Freeman-ASIA is sponsored by the Freeman Foundation, a private foundation with offices in Honolulu, HI. The Freeman Foundation’s major objectives include strengthening the bonds of friendship between the United States and countries of East Asia. Through education and educational institutes, the Foundation hopes to develop a greater appreciation of Asian cultures, histories, and economies in the United States and a better understanding of the American people and of American institutions and purposes by the peoples of East Asia.
Freeman Awards for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA) provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia.
Award details
A Freeman-ASIA Award provides need-based funding to assist the recipient with the cost of the study abroad program and related expenses, including airfare, basic living costs, local transportation, books, etc.
Grant amounts are:
- Summer Award: up to $3,000
- Semester/Quarter Award: up to $5,000
- Academic/Calendar Year Award: up to $7,000
Freeman-ASIA Award funds may be adjusted should the recipient receive additional financial assistance not reported at the time of application.
Eligibility
To be Eligible you must be:
•A U.S. citizen or permanent resident at the time of application.
•Currently receive need-based financial aid or demonstrate a verifiable need for financial assistance to participate in the proposed study abroad program. The applicant is required to submit the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) figure, calculated through FAFSA, via the online Freeman-ASIA application.
•An undergraduate student with a minimum GPA of 2.8, pursuing his or her first bachelor’s degree (or associate’s degree), at a two-year or a four-year institution of higher education in the United States.
•Must apply through the U.S. home campus and have at least one term of enrollment remaining at the home institution in the U.S. upon returning from studying abroad in Asia.
•Must have applied or have been accepted to a study abroad based program in: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam. A multi-country program is eligible only if the applicant will spend at least 8 weeks in one of the countries stated above and will have intensive language study during that period.
•Must have applied to or have been accepted by a study abroad based program that awards academic credits through the home campus or other U.S. accredited college or university. The proposed length of study in the host country must be a minimum of 8 weeks for a summer term, 10 weeks for a quarter term, and 12 weeks for a semester term. Internship based programs are not eligible for award.
•Must have little or no previous experience in the country in which he or she plans to study. A summer term applicant must not have spent more than 4 weeks in the proposed country of study within the last 5 years. A semester or an academic year term applicant must not have spent more than 6 weeks in the proposed country of study within the last 5 years.
•Must submit the online Freeman-ASIA Student Impact Survey within one month of returning to the United States and must initiate his/her service project to promote study abroad opportunities in Asia on the college campus and/or in the local community.
•Must submit the Freeman-ASIA Final Service Report on the implementation of his/her service project at the end of the term following his/her return to the United States.
•Must not be a previous Freeman-ASIA award recipient.
Application process
- Review the Freeman-ASIA eligibility requirements.
2. Identify a Study Abroad Program in East or Southeast Asia that qualifies for a Freeman-ASIA Award. Please note, the program must be approved by your home institution.
3. Contact the Study Abroad Adviser who will certify the programmatic and academic portions of your Freeman-ASIA application. You must ensure that you are requesting certification from the appropriate individual on campus; in most cases, this will be your campus Study Abroad Adviser. In general, faculty or other staff members who are not serving as an adviser for your study abroad program would not be the appropriate person to certify your application. This individual must be familiar with the study abroad program and must be able to confirm that you (and your program) meet the eligibility requirements. Note that some institutions designate a specific individual to certify scholarship applications.
4. Contact your Financial Aid Adviser to review and understand your projected financial aid for your study abroad program. This individual should be from your campus financial aid office.
5. Follow up with your Study Abroad Adviser to ensure he/she has received the registration email to access your application certification form.
6. Submit your application by the student deadline. You will receive a submission confirmation email.
7. Check with your Study Abroad Adviser to ensure that his/her certification will be submitted by the adviser deadline. You will receive a confirmation email when your adviser has submitted his/her certification.
Application deadline
All applications for Academic Year 2023-2024, including the following terms: Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Academic Year 2023-2024, Spring 2024, and Calendar Year 2024, are now open.
Student Applications will be due no later than: March 28, 2023. The adviser certification deadline will be: April 4, 2023. Applications and Study Abroad Adviser certifications must be submitted by 5:00p.m. Eastern Time on the day of the deadline.
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