Travel Course Scholarships

Travel Course Scholarships aim to reduce the extent to which cost plays a role in a student’s decision regarding whether to participate. These scholarships are funded through the generosity of the MCLA Foundation as well as other individual donors.

The award amounts vary depending on the number of eligible applicants each year. Most scholarships cover only part of the trip costs, although there are typically one or more full scholarships awarded each year. The total funding available for each academic year is divided proportionately among the eligible travel courses with the members of the Travel Course Scholarship Advisory Group then determining the individual recipients and scholarship amounts.  The selection process is primarily merit-based, with financial need considered at a secondary level.

Student in the EvergladesScholarship Eligibility and Selection Criteria

  • Full-time students in good academic standing
  • Instructor permission to participate in the course
  • Preference will be given to students with a 3.0 GPA or higher. Students with a lower GPA are still welcome to apply.
  • Preference will be given to students with sophomore, junior, or senior status. First year students are still welcome to apply.
  • Preference will be given to students who have not previously received an MCLA Travel Course Scholarship. Previous scholarship recipients are still welcome to apply.
  • Preference will be given to students who demonstrate strong commitment to travel learning and potential for significant scholarly and personal growth through the academic travel experience.

Application Requirements

All applicants must complete the Scholarship Application Form as part of the application process. All applications also require the following:

  • Two letters of recommendation from MCLA faculty. Please note that faculty refers to those who teach credit-bearing classes at MCLA. The letter writer should have ideally had you in one or more classes. Letters from coaches, work study supervisors, or other MCLA staff and administrators who do not teach classes will not be considered. Your letter writers will receive an email prompt to complete their letters once you have completed part one of the online application, which includes space to input your letter writers’ information.
  • A travel course essay responding to the prompts for the relevant travel course (below).  

All application materials for Spring 2026 Travel Course Scholarships must be received no later than Thursday, October 2nd. Please be sure to give your faculty recommendation letter writers plenty of advance notice by asking them AND completing part 1 of the application well in advance of the October 2nd deadline.

Spring 2026 Travel Course Application Essay Prompts

Bahamas (BIOL 376 Tropical Ecology)

Please address the following questions in an essay of 500-600 words:

  • How will participation in the course Tropical Ecology help you to  achieve your academic goals?
  • How will participation in the course Tropical Ecology help you to grow as a person or otherwise achieve personal goals?

Brazil

Applicants for the Brazil Travel Course Scholarship will write an essay of 600-800 words that addresses the following questions. The strongest answers will avoid generic statements and, instead, provide specific answers that make obvious connections to the applicant.

  • What motivates you to participate in a travel course and how do you hope to grow personally and/or professionally through the experience?
  • Why Brazil? What about the country do you find particularly interesting and what aspects of the country are you most excited to study and experience?

Ireland

Write a short essay (between 300 and 350 words) that responds to these two questions:

  • How will this travel course enrich your college education?
  • Which parts of the trip to Ireland are you most looking forward to and why?

Panama

In a 600–800-word essay, please address the following. Be thoughtful and specific in your responses. Your essay should clearly demonstrate your commitment to immersive learning, cross-cultural engagement, and contributing to socially responsible, sustainable impact.

  • What motivates you to pursue this hands-on international experience, and why is this type of engagement more meaningful to you than a traditional tour or study-abroad program?
  • As you work alongside local professionals and community members, how do you hope this real-world experience will shape your personal and/or professional growth?
  • In what ways do your academic background, career aspirations, and personal values align with the goals of this experience, particularly in addressing global challenges and contributing to sustainable impact?

The Members of the Travel Course Scholarship Advisory Group

TBD

Thanks to: The MCLA Foundation and MCLA Student Financial Services