Global Opportunities Awards

The Global Opportunities Awards are $1,000 scholarships for international learning provided through generous donations matched by funding from Western. A number of donor-sponsored awards valued at $2,000 are also available. These scholarships enable more Western students to participate in exchanges, study abroad programs, international field courses, summer programs, international community engaged learning, field research and more.

Please note: You may be eligible for additional optional study abroad funding if you were the recipient of Western's Admission Scholarship, effective 2020-2021. The same eligibility requirements below apply. Your application for this funding can be submitted through the award form below.

Who is Eligible to Apply?

  • Full-time undergraduate students and graduate students registered at Western
  • First Year students are invited to apply but funds will be awarded after Winter term grades are recorded
  • Students in all faculties with the exception of the Ivey Business School
  • Students registered at affiliate university colleges are not eligible
  • Experiences inside Canada are not eligible
  • Students may only receive one Global Opportunities award during their Western career


To qualify for these awards, the experience must meet at least one of the following criteria:

  • Be organized or approved by Western University staff, faculty or department
  • Be eligible for academic credit
  • Form a required component of the student's degree program
  • Students can only  apply once per academic year.

What Types of Experiences Qualify

  • Academic exchange programs
  • Study abroad programs
  • Curriculum-based international field courses, international study, or international community engaged learning programs
  • Summer programs
  • Internships
  • Field research
  • Other University-led credit or non-credit international learning experiences

Conferences are not eligible experiences for this award.

Application Process

Students must complete the online application form along with a statement (500 words maximum) outlining how the experience will contribute to your development as a global citizen, what they expect to learn through their program, and how they will be an effective ambassador for Western.

Students will be automatically considered for any donor-sponsored Global Opportunities awards for which they are eligible. A separate application is not required.

How Are Recipients Selected?

Awards are based on academic achievement and a statement outlining how the experience will contribute to your development as a global citizen, what you expect to learn, and how you will be an effective ambassador for Western.

Preference will be given to students who have not received other funding.

Due to the volume of applications, only successful applicants will receive notification of the award decision.

Application Deadline

There are two application deadlines annually: November 15, with decisions being released late January; and February 15, with decisions being released in early April. 

Successful applicants will be notified via their Western email address.

 

Complete the Application Form