Deadline: October 18, 2017
Are you a student in America interested in studying in Asia in Spring 2018? Apply for the Freeman-ASIA program designed to support U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who are planning to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures. Award recipients are required to share their experiences with their home campuses or communities to encourage study abroad by others and fulfill the program’s goal of increasing understanding of Asia in the United States.
Freeman-ASIA is sponsored by the Freeman Foundation, a private foundation with offices in Honolulu, HI. The Freeman Foundation’s major objectives include strengthening the bonds of friendship between the United States and countries of East Asia. Through education and educational institutes, the Foundation hopes to develop a greater appreciation of Asian cultures, histories, and economies in the United States and a better understanding of the American people and of American institutions and purposes by the peoples of East Asia.
Award
- Award provides need-based funding to assist the recipient with the cost of the study abroad program and related expenses, including airfare, basic living costs, local transportation, books, etc.
Eligibility
- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application;
- Must currently receive need-based financial aid or demonstrate a verifiable need for financial assistance to participate in the proposed study abroad program. The applicant is required to submit the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) figure, calculated through FAFSA, with the statement of financial need through the online Freeman-ASIA application;
- Must be an undergraduate student with a minimum GPA of 2.8, pursuing his or her first bachelor’s degree (or associate’s degree), at a two-year or a four-year institution of higher education in the United States;
- Must apply through the U.S. home campus and have at least one term of enrollment remaining at the home institution in the U.S. upon returning from studying abroad in Asia;
- Must have applied or have been accepted to a study abroad based program in: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. A multi-country program is eligible only if the applicant will spend at least 8 weeks in one of the countries stated above and will have intensive language study during that period;
- Must have applied to or have been accepted by a study abroad based program that awards academic credits through the home campus or other U.S. accredited college or university. The proposed length of study in the host country must be a minimum of 8 weeks for a summer term, 10 weeks for a quarter term, and 12 weeks for a semester term;
- Must have little or no previous experience in the country in which he or she plans to study. A summer term applicant must not have spent more than 4 weeks in the proposed country of study within the last 5 years. A semester or an academic year term applicant must not have spent more than 6 weeks in the proposed country of study within the last 5 years;
- Must submit the online Freeman-ASIA Student Impact Survey within one month of returning to the United States and must initiate his/her service project to promote study abroad opportunities in Asia on the college campus and/or in the local community;
- Must submit the Freeman-ASIA Final Service Report on the implementation of his/her service project at the end of the term following his/her return to the United States;
- Must not be a previous Freeman-ASIA award recipient.
Application
To be considered for an award, all applicants must submit an application via Embark. When you register your Embark account, you will receive an email confirming your registration. Please read the Embark application instructions carefully as you navigate the application. In addition, please be aware of the following details and requirements:
- You must complete the pre-screening page of the application before proceeding with the rest of the application.
- In order for your application questions to be displayed correctly, you should complete them in the order in which they appear; do not skip ahead to other sections.
- You must formally register your advisers in the “Register Study Abroad Adviser” and “Register Financial Aid Adviser” sections of the application. Please complete your portion of the application before you register your advisers. Otherwise they will receive notification to review your application before it is complete, and they will not be able to certify your application. Note, however, that you do not need to submit your application for them to certify it, but you must have input all the necessary information and saved it in your application.
- Applicants must ensure that the certifications from their Study Abroad and Financial Aid Advisers have been completed and submitted to IIE via the Embark online application by the Adviser deadline. For the application to be complete, IIE must receive both certifications. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
- All applicants will be notified of the results of their application via e-mail within 5 – 7 weeks of the application deadline. Nominees will need to complete and submit additional paperwork to confirm their financial need and participation in their study abroad program.
- They do not request or accept academic recommendations. Please do not register additional recommenders. Only register your Study Abroad and Financial Aid Advisers.
- You are required to upload in PDF form an unofficial transcript from your current institution, as well as unofficial transcripts from any prior institutions you have attended since high school.
- No hard copy materials are required as part of the Freeman-ASIA application; the application is completed entirely online.
Application Deadlines
The Spring 2018 application is now open and will close in mid-October. The Summer 2018 application will open in early January 2018. The Fall/Academic Year 2018-2019 application will open in February 2018.
- Spring 2018 Student Deadline: October 18, 2017
- Spring 2018 Adviser Deadline: October 25, 2017
For more information, visit IIE Freeman Awards.
