International Study Travel Grant

To be eligible for an International Study Travel Grant, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Student programs abroad must commence between April 29 and August 31. 

• Must be earning credit towards a degree at the University of Calgary (UCalgary); i.e. accepted into and registered in a degree program at time of application;

• Must be participating in a UCalgary study program such as a Student Exchange, Group Study Program, or Field School, or a credit-bearing work based program such as Co-op, Practicum, or Internship, or courses timetabled at the University of Calgary and supervised by a UCalgary professor (ie. independent research or reading course);

• Must be obtaining a minimum of three units of academic credit towards their degree for their study abroad experience (three units = one half course equivalent = one (1) semester course);

• Have a minimum academic standing of 2.80 GPA (Grade Point Average) over the last eight (8) courses taken for undergraduate students or are graduate students in good academic standing;

• Have completed at least eight (8) courses (24 units) towards their undergraduate degree program by the time they go abroad (may include transfer courses) OR completed at least one semester of their graduate degree program prior to going abroad;

• Applicants with less than eight (8) courses completed towards their undergraduate degree program at the time of application must have at least four (4) courses completed with a minimum of 2.60 GPA and have completed at least eight (8) courses with a 2.80 GPA, prior to travel; and

• Have not received funding from the International Studentship, International Study Travel Grant, UGo Virtual Learning Grant, Undergraduate International Research Grant, Global Skills Opportunity Program, or the Global Access Fund competitions.

A printable version of the above guidelines are available here.

For students participating in a study abroad program administered by UCalgary International:

1. Please log into RAISA.
2. Complete/update your profile.
3. Click on the ‘Funds’ tab.
4. Search for the International Study Travel Grant and click on the apply button.
5. Complete your application and make sure to submit it. Please note: you need to press submit. Saved applications will not be considered by the committee past the deadline.

For students participating in a program administered by another faculty/department: 

Please follow the above steps to log into the application system and create a profile. 

When completing the application: 

Under "program details", for program choose “Other”. For the program name, please enter in the name in the following format: Faculty – Program Type – Partner Institution (for exchanges only) – Country. For example:

• Schulich – Exchange – Stuttgart, 
• Education – TAB – Vietnam,
• Haskayne – Exchange – Bocconi, or
• Social Work – Practicum – Barbados.

To check the status of an application, please follow these steps:

1. Log into your RAISA account; and
2. Click on the tab labeled “My Applications” and then click on "view fund applications".

The status of your application will be shown on the right hand side of the Fund application title.

Here is what each status means:

Accepted - Congratulations, you have been awarded a grant. You will receive an email within 24 hours of this status change with the award details. If it has been more than 24 hours, please email intlstdt@ucalgary.ca to have the letter re-sent. Please make sure to check your junk/spam mailbox.

Applied - Your application has been completed and successfully submitted. Your application will remain at the applied status until the system is updated with the committee decisions.

Declined- Unfortunately, you have not been awarded a grant.

Saved - You have a draft application. Any applications that are saved are not considered by the committee. Please ensure you complete and submit your application by the deadline.

Withdrawn -You have not been able to complete the study program or an acceptable alternative and are therefore ineligible for the grant so your funding has been withdrawn. This is only used for students who withdraw an application before the committee considers it or who withdraw after they have been awarded.

What do I need to do to have my International Study Travel Grant paid out?

Once you have been accepted, here are the steps you will need to complete to receive your International Study Travel Grant:

Accept Terms and Conditions:

1. Log into your account at http://www.ucalgary.ca/uci/raisa; and
2. Click on the tab labeled “My Applications”, and then click on "view fund applications". You should be able to see a button called “Registration." Please click on it and check the box that confirms you have read and understood all the terms and conditions for receiving the grant.

Update your banking information:

1. Enter your banking information through your Student Centre. Under the "My Financials" section and click on "Submit Direct Deposit Info." (NOTE: This is in very small text at the base of the "Awards and Scholarships" block)

When will I get my grant paid out?

Students must provide their banking info and accept the Terms & Conditions prior to receiving their payment.

The grant payment will be scheduled for disbursement according to the start date of your program. For those students departing in May/June 2023, we will do our best to disburse your grant payment by end of May. However, it will only be processed for those students who successfully complete all the above steps before the end of April. The International Study Travel Grant cannot be paid any earlier under any circumstances.

A printable version of the International Study Travel Grant Terms and Conditions are available here.

General:

1. Are there any changes from previous competitions?

No. The terms and conditions of the International Study Travel Grant are the same as for the last competition. Terms and conditions are subject to change in the new year before the grant officially opens.

2. I have applied for a study program but have not received confirmation of my acceptance, am I still eligible?

Yes. You can apply based on the tentative dates and details for your proposed program. If the committee chooses to award you funding, it will be contingent on you providing proof of participation in the program.

