College Scholarships for Ecuador
One of the Most Diverse Ecological Classrooms on the Planet
Almost everywhere in tiny Ecuador offers students a hands-on experience in one of the most diverse experiential classrooms anywhere on Earth. The country is jam-packed with polar opposites in ecosystems: the Andes mountains, Amazon Rain Forest and the Galapagos Islands. For this reason many programs are focused on biology and the sciences or else ethnic studies and civilization. Scholarships are plentiful and available through both public and private sources. We’ve just hit the tip of the iceberg.
Government Scholarships
The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarships give disadvantaged college undergrads the opportunity to gain an once-in-a-lifetime international studies experience. Funded by the federal government the program was launched with the long-term goal in mind to diversity the next generation of global leaders. Gilman Scholars must be embarking on challenging programs of study in such far-flung locales as Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands, as opposed to the same old-same old routine. Over 700 scholarships are awarded and recipients are top scholars. Eligible applicants must be Pell Grant recipients. Minorities those attending community colleges and other non-liberal arts programs are given preference. Awards are up to $5,000.
College Scholarships
The aptly named Don Quixote Scholarships sponsored by Richmond University provide those studying in Ecuador with additional funds for their trip. Applicants are most likely to be chosen if they are participating in a year of study in Ecuador. Eligible candidates must have top academic scores and possess an advanced knowledge of Spanish. Awards are around $1,000.
Florida State University provides a study program in Napo, Ecuador applicable for students in a variety of disciplines. Participants may study the region’s botany; rain forest, eco-tourism and indigenous populations up close and personal. Students may apply for the ACC Scholarships. The $2,500 awards are based solely on academic merit.
The University of Illinois, Urbana-Champlain offers a compelling program in Quito, Ecuador that immerses students in the Andean culture and ancient civilization of Ecuador. Students may apply for scholarships designed for this program:
- Paul Borgeson Scholarships are awarded to students pursuing the Ecuador program or another in a Latin American location. Academics are heavily weighted. Advanced knowledge of Spanish required.
- Rund Scholarships for UIUC Students Studying in Ecuador are just what they sound like. Applicants compete with an essay on their proposed studies abroad.
The University of Maryland Department of Geology makes a trip to the Galapagos Islands a critical part of its curriculum. Students who participate become immersed in the diverse flora and fauna of this distinctive ecosystem. Scholarships are available offered on the basis of both academic merit and need. Students must also compete with a well-written essay that lends credence to their intended tour of studies.
Private Funds
Sigma Delta Pi, the Hispanic Honor Society, annually awards a few dozen generous scholarships to student members who are off to studies in Ecuador and other areas of the Spanish Americas. Students may be undergraduates or graduates with superior academic records. Applicants must also possess an advanced knowledge of Spanish:
- Students studying at the Estudio Internacional Sampere in Cuenca, Ecuador may be eligible to receive a full-tuition for up to an 8-week program. There is also a modest travel allowance thrown in as part of the deal.
- Students studying at the Academia Latinoamericana de Espanol in Quito, Ecuador may qualify for full-tuitions, as well. These programs are for a 4-week stay only.
Spanish language teachers in a primary school system may qualify for the Estudio Sampere Scholarships. Funded by the Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT), they provide full tuition at the university for a summer program in Cuenca, Ecuador. Recipients must be able to provide their own travel and auxiliary expenses.
Toyota International provides generous funding that helps secondary school teachers continue their education with innovative programs, such as that to the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. The value of the Galapagos is unmatched and recognized as one of the most unique and diverse ecosystems in the world. Eligible teachers may apply for full tuitions to these highly competitive programs.
Scholarships in Ecuador would not be complete without the Kleinhans Fellowships sponsored by the world-renowned Rainforest Alliance. Up to $15,000 is awarded to outstanding graduate and post-graduate students whose education and career goals are in forestry and biodiversity.
Study Abroad Organizations
Interested in studying the fantastic range of ecosystems in Ecuador? The School for International Training (SIT) is a primary provider of study abroad programs and their Comparative Ecology and Conservation program in Quito, Ecuador is the perfect example of one of their innovative programs. SIT is able to make scholarship funding available for almost all of its participants based on a combination of academic marks and financial need:
- SIT Fund is the flagship scholarship program from which most students earn extra funding, up to a possible $5,000 depending on the factors involved.
- Diversity Fund is designed to encourage students who have never engaged in international studies or whose backgrounds might otherwise hinder their education.
- HBCU Fund is exclusively for the use of students participating in an SIT program who are attending one of the Historically Black Colleges.
