Greenland Education Scholarships
Fund Your Research
Greenland may well be the biggest island on the planet, but the country’s population is very small, in comparison, in fact it is no more than 60,000 give or take, or the size of a large town in Anywhere, U.S.A. Maybe for this reason study programs are rare in Greenland. The fact that more than half the country lies within an Arctic zone may be a factor as well. But without a doubt the remote areas are still hotbeds for research, especially those scholars vigorously attached to studies on polar melting and climate.
The University of Greenland is the only of its kind in the country and the big economic big picture remains a bit stunted due to size and environment. Tourism and fishing are significant sources of income, but even tourism is not as it is in many other regions of the world. You just don’t hear of many people tripping off to exotic Greenland. It’s up there somewhere between Iceland and Canada and just begging to be rediscovered.
Scholarship Programs are Slim-Pickings
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships are expressly provided by the federal government and awarded to disadvantaged students who otherwise would not be able to afford to study abroad. Over 700 Gilman Scholars are given monetary awards up to $7,000 annually and for study programs that take them almost anywhere on the globe, including Greenland. Applicants for the program must be Pell Grant recipients, an inarguable measure of financial need. Other criteria of course include above average academic record, which when pitted against thousands of others must be pretty near perfect, and a proposed course of study. Preference is given to those who have never participated in a study abroad program or who face multiple challenges scholastically.
Rarely do undergraduates have the same opportunity for research programs as do graduates, but the University of Alaska-Anchorage students interested in a taste of Greenland, may qualify for attractive paid summer research assistantships in the country. To be eligible applicants must be pursuing a major in botany, or biology with an emphasis on plants. Candidates must have a well-defined scope of research they would like to undertake. Awards include living and travel expenses, as well as a nice stipend.
