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Securing Study Abroad “Monies” (Money) As A Native Undergraduate

I know the struggle and hopefully these 11 tips can give you an idea of what you can do. I gotchu fam!

Taishiana

Feb 03, 2020

Susquehanna University

Securing Study Abroad “Monies” (Money) As A Native Undergraduate

Photo by: Taishiana

Welcome back to my struggle story of how to prepare for studying abroad! Just kidding everyone. Fear not! Your heroine has returned for a listicle of tips and suggestions for all you Indigenous baby scholars.

Plan ahead and create a budget!

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Depending on where you are traveling abroad, you may need more or less than what you expect. Research currency changes so that you can study in a place that is amazing and affordable. Talk to your financial aid office and see what they can do. Their job is to help students with finances and available options that best suit their needs. My financial aid office helped with showing me which scholarships will roll over to my study abroad institution and how much I would need to pay on my own.

Ask your college/uni for in-house funds or extra money

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This follows the first tip. Your school may have supplemental funds or unknown scholarships to help students with specific criteria. As a native student, you may qualify for much of this money (*cough, cough* reparations). Please ask and schedule an appointment to make sure.

Search a year or semester in advance for study abroad scholarships!

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Don't hold yourself back and apply to as many as you can! I highly recommend the Gilman Scholarship! Seriously, there is money out there waiting to be spent and you are no less deserving than the next. The key here is proactive research and LOTS of writing essays. Use that beautiful mind of yours and put it all out there, leave nothing out. You can do this. I promise there's no one else like you out there.

Ask – no – DEMAND your money from your local government!

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I have no shame calling out my government. Our scholarship office outright said that they do not fund study abroad experiences unless they are a specific program/degree requirement. Because, "Students will take advantage of it and go just to go." Okay, and? Nothing is wrong with studying abroad and I ENCOURAGE ALL TO DO IT. You deserve to see the world and your ancestors would want you to receive the best it has to offer. Do NOT let your own people hold you back. Make your case, demand action, and do not remain passive.

Write to local businesses, banks, restaurants, etc. for financial support

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I found this out in high school, but you are allowed to write local businesses for money. Write them a letter of intent of what the money will be used for. Schedule a time to meet with a representative or owner to work out any details. Be clear, honest, and yourself. This is essentially a partnership so do your best to make a compromise and witness humanity at its realest. Just be sure to write, proofread, and rewrite the letter so that it sweeps everyone off their feet!

Set up an online donation account

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There are several third party sites like GoFundMe that help people collect money and it is completely legit. However, most will take a percentage depending on how big the amount donated will be. Just budget for it and you should be fine. There's also tons of banking and budgeting apps to get you started with donations from friends, family, family friends, mentors, etc.

Part-time jobs

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This also follows the first point. Depending on where you want to study, you'll need to know how much to save for. Nothing wrong with saving money up from a small job during breaks or during the school year. It's hard work, but most dreams and goals require quite a bit of sacrifice and planning to come true.

Host an event! Powwow, song & dance, food sales, collection dance, yard sale, etc.

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Now this one is a team effort. If you have the support and means that will not cost you more than you want to make, you do this one! I guarantee that if your government or financial aid office let you down, your community and relatives will always have your back. As a native student, I know you all got lots of cousins to spare for help. Go ask and see if this is something you can all do. It is also a chance to make the best memories, though it will require time, money, and A LOT of planning.

Round up your spare change and cash it out

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We all got random change laying around the house or piling in areas we forgot about. Go scrounge around and collect what you can. You'll surprise yourself of how every penny helps and adds up quickly. There are machines that will give cash in return for coins (they also take a percentage of the money and your coins have to be clean enough for the machine accept).

Sell your indigenous art or skills

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If you're one of those artistic and creative Natives, unlike me, this is your chance to put your name out there and get rewarded for your work. No harm in doing something you're good at while working towards a valuable experience.

Pray

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Underrated tip! Prayer has gotten me through so much and speaking your needs and hopes into existence carries more power than you know. However, this is only half of the work and the rest is up to you!

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Securing Study Abroad “Monies” (Money) As A Native Undergraduate

I know the struggle and hopefully these 11 tips can give you an idea of what you can do. I gotchu fam!

Plan ahead and create a budget!

Ask your college/uni for in-house funds or extra money

Search a year or semester in advance for study abroad scholarships!

Ask – no – DEMAND your money from your local government!

Write to local businesses, banks, restaurants, etc. for financial support

Set up an online donation account

Part-time jobs

Host an event! Powwow, song & dance, food sales, collection dance, yard sale, etc.

Round up your spare change and cash it out

Sell your indigenous art or skills

Pray

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The Best Lines from the Fab Four

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all I got to give if you say you'll love me too. I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you. I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love

All you need is love, love is all you need

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

Obviously the best superpower.

There have been many lessons learned.

1. The importance of traditions.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

3. How to give back.

4. What the word "community" really means.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

10. How to work for what I want.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

12. How to be humble.

13. To be well-rounded.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

16. To be prepared for anything.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

18. How to be creative.

19. To brush off gossip.

I have never been so thankful to know you.

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Don't freak out

Email the professor

Attend the first class

Keep attending class

Have a backup plan

Remember that everything works out at the end

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