Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (SOURCE)

Comparative Analysis of U.S Higher Education Institutions’ Financial Initiatives for U.S. Historically Underserved Students in Study Abroad

During academic year 2019-2020, the Institute of International Education’s Open Doors Report showed the U.S. had less than 1% of total enrolled undergraduate students participating in study abroad. Disparities in study abroad undergraduate participation show that the majority of participants are Caucasian females. The focus of this study is to compare initiatives that offer relevant financial opportunities to increase the number of historically underserved students participating in study abroad. Working together, the U.S. government, education abroad organizations and Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have identified underrepresented student groups and created initiatives to diversify study abroad. According to the Forum on Education Abroad, underrepresented student groups often include race/ethnic groups, first-generation college students, high financial-need students, LGBTQIA+ students, gender orientation groups, and students with disabilities. While the study will mention these student groups and the barriers they face, the focus of this study is to build a critical foundation to explore financial initiatives within the following; 1) HEIs that are within the study's southeastern U.S. geographical parameters, and 2) U.S. federal government agencies such as the United States Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. By building this foundation, this study creates an understanding of how historically underserved students’ participation in U.S. study abroad is being addressed through various financial opportunities, which brings awareness to the “Too Expensive” stigma that a majority of U.S. historically underserved students associate with financing study abroad.