AIFS Partners with The Forum on Education Abroad to Launch Community College Access Scholarship

STAMFORD, Conn., May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- AIFS Abroad is proud to announce a new scholarship program offered by The Forum on Education Abroad aimed at expanding access to education abroad for community college students.

The Community College Access Scholarship (CCAS) is made possible through a $50,000 commitment from the American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS), a leading provider of international education and cultural exchange programs and a long-time partner of The Forum on Education Abroad. The scholarship provides direct financial support that enables community college students to participate in education abroad programs, including faculty-led, fall and spring semester, and summer programs offered by nonprofit higher education institutions and nonprofit or charity-owned education abroad organizations. Awards ranging from $2,000 – $5,000 may be applied toward program fees, travel, passport and visa costs, and other eligible expenses.

The need for this kind of support is significant. Community colleges educate approximately 40% of undergraduate students in the U.S., yet just 1.6% of students who studied abroad in the 2023 – 2024 academic year were enrolled in associate's degree programs. Recent studies from The Forum on Education Abroad also demonstrate a strong link between education abroad and measures of economic and career success; for example, education abroad alumni take on more leadership roles than their peers across fields such as health care, finance, education, and IT. The CCAS aims to remove the financial and structural barriers that have long kept community college students from accessing these same high-impact global learning opportunities.

This initiative is a natural extension of AIFS' longstanding commitment to community college partnerships through its AIFS Abroad program. The organization launched its first customized, semester-long faculty-led program with a consortium of San Francisco Bay Area community colleges in London in 1986. Today, AIFS Abroad partners with 13 of the nation's top 20 community colleges to deliver international programs for their students.

For AIFS Chairman William L. Gertz, the scholarship carries personal significance: "As a graduate of Sullivan County Community College in upstate New York, I can attest to the value of community colleges, [which] led me to my career and role as global leader of AIFS."

About the Community College Access Scholarship

The CCAS is open to community college students enrolled in at least six credit hours in a degree-seeking program at an accredited U.S. institution during the 2026 – 2027 academic year, for education abroad programs taking place between June 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027. The program aims to support up to five awardees for each eligible term (fall semester, spring semester, and summer), awarding $2,000 – $5,000 depending on financial need and program cost. Applicants must demonstrate economic need through Pell eligibility, financial aid documentation, or explanation of financial circumstances. Applications must be submitted with The Forum on Education Abroad.

For more information about how community colleges can offer customized faculty-led programs, visit the AIFS Abroad website.

About AIFS & AIFS Abroad:

The American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS) is a charity-owned organization and a leader in cultural exchange and international education. Since its founding in 1964, more than 1.8 million individuals have participated in AIFS programs. AIFS Abroad, a division of AIFS, offers study abroad and international internship programs in more than 30 destinations around the world.

SOURCE American Institute For Foreign Study