Deadline: 22-Mar-23
Applications are now open for the Voyager Scholarship.
This scholarship gives college students financial aid to alleviate the burden of college debt, meaningful travel experiences to expand their horizons, and a network of mentors and leaders to support them.
The Voyager Scholarship was created by the Obamas and Brian Chesky, Airbnb Co-founder and CEO, to help shape such leaders. Even though they come from different backgrounds, both the President and Brian believe that exposure to new places and experiences generates understanding, empathy, and cooperation which equips the next generation to create meaningful change.
Benefits
What the Scholarship provides:
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Up to $50,000 in financial aid
- Students will receive up to $25,000 per year in “last dollar” financial aid for their junior and senior years of college. This financial aid should alleviate the burden of college debt so that students can afford to pursue a career in public service.
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Summer Voyage
- Students will receive a $10,000 stipend and Airbnb travel credit to pursue a summer work-travel experience between their junior and senior year of college. The students will design their own Summer Voyage to gain exposure to new communities and experience in a chosen field.
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10-year travel stipend
- After graduation, Airbnb will provide the students with a $2,000 travel credit every year for 10 years, totaling $20,000. This will allow students to continue to broaden their horizons and forge new connections throughout their public service careers.
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Fall Summit
- Each fall, students will be invited to a summit to help define and inspire their public service journey.
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Network of leaders
- Throughout the program, students will be invited to an ongoing speaker series, giving them access to a network of leaders. This network of leaders will expose them to new areas of service and innovations happening in their fields. After graduation, they will join the Obama Foundation’s global community, providing them with Foundation resources and programming.
What makes a Voyager
- The Foundation is looking for young people from every corner of this country who share a curiosity about the world and the conviction to want to make positive change within it—just like its founders. Students should have a passion for helping others, experience serving in or building community, and an expansive view of what’s possible through public service.
- The Voyager Scholarship is open to students entering their junior year of college at an accredited four-year college or university in the US, who have demonstrated a financial need, and who are US citizens, permanent residents, or DACA recipients.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility criteria:
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Plan to enroll full-time in their junior year of study at an accredited four-year college or university in the United States in Fall 2023. Eligible students are:
- Finishing sophomore year in Spring 2023. Applicants should be considered “juniors” based on the total number of earned credits at their institution by Fall 2023.
- Or transferring from a two-year to a four-year college for their 2023-2024 junior academic year.
- Have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent.
- Have demonstrated a commitment to public service.
- Plan to pursue a career in public service upon graduation.
- Be a United States (US) citizen, US permanent resident (holder of a Permanent Resident Card), or an individual granted deferred action status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program (DACA).
For more information, visit The Obama Foundation.