UFV students receive $100,000 to study abroad

UFV students will have the opportunity to study in France, Ireland, Australia and Korea this year thanks to a combination of recently awarded scholarships.

This fall, 28 students will be studying in seven different countries. Their international experiences are being made possible by a group of organizations that have provided more than $100,000 in scholarships.

“Study Abroad opportunities bring tremendous value to a student’s education,” said John Potts, UFV International’s associate director. “This year’s windfall of scholarships opens the door for a growing number of UFV students to be immersed in a new culture and expand their worldview.”

Fourteen students will be funded by the Diaspora Studies scholarship, sponsored by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), receiving $5,000 each to study at partner universities.

This month, seven will go to the University of Northampton in the UK to study diaspora communities (aka dispersed ethnic populations) Another seven will leave in March, heading to the University of Münster in Germany.

The Tradewinds exchange program, also sponsored by HRSDC, awarded $5,000 in scholarships. Four UFV business students will travel to France and Ireland. This is the first group of exchange students to be sent through this partnership, said Potts.

“Many of our students could never afford this once-in-a-lifetime study abroad opportunity without a source of extra funding,” added Potts. “That’s why at UFV, we’re always on the lookout for new and creative ways to fund Study Abroad scholarships.”

Created in 2010, the Tradewinds program links UFV with Waterford Institute of Technology (Ireland), Glamorgan University (Wales), and l’École Supérieure de Commerce (France) in partnership with Memorial University in Newfoundland and Fanshawe College in Ontario.

Nine additional $1,000 scholarships were provided through a private donor and the One World International Scholarship program to support learning opportunities in France, the UK, Sweden and Australia.

The Irving K. Barber British Columbia Scholarship Society awards the One World Scholarships to students at B.C. public institutions, thanks to an endowment fund created through contributions made by the province of B.C. and philanthropist and founder of Slocan Forest Products, Irving K. Barber.

In addition, Teach and Learn in Korea (TaLK), will send one UFV student to study and teach English in Korea from March to December. An initiative of the Korean Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, this scholarship is available to UFV students through an exchange partnership with Chonnam National University (CNU).

TaLK covers the costs of health insurance, accommodations, and round-trip tickets to provide undergraduates from English-speaking countries with the opportunity to experience Korea, study at CNU, and tutor elementary school children in English one day a week. This scholarship program is ongoing and CNU has just announced a call for another round of applications.