Purpose
The Gerald B. & Catherine L. Fischer Scholarship provides study abroad awards for University of Minnesota undergraduate students who are participating on Learning Abroad Center Freshman Seminars. This scholarship is intended to ease the financial barrier of study abroad for students on Freshman Seminars. The Fischer Scholarship is not merit based and awards are granted based on the strength of a student’s essay.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be enrolled as degree-seeking undergraduate students on any University of Minnesota campus.
- Participate in a Learning Abroad Center Freshman Seminar Abroad.
Preference will be given to students who demonstrate financial need. For the purpose of this scholarship, “financial need” is defined as being eligible for subsidized loans, based either on your current on campus costs or on the estimated cost of participation in your study abroad program. To determine if you are eligible for subsidized loans, follow these instructions or schedule a financial aid preview meeting. The Learning Abroad Center verifies eligibility with One Stop for all potential awardees.
Essays
Essays will be evaluated based on:
- How thoroughly you answer the specific essay questions
- How well written your essay is, in terms of grammar, punctuation and organization
Essay Questions
Reflect on how the program you chose relates to your academic, career, and/or personal goals. Why did you choose this particular program? Describe specific program features and elaborate on how these will help you meet one or more of your goals. (350 words maximum)
As you write your essay, consider the following:
- “Academic” goals do not need to be related to your major; we are looking for you to describe how the program coursework and/or components are relevant to your goals.
- Regardless of what type of goals you are focusing on, explain how your goals enhance intellectual learning.
Deadlines & Eligible Terms
Scholarship notification emails will be sent to all applicants' UofM email accounts by the deadline listed below.
| Term of Study | Deadline Date | Notification Date |
| Spring Break 2024 May Session 2024 | Priority Deadline: December 10, 2023 Final Deadline: January 15, 2024 | Priority Deadline: By late December 2023 Final Deadline: By late January 2024 |
Students who apply by the priority deadline will be reviewed and notified by late December 2023 whether they received an award or not. Students who apply after December 10 will still be considered, but only awarded if there are remaining scholarship funds available.
Award Amounts
10 scholarships of $1,000 each will be awarded.
How to submit your application:
You can apply for this scholarship after you have submitted your Freshman Seminar Abroad program application. The scholarship application will appear as an optional item in your program application checklist.