information on living expenses is Numbeo’s “Cost of Living” site or try googleing “Cost of Living in . . . . “

Below, I have attempted to list the most common expenses study abroadists face during the trip.

These costs naturally vary student-to-student, place-to-place so this is not a hard&fast list of expenses. Some of us will spend less, some more. But at least it gives you something to work from!

**[PP] = Usually included in the overall price of the program listed by the school

• Tuition (???) – Depends on the school, location, and length of the program [PP]
• Flights (approximately $600-$2500 one-way) – shop early, plan well. 
  • Airline Baggage Fees (US-Foreign Country = 2 free bags, then $75-$150 for the third one) – if you are flying internationally between other countries, this cost may change!).  Remember to book all you tickets at once or you might be charged for each bag on any domestic flights included in the trip. Also don’t have overweight luggage!
  • Layover Fees ($0 – $300) – Some flights involve layover delays in between each flight. Sometimes people end up spending money on food, drinks, entertainment, souvenirs, short tours of the layover stop, hotels, taxis, etc.  To avoid these extra costs, bring a book or tablet with you on the trip, take a bus if you leave the airport, and sleep in the airport if allowed.
• Housing (usually around $1000-$1500 / month) [PP] – usually required even for home-stays.
  • Hotel Deposit ($70-$200) – Not always necessary – if required, must be paid upon arrival at the hotel. Usually will be included towards the cost of the hotel room.
  • Alternative would be finding a hostel (average $15-$50/night) or staying with someone you know.
  • Costs for Hotel Amenities (Gym, Trash, Wireless, Recycling, Laundry, Dry-Cleaning, House-Keeping, etc.) are sometimes not included in given hotel fee.  Ask your program director what is and is not included.
• VISA ($0-$500) – Usually free if you stay less than 90 days. [PP]
  • If you do require a VISA and you have to get your own, it may require traveling to a major city to the nation’s embassy twice (once to drop off paperwork and once to pick up the VISA). This often adds an extra hotel and transportation cost for the trip.
• US Passport ($135) – ALWAYS required. Check out our Passport page for more information.
• Textbooks ($60-???) – Depends on your program, classes, etc.
• Transportation ($100-???) – Costs can run at very small if you mostly walk to pretty high if you take taxis or have to pay extra money for culture trips or tours. Walk, Bike, or take a Bus if you can.  Save a minimum $100 just in case!
• Food ($100-$1000/month) – Depends on location, length of program, and what you eat.  Can range from minor amounts to extremely costly.  To save money try cooking for yourself (especially in the hotel has a kitchenette), eating on the street, or finding restaurants that serve the local workers. Avoid cafes, nicer dinner establishments, or tourist shops.  Organic or Vegetarian options often cost more.  You can always bring a tub of peanut butter and live on sandwiches or bring some boxes of Mac&Cheese!  Not to say you can’t taste some good traditional cuisine! Yummy 🙂
• Excursions ($50-$200/week w/ $300-$400 for one weekend away trip) – We all want to visit the cultural sites and stop off at a good club now and again.  Try to set aside $50-$200/week (more or less depending on what you’re doing), and spread out the costlier places over the duration of the trip.  I’ve never seen a student manage a study abroad trip without at least one major trip to a different country or city, so save $300-$400 for that one weekend traveling expedition.
• Souvenirs ($100-$250) – You may not spend it all, or you might spend more. But I’d try to set aside this amount as your base.
• Clothing ($100-???) – Entirely up to you!  But at least $100 in case you find a t-shirt or jewelry or a hat or something.
• Suitcases ($100-$150 each) 
• Common Surprise Extras
  • Medication (for the whole time)
  • Iron (if you have a suit) or Dry-Cleaning
  • Laundry 
  • Internet (if you don’t have wi-fi, you can sometimes rent a router)
  • Phone Service (a lot of international travelers rent a phone and plan for their trip)
  • Insurance (Health and Renters)
  • Gym / Exercise
  • Kitchen Appliances for the room
  • Living Supplies (shampoo, conditioner, soaps, dish soap, blankets, towels, hair dryers, plates, trash bags, etc.)
  • Clothing (emergency shirts, pants, suits, shoes, hair things, hats, etc. – you packed for hot and it’s cold, you packed for hiking and you suddenly have an internship with a company.
  • Doctor’s Bills – food poisoning, broken bones, etc.
  • Appliances – extension cords, adapters, chargers, padlocks, etc.
  • School Supplies – pencils, notebooks, etc.

So What About You?  Any Costs You’d Add To The List?

