First-Generation College Students Studying Abroad

Why First-Generation Students Study Abroad Less Often

First-generation college students, meaning students whose parents did not complete a four-year degree, study abroad at lower rates than continuing-generation peers. The gap comes from a mix of factors: perceived cost, unfamiliarity with how study abroad fits into a degree plan, family concern about safety or time away from responsibilities at home, and a lack of role models who have done it before. None of these barriers reflect a lack of qualification. Programs and scholarships built specifically for this gap exist because colleges recognize it.

The Cost Barrier and How to Address It

Cost tops the list of concerns for most first-generation students considering a term abroad. Financial aid, including federal grants and loans, generally applies to approved study abroad programs the same way it applies to a term on your home campus, so your existing aid package is a starting point, not the full picture.

The Gilman Scholarship targets this gap directly. It is reserved for Federal Pell Grant recipients, and about half of Gilman Scholars are first-generation college students . Many home campuses also run their own need-based study abroad grants stacked on top of national scholarships like Gilman. Ask your study abroad office for the full list before assuming a program is out of reach.

Talking to Family

Family hesitation often comes from unfamiliarity, not opposition. Parents who did not attend college themselves may not know how study abroad fits into a degree, how safe programs actually are, or how the cost compares to a term at home. Bring concrete information to the conversation: the program's safety and support structure, the total cost after aid, and how the credits count toward graduation. A written cost comparison next to a semester at home often does more to ease concern than a general reassurance.

Finding Role Models and Support

Many campuses run first-generation student programs, peer mentor networks, or affinity groups that include former study abroad participants. Ask your study abroad office directly whether a first-gen specific info session, peer mentor, or alumni panel exists. Hearing from a student with a similar background who completed a term abroad answers questions a general information session cannot.

Campus and National Resources

NAFSA: Association of International Educators publishes diversity and access resources that many study abroad offices use to build outreach specifically for first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented students. Ask your advisor which of these resources your campus already uses, and whether your school tracks first-generation status to connect you with targeted support automatically.

Getting Started

• Meet with your study abroad advisor early and mention you are a first-generation student. Some offices track this and point you to targeted aid and support directly.

• Apply for Gilman and campus-specific need-based grants at the same time you apply for the program itself. Deadlines for aid often land earlier than program deadlines.

• Ask your advisor to connect you with a first-gen peer mentor or alumni panel before you commit to a destination.

Balancing Work and Family Responsibilities

Many first-generation students work part-time or help support family while in school, which makes a term away feel harder to justify than it does for a peer without those obligations. Short-term summer or faculty-led programs run two to eight weeks and let you fit study abroad into a break rather than a full semester. If a full semester works better for your degree plan, talk to your employer and family early about the timeline, and check whether your program allows remote work or flexible scheduling around excursions.

Other Scholarships Worth a Look

Gilman is not the only option built around access. The Fund for Education Abroad and the Boren Awards both run scholarship programs aimed at students who are underrepresented in study abroad, including first-generation and low-income students. Ask your study abroad office which of these your school's students have won before, since past winners often mean staff know the application process well and help you put together a stronger one.

Handling Firsts: Passports and Paperwork

Many first-generation students apply for their first passport at the same time they apply for their first study abroad program, which adds an unfamiliar process on top of an already unfamiliar one. Start the passport application months ahead, since processing times fluctuate and a rushed application costs more. Ask your study abroad office whether your campus runs passport application events or fee waivers, since some schools cover or subsidize the passport fee specifically for students demonstrating financial need. The same goes for other first-time paperwork: a bank account that works internationally, a first credit card, or vaccination records. None of this is intuitive the first time through, and your study abroad office has answered these questions for other students before you. Ask directly rather than guessing your way through forms alone.