As my Fall semester winds down I can finally enjoy the fact that I am going to Australia next semester. I can also focus more on planning for this trip. Granted, at this point there really isn’t any major things that need to be done, just some last minute details.
I just received some exciting news. I received the Gilman Scholarship. If you plan on studying abroad I strongly encourage you to apply for it, as will your adviser will too. Also, apply for the Travel Grant offered by the University of Arizona Study Abroad and Exchange office. I also received that grant as well. Bringing my total so far to $5,000 I have earned by just writing an essay. Think of this way, you can spend just an hour (if that) filling out an application and writing the essay (which you can use for more then one scholarship) and just doing that you can earn somewhere between $500-$4,000 dollars depending on the scholarship. Specially if you consider minimum wage is $6.50 and hour… You can’t beat that.
One of the biggest concerns people have about studying abroad is the cost. I am here to say that you really can find scholarships. Although you will be told this repeatedly from people, it really is true. If you take the time and effort, you can find money to cover the expenses. Your greatest resource for scholarships is your study abroad advice. Most of the scholarships I have applied for and (the two I have received so far) have come from my adviser. Another advice is to ask for sponsorship, which I did too. With that, I just wrote a letter explaining who I am, that I was studying abroad and needed some financial assistance. Although I only heard back from one person, that one person is providing me funding for my airline ticket. You’re asking, who do I write? Businesses. Local businesses are probably preferable.
Also, ask around. About everything and anything. Ask questions. That is one of the most important pieces of advice I can give you about planning your trip. You’ll find that maybe when you first go in to explore your options you may not have many questions, but then as you continue planning you start thinking of more questions. Ask them. You should be as prepared as possible. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or would like some advice. I don’t bite.
I also suggest start planning early. It makes it easier. It allows you to slowly ease into the idea as well as cover all your bases. I started my planning over a year ago. Although I had to because being in a wheelchair brings special circumstances that needed to consider. Anyone who plans on studying abroad with a physical disability really should start early. It gives you time to ask different Universities about their accessibility. That way you can make an educational decision about which program would be best for you. For example, my two idea places had been to either England or Australia (yes, the accents had a factor…hehe). Luckily, I started early, asked good questions, and found that England really isn’t wheelchair accessible. Australia on the other hand is. Remember your ability is different so you may not be able to base your experience on someone else’s but it is still helpful to ask other people their experience. For example, I’ve personally have spoken with two people who have physical disabilities about their experience in Australia (which they said was positive). When contacting Universities about their accessibility be specific about what your needs are. Don’t be shy about it. It will only make your trip more difficult. If your not comfortable right now talking about what assistance you need, start practicing now. Self-advocating will be one of your most important tools. It will be difficult if not impossible for people to give you the right information if you are not clear to them what you need.
I have tons more to say and as the days, weeks, and months, go by. I will be sure to continue posting advice, my adventures, and anything else. Again, don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. If I don’t know the answer I’ll try to help you find someone who does.
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