3. How much is the International Study Travel Grant?

Since available funds are divided among eligible students, no exact estimate for funding amount can be provided. However, in previous years, the award amount has varied between $500 - $800.

Eligibility:

1. If I have received an International Studentship Award or an International Travel Study Grant for a previous degree program, am I eligible to be awarded the grant a second time now that I am doing a different degree?

No. The International Study Travel Grant is limited to one per student, not per program.

2. If I am participating in a UCalgary program as a Visiting Student (e.g. from MRU) am I eligible to be awarded an International Study Travel Grant?

No. Students must be earning credits towards a UCalgary degree.

3. I have applied to transfer to the UCalgary so this program will count towards my degree once I am accepted, am I eligible?

You must be accepted into an UCalgary degree program by the application deadline. Most students will not receive confirmation that they have been accepted for transfer until mid-summer. If you are planning on participating in a winter term program, you can apply in the fall competition for funding if your transfer is not finalized by the March deadline. If you apply before your transfer is approved, you will not be an eligible applicant.

4. I am an Open Studies Student, am I eligible?

No. Open Studies students are not officially registered in a degree program so they are not earning credit towards a degree. If you were an Open Studies student in the past but you have been accepted into a degree program at the UCalgary by the application deadline, you are eligible.

5. I am looking to attend a conference related to my thesis/research/degree, am I eligible?

No. Conferences are not eligible for funding through the International Study Travel Grant. Please contact the Students’ Union, if you are an undergraduate student or the Faculty of Graduate Studies, if you are a graduate student to see what other options are available to you.

6. I am not eligible for the International Study Travel Grant. Can you suggest other sources of funding?

We have compiled a listing of funding options for students to further investigate. Click here for more information.

7. I am an International Student. Can I apply for an International Study Travel Grant to help with the cost of my studies at the UCalgary?

No. The International Study Travel Grant is only awarded for studies outside of Canada. However, international students who are doing a study abroad program are eligible for the International Study Travel Grant funding.

8. I applied for the International Study Travel Grant in a previous year or previous degree but did not receive, may I apply again?

Yes! You are only ineligible if you have received the grant before and were paid. 

Payments:

1. I have not yet received my grant. What do I do?

Please check your bank statement for the month that you were supposed to receive your grant. The money should have been deposited either on the 10^th or 25^th of the month. If you still do not see the deposit from the University of Calgary in your statement, you will have to contact Human Resources at (403) 220-5932.

Requirements:

1. I want to see if a promotional activity will be accepted, who do I contact?

Please send an email with the details to intlstdt@ucalgary.ca

All grant recipients must participate in a promotional event or contribute a promotional submission that is equivalent to 2 hours of volunteer work or comparable effort.

Please let us know what promotional requirement you would like to participate in by emailing the International Study Travel Grant email at intlstdt@ucalgary.ca. We suggest picking 2 options in case your first one is not available. 

Here is a PDF version of the list.
 

1. Volunteer for in-person marketing events or promotional assistance: 

This requires a time commitment of 2 hours total or 2 shifts. All the necessary information will be prepared and provided to you. Most of our marketing events occur in September and throughout the Fall semester, with limited opportunities in early Winter semester. Opportunities include: 

• Tabling: Sign up to help staff one of our promotion tables, hand out brochures, and help answer general questions. You will need to sign up for 2 shifts to complete your 2-hour volunteer commitment. You will be notified when shifts have been created and posted in Elevate. We will have multiple opportunities to sign up for shifts throughout the semester. 

• Postering: Help us get posters up around campus! You will take a set of posters to designated buildings where you will ensure all the notice boards have our posters. Please be sure to hit all the floors of the buildings. You will need to sign up for 2 shifts to complete your 2-hour volunteer commitment. You will be notified when shifts have been created and posted in Elevate. We will have multiple opportunities to sign up for shifts throughout the semester. 

• Classroom Visits: Give a brief presentation on study abroad opportunities (slides provided). These spaces are quite limited, so please pick a back-up option in case these are not available. 

• Info Sessions/Presentations: Join one of our info sessions to satisfy your requirements. Please note, these are invitation only by instructors or Global Learning Advisors. Let us know if you are interested in participating in a presentation, info session, or panel and we will make note of it - but plan to have another option in place to fulfill your requirements as these opportunities are quite limited.

• Volunteering with a non-Global Learning event (outside of our office): Volunteering for events not organized by the Office of Global Learning but still affiliated with a UCalgary faculty or department can count towards your hours but are subject to approval. These events must contain a component of promoting a Global Learning program or experience. Please send an email with details to intlstd@ucalgary.ca prior to the event for approval.

2. Apply to be a Content Creator: 

While you are abroad you can apply to be a Content Creator. Our Content Creators write blogs, collect and submit photos, and help with Social Media promotions and takeovers. Being a Content Creator fulfills your entire promotional requirements. Applications to be a Content Creator typically open in the month or two ahead of your departure. Please email us at intlstd@ucalgary.ca and CC study.abroad@ucalgary.ca if you have any questions or are interested! Please note, this option is not available if you have already returned from your program.