There’s safety in zippers: My top picks for foiling pickpockets

by Christopher Elliott via “The Washington Post“

Little things sometimes make a big difference when it comes to travel safety. Like a strategically placed zipper.

Consider what happened to Aaron McHugh, who was recently exploring Glasgow, Scotland, after the last leg of a sea kayaking trip with his brother. “We were not familiar with where sketchy parts of the city might be,” he remembers. But halfway through a 14-mile, self-guided tour, the duo found themselves in Springburn, a neighborhood with a reputation for drug crime. McHugh suddenly felt vulnerable. He clutched his credit cards, passport and cash and quickened his pace, hoping to make it to a safer area without incident.

That’s a familiar feeling to a lot of travelers, who are too often unprepared for threats to their safety. Just ask the professionals. In a recent survey of corporate travel managers — the executives who oversee companies’ travel departments — safety was ranked the top priority. The study, by European travel safety consultant BCD Travel, ranked security higher than efficiency, satisfaction and environmental and social impact.

Fortunately, McHugh, a podcaster who lives in Colorado Springs, had prepared by dressing the part. He wore a pair of pickpocket-deterrent pants developed by a company called Bluff Works ($93). His cards and important paperwork were shielded in a zippered internal pocket.

“That pocket gives me a lot more security and comfort than a pair of jeans or any other pant I own,” he says. As a decoy, he carried a messenger bag over his shoulder that he says screamed “Take me!” The Bluffs were his camouflage.

He made it through Springburn without incident.

I’ll be the first to admit it: Zippers don’t make for exciting reading. But isn’t that the point? From inconspicuous pants to ties that make your checked bag harder to break into, the gadgets that can keep you safer on the road are completely unremarkable — until you need them. If you’re traveling somewhere for adventure this summer, you’ll want to pack these accessories. . . . .”

READ MORE

Greece travel advice Q&A: Tourists urged to bring cash not cards on holiday

Same would presumptively be true of students abroad in Greece for the summer.**DB

“Greece travel advice Q&A: Tourists urged to bring cash not cards on holiday”

by Kiran Moodley via “Independent.co.uk”

The Foreign Office has advised British tourists travelling to Greece to avoid relying on cards and that cash will be the best form of currency as the country enters a week of political and economic uncertainty.

Greece is close to a financial collapse with the stock exchange closed and banks shut all week after the European Central Bank (ECB) said that further credit to the nation was being refused after the eurozone rejected the latest bailout extension pleas from Greek politicians.

With new proposals put forward by creditors, the Greek people will go to the polls on Sunday to have their say on whether they agree with the latest round of austerity proposals. Having already overwhelmingly backed the anti-austerity, ultra left party Syriza in January, the future of Greece’s place in the eurozone looks uncertain.

The Foreign Office has advised British tourists travelling to Greece to avoid relying on cards and that cash will be the best form of currency as the country enters a week of political and economic uncertainty.

Greece is close to a financial collapse with the stock exchange closed and banks shut all week after the European Central Bank (ECB) said that further credit to the nation was being refused after the eurozone rejected the latest bailout extension pleas from Greek politicians.

With new proposals put forward by creditors, the Greek people will go to the polls on Sunday to have their say on whether they agree with the latest round of austerity proposals. Having already overwhelmingly backed the anti-austerity, ultra left party Syriza in January, the future of Greece’s place in the eurozone looks uncertain.

The ECB has said it will not extend emergency funding to Greece, thus forcing all banks to close this week with the government saying it needing to protect their liquidity. Currently, people can only withdraw up to €60 (£42) a day this week. The administration of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras must pay €1.6bn to the IMF on Tuesday. That is also the day when the country’s current bailout package expires, with the new austerity proposal offered by the eurozone yet to be agreed upon by Greece, after the government said it had to take the matter to the people in a referendum on 5 July.

What has the Foreign Office said?

The latest advice reads: “Visitors to Greece should be aware of the possibility that banking services – including credit card processing and servicing of ATMs – throughout Greece could potentially become limited at short notice. Make sure you have enough Euros in cash to cover emergencies, unforeseen circumstances and any unexpected delays.”

What does this mean for holidaymakers?

The €60 restriction on withdrawals does not apply to people who hold bank cards from outside of Greece, but still, the main warning is that it may be difficult to find a reliable, working ATM. . . .

What’s the problem?

