Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) program

Empowering U.S. Undergraduates: The Freeman-ASIA Scholarship for Study Abroad in East and Southeast Asia

The Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) program offers financial support to U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need, enabling them to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. Established with the goal of increasing the number of Americans with firsthand exposure to Asian cultures, the program has facilitated study abroad experiences for over 5,000 students from more than 600 institutions since its inception in 2001.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for a Freeman-ASIA scholarship, applicants must:

Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Currently receive need-based financial aid or demonstrate a verifiable need for financial assistance to participate in the proposed study abroad program.
Be undergraduate students with a minimum GPA of 2.8, pursuing their first associate's or bachelor's degree at a two-year or four-year U.S. institution.
Have applied or been accepted to a credit-bearing study abroad program in one of the following countries: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, or Vietnam.
Plan to study abroad for a minimum of 8 weeks for summer terms, 10 weeks for quarter terms, or 12 weeks for semester terms.
Have little or no prior experience in the proposed country of study.
Agree to share their experiences upon return to encourage others to study abroad and to enhance understanding of Asia in the United States.

Award Details

The Freeman-ASIA program provides funding to assist with the cost of the study abroad program and related expenses, including airfare, living costs, local transportation, and books. Grant amounts are:

Up to $3,000 for summer programs.
Up to $5,000 for semester programs.
Up to $7,000 for academic year programs.

Application Process

Applications for the Academic Year 2025-2026, covering Summer 2025, Fall 2025, Academic Year 2025-2026, Spring 2026, and Calendar Year 2026, are anticipated to open in early 2025. Interested students should apply in the academic term before their study abroad program begins. Applications must be endorsed by both the study abroad adviser and the financial aid adviser by the specified deadline.

To apply for the Freeman-ASIA scholarship, follow these steps:

Confirm Eligibility: Ensure you meet all Freeman-ASIA eligibility criteria, including U.S. citizenship or permanent residency, current enrollment as an undergraduate with a minimum GPA of 2.8, demonstrated financial need, and acceptance into a qualifying study abroad program in East or Southeast Asia.
Select an Approved Study Abroad Program: Choose a study abroad program in East or Southeast Asia that is approved by your home institution and meets Freeman-ASIA requirements.
Consult Your Study Abroad Adviser: Reach out to your campus Study Abroad Adviser, who will verify the academic and program-specific aspects of your application. This adviser should be knowledgeable about your chosen program and authorized to certify your application.
Discuss Financial Aid with Your Adviser: Meet with your Financial Aid Adviser to review your financial aid package and understand how it applies to your study abroad program.
Ensure Adviser Certification: Confirm that your Study Abroad Adviser has received the necessary information to access and complete their portion of your application.
Submit Your Application: Complete and submit your application by the specified student deadline. Upon submission, you will receive a confirmation email.
Verify Adviser Submission: Check with your Study Abroad Adviser to ensure they submit their certification by the adviser deadline. You will receive a confirmation email once their certification is submitted.

Please note, applications and Study Abroad Adviser certifications must be submitted by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on the day of the deadline.

The application deadline is: Tuesday, April 1, 2025

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Scholarship at Uniplus Global to apply