United Planet Volunteer Abroad Scholarships

United Planet is pleased to offer five Volunteer Abroad Scholarships for 2009 for Quest volunteers to be used towards the Quest Program fee:

1 Volunteer Abroad High School Scholarship - open to Quest volunteers currently attending high school
1 Volunteer Abroad Professionals Scholarship - open to current Quest volunteers in working professions
1 Volunteer Abroad Seniors Scholarship - open to Quest volunteers over the age of 55
2 Volunteer Abroad University Scholarships - open to Quest volunteers currently enrolled in University

United Planet Volunteer Abroad Scholarships will be offered to Quest volunteers who have already submitted an application and been accepted into a specific Quest program. Candidates must have demonstrated a commitment to community service, strong leadership skills or potential, and a passion for global understanding.

Interested Quest volunteers must submit an essay answering the following questions:

What does a United Planet mean to you? How do you think we can work towards achieving a United Planet?

Volunteers may submit their answers through any creative medium they like, including writing, photography or video. Written submissions should not exceed 600 words. Photography should be limited to 10 photos maximum and videos should not exceed four minutes in length.

The deadline for submission is February 15, 2009. Please contact your Quest Regional Coordinator in the Boston office for more information on how to apply for a Volunteer Abroad Scholarship.

Scholarship winners will receive a $500 Volunteer Abroad Scholarship and will be notified by February 28th. Winners are expected to start their Quest on or before May 31st 2010.

Additional Scholarship and Grant Options:

Volunteers For Prosperity (VFPServ)

VFPServ provides grants to assist skilled Americans wanting to volunteer abroad. VFPServ grants (ranging from $500 to $1000) are individual, non-renewable and are designated to offset travel, insurance and local living costs of short-term international volunteer assignments. Successful candidates are current working professionals and will be volunteering abroad in a project within their professional field.

National Geographic Glimpse Correspondents Program

The Glimpse Correspondents Program is for talented writers and photographers with a passion for storytelling. Supported in part by National Geographic Society, The Correspondents Program is for especially talented students specializing in writing or photography. Correspondents receive a $600 stipend, a professional editor, career training in writing and photography, guaranteed publication on Glimpse.org, and potential publication in National Geographic platforms. The program is open to anyone between the ages of 18 and 34 who will be volunteering for at least 10 weeks. For more information, visit: http://glimpse.org/correspondents.

University Funds and Scholarships

Your university or college may be the best place to start looking for scholarships to help you realize your dream of volunteering abroad. Get in touch with the International Office on your campus and tell them your plans - they may offer stipends, grants or scholarships to help you raise your Quest fee.

Matching Gifts

Employers often offer a matching program which can be a great resouce for employees wishing to dedicated their vacation to volunteer work. Inquire at work to see if your company provides this service.