3. Write a blog or article: 

Students who write a blog for our UCalgary Abroad page about their experience in one of our programs can have their 2-hour requirement fulfilled. If you are interested in writing a blog, please notify our team at intlstdt@ucalgary.ca and follow the instructions provided in our Blog Guidelines. 

There are instances where other forms of writing or articles might count towards your requirements. This includes writing for other UCalgary online sources that promote study abroad opportunities (e.g. a faculty’s blog, website, or program information page), articles that are published by on-campus publications (e.g. Gauntlet, UThisWeek), articles written for relevant student club newsletters, or if you were interviewed by or wrote for your host institution while abroad (we would need permission to re-post and share the article on our blog page). Please contact intlstdt@ucalgary.ca to discuss any of these possibilities.

If you wish to use articles published on your personal blog towards your promotional requirement, you will need to contact intlstdt@ucalgary.ca in advance to discuss this. 

4. Submit a collection of photos: 

Students who submit 15-30 photos can have their 2-hour requirement fulfilled. These photos should document your study abroad experience, with special emphasis on the student experience (i.e. photos of you and friends at your host university and host city, not on landscapes). The goal is to use these photos in our marketing materials, so ensure they are good quality and high resolution. 

Please notify our team that you intend to submit photos for your requirements at intlstdt@ucalgary.ca and follow these instructions: 

• Select 15-30 high quality, high-resolution photos with good lighting and clear focus. photos must be in jpeg or png format (no heic photos please)

• Label each photo

• Create a separate word document that describes/gives context to each photo and your study abroad experience (do NOT put your photos in this document) 

• We will create a unique google drive link for you to submit your photos. Please email us at intlstdt@ucalgary.ca to let us know when you are ready and we will send that link to you. 

• Download and sign this release form

• Upload your photos, word document, and release form to your Google Drive file

Please note, all photos must be submitted individually. Do NOT put them in a word doc, pdf, etc. Pasting/saving photos in a document not only makes it difficult to utilize for materials, but it severely degrades their quality. 

 
5. Social Media Takeover: 

One of the ways that you can fulfil your 2-hour volunteer requirement is to create a one-day social media takeover for us. This involves sharing stories and pictures about your experience in your program. If this is what you would like to do to satisfy your requirements, please email us at intlstd@ucalgary.ca. You will be given instructions on how to sign up through Elevate. These opportunities are limited and fill up quickly, so please pick a back-up promotional requirement in case this option is no longer available. 

6. Enter our International Video Contest: 

Each Fall semester in the month of October the University of Calgary International (UCI) holds an International Video Contest. Students who have been abroad are encouraged to submit a short video promoting the city, university, and experience they had while abroad. Submissions can count for the following hour equivalents: 

• A shorter “reel” style submission of 60-seconds will count towards 1-hour of volunteer work. You will need to sign up for additional postering or tabling to fulfil the rest of this requirements 

• A longer submission video format (usually around 5-6 minutes) will count towards a full 2-hours of volunteer work 

Please refer to our International Video Contest website for more information on the contest and how to apply. If we are outside of the contest window and you are not able to submit an entry, please select a different option to fulfil your requirements. 

7. Enter our International Photo Contest:

Students who enter the International Photo Contest may receive up to 2 hours' worth of volunteering credit towards their promotional requirement. In order to satisfy the 2 hour commitment, you must: 

• submit a full 6 photos (2 per category)
• submit an accompanying personal testimonial for each photo (e.g. why did you take this photo, is there a story around it, was it an important part of your global learning experience, etc.)

Make sure to notify the coordinator at intlstdt@ucalgary.ca regarding your participation. 

For instructions on how to enter, please check our International Photo Contest Page. The photo contest is usually held during the Winter semester. Please note, simply submitting photos to the International Photo Contest is not sufficient for fulfilling your requirement.

 
8. Volunteer at the Global Learning Office as an Ambassador: 

Students who volunteer as Global Learning Ambassadors will have their promotional requirement fulfilled simply by completing the responsibilities of the ambassador role. As an ambassador, you will assist students interested in global learning programs, conduct peer advising, and help with various promotional activities throughout the year. For students interested in doing more involved work during the year (such as coordinating events and collaborating more closely with office staff), you may wish to consider becoming a Global Learning Ambassador Program Assistant. 

This is a formal, long-term role in our office that you must apply for. Applications are taken once per year, typically in June. Please see the website for more information. 

 
9. Suggest an idea!  

We are always looking for new promotional suggestions. Let us know your idea by emailing us at intlstdt@ucalgary.ca to see if it will count toward your hours! 

Upon your return, you must complete our Program Survey. This is due within three weeks of completing your period abroad.

Click here for the 2022/23 survey

Any questions or technical difficulties should be directed to intlstdt@ucalgary.ca.