READ MORE

 

Top tips for keeping money safe abroad

by Economic Voice Staff via “The Economic Voice“

According to research carried out by my Travel Cash, almost one in four Brits (23%) has been stranded abroad without access to cash, with 30% of those reporting that this was as a result of being a victim of crime.  Myles Stephenson, CEO of my Travel Cash, offers advice to travellers to avoid typical pitfalls when heading abroad:

Carrying cash

“To avoid repeatedly paying for ATM charges, travellers often opt to withdraw lump sums of cash when abroad, which could make them vulnerable to loss or theft. Using a prepaid currency card means that ATM charges can be avoided, removing the need for holidaymakers to carry lots of cash with them and giving them peace of mind.”

Dynamic currency conversion (DCC)

“When using a credit or debit card for shopping abroad, tourists are often given the option to pay for the transaction in their own currency rather than the local one – which is portrayed as being more convenient. Rather than DCC simply showing the customer what the amount translates to in their domestic currency, it usually uses a less favourable exchange rate meaning the traveller pays extra. Tourists are better off paying in local currency or with a prepaid currency card to avoid paying these additional charges, as this kind of expense can add up during the course of a trip.”

What to do with your bank card

“Prepaid currency cards, such as those offered by my Travel Cash, also come with the added benefit that if the card were to be stolen, the customer’s personal bank account is not linked to it in any way. We advise customers to take out two cards on their account, so a stolen card can be blocked as soon as the theft is reported and any unused balance can then be transferred to the spare.”

Spread the load

“A good tip for keeping valuables safe is to make sure they are not all in the same place. When out and about it’s advisable to carry only what you need. Keep valuables you don’t require, in a secure place such as a hotel safe. When you are out keeping some spare cash in various different places other than in your wallet could help if you were to run into trouble,  it is never a good idea to keep valuables in your back pocket.”

Be discrete

“It is easy to see how tourists draw attention to themselves rifling through the unfamiliar bank notes of another currency when making a payment. It’s best not to make a scene when doing this and carrying a prepaid currency card means it can be avoided altogether.

“We would always advise all tourists to be aware of their surroundings when on holiday, and to make sure they take the necessary precautions to ensure that their trip goes off without a hitch.”

READ MORE

5 Tips for Traveling with Credit Cards

 

by AJ Smith via “Yahoo!”

Whether your passport needs additional pages to accommodate all your stamps or you are planning your first big cross-country trip, it’s important to take care of credit card prep before you pack. Knowing the essentials for traveling with credit cards can help you avoid problems and enjoy your experience.

 

1. Choose Your Card(s) Wisely

Deciding on a card can be intimidating, but some options can help maximize your travel experiences. It’s a good idea to find out what kind of travel perks you could be getting — from concierge services and free flight luggage check-ins to rental car or hotel discounts and medical travel insurance. In addition, it’s good to know what emergency preparations are in place and if your credit or debit card will give you a fair exchange rate. Since you will likely be spending more money than usual, it’s a good idea to use the cards that generate the most valuable rewards. Before you apply for a reward card, it’s also helpful to check your credit score to see if you meet the issuer’s requirements — and apply only for cards you’re more likely to be approved for. (You can see your credit scores for free on Credit.com.)

2. Call Ahead

Just as you tell your loved ones before you head out on a trip, it’s important to let your credit card issuers know of your plans. Most companies regularly monitor your spending for fraud and if they notice several purchases that do not align with your normal location or behavior, they might shut down or suspend your card. Give the 800 number on the back of your card a ring and share your destination and travel dates so you don’t get stuck without credit when you need it most.

3. Learn the Fees

Traveling abroad can open you up to a whole new set of bank fees so it’s a good idea to get educated. See if your card incurs foreign transaction fees or excessive ATM fees so you can avoid them or build them into your budget. With a little research, you’ll know how you can shop smartly abroad.

4. Research Restrictions

Some issuers have restrictions on cards being used outside your normal purchasing pattern. This especially affects travel outside the U.S. and can include daily spending or withdrawal limits, so call ahead to ask about these rules and how to lift them for the duration of your travel. . . .

READ MORE

 

 

Gilman Scholarship

Don’t have money to study abroad? Check out the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship!

“The Gilman Scholarship is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is open to U.S. undergraduate students who demonstrate high financial need. “

ELEGIBILITY

• “The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of his/her study abroad program or internship. 
• The applicant is applying to or has been accepted into a study abroad program or internship eligible for credit by the student’s accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.
• The applicant is studying or interning abroad for at least four weeks in one country. Programs going to more than one country are eligible if the student will be in one country for at least four consecutive weeks.
• The applicant is studying or interning abroad in any country except Cuba or a country on the U.S. Department of State’s current Travel Warning list. ”