Social, Environmental and Economic Development
$1,500 study abroad scholarship to turn global experience into sustainability action
Studying abroad shows you how other places solve problems you had assumed were unsolvable at home. The SEED Scholarship supports students who intend to bring something back.
Two $1,500 awards are made each year to students studying, interning, or researching abroad — with any program, any provider, in any country. You do not need to travel with Authentica, applying creates no obligation of any kind, and there is no application fee.
What is the SEED Scholarship?
SEED stands for Social, Environmental and Economic Development, the three dimensions of sustainability the scholarship asks students to think about. The Authentica SEED Scholarship is a $1,500 study abroad sustainability scholarship, awarded twice a year to a student who turns a real observation abroad into a practical, SDG-aligned idea. It is open to students worldwide, with any program or provider, no application fee and no minimum GPA.
- SEED stands for
- Social, Environmental and Economic Development
- Award
- $1,500 (US dollars), paid to your institution
- How often
- Twice a year — one award each cycle
- Who can apply
- Undergraduate and graduate students worldwide, any nationality, any major
- Program
- Any education abroad experience of 14 days or longer, with any provider — Authentica not required
- Term
- Any academic year, semester, quarter, winter, or summer, as long as the program runs 14 days or more
- Cost to apply
- None — no application fee, no obligation, no minimum GPA
- Deadlines
- October 1 (Fall cycle) and March 1 (Spring cycle)
- Focus
- Sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Open, independent, and free to enter
The SEED Scholarship is designed to be genuinely accessible, the kind of award an advisor can recommend to any student, with confidence.
Any provider, any country
Travel with any program, university exchange, or independently. Your choice has no bearing on the outcome.
No application fee, ever
There is never a fee to apply for, or to receive, the SEED Scholarship.
No GPA, no financial forms
No minimum GPA and no financial documentation required. Open to any major or field.
A published rubric
Every application is scored against the same transparent, public criteria by a two-person panel.
Who can apply
If you are heading abroad, or hoping to for two weeks or more, you are likely eligible.
- A currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate student, full-time or part-time — at any accredited institution, anywhere in the world
- Of any nationality or citizenship
- Studying any major or field
- Participating in, accepted to, or currently applying to any education abroad experience lasting 14 days or longer, in any term — academic year, semester, quarter, winter, or summer; whether study abroad, exchange, internship, field school, research, service learning, or volunteering
- Joining a program that begins within 12 months of the application deadline
- Age 18 or older at the time of application
You do not need:
- A minimum GPA
- Any financial aid documentation
- To be enrolled in, applying to, or affiliated with an Authentica program
How SEED compares to a typical study abroad scholarship
Many study abroad scholarships attach conditions that quietly rule students out. SEED is built to do the opposite.
| What students often hit | Many study abroad scholarships | The SEED Scholarship |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | Sometimes charged | Never — free to apply |
| Minimum GPA | Often required | None required |
| Provider restriction | Tied to one provider or program | Any provider, exchange, or independent travel |
| Financial-aid paperwork | Frequently required | None required |
| What you submit | Long essays and transcripts | One 600-word response or a 2-minute video |
| Focus | General merit or need | Sustainability and the UN SDGs |
See how SEED sits alongside our other financial options for studying abroad.
What we are asking for
One short submission; in whichever format suits you best: written (600 words maximum) or video (2 minutes maximum).
Written
600 words maximum
Video
2 minutes maximum
Identify a sustainability challenge in a place you are studying or hope to study. Name the UN Sustainable Development Goal it maps to. Describe one practical action students could realistically take to address it.
We are looking for specificity over polish. A concrete observation about one neighborhood, one campus, or one supply chain will always beat a general statement about the planet. We are not grading your prose or your production values; we are reading for whether you have actually looked at something closely and thought about what could be done.
How applications are reviewed
Every application is scored by a two-person review panel against published rubric, so you know exactly what earns points.
| Category | What we are looking for | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Specificity of the challenge | A real, observed, locally grounded problem, not a generality | /12 |
| SDG alignment | Correct mapping, with reasoning for why that goal fits | /8 |
| Practicality of the proposed action | Something students could actually do, at realistic scale | /12 |
| Clarity and authenticity | Communicates clearly in the applicant’s own voice | /8 |
| Total | /40 |
Ties are broken by the practicality score. The highest-scoring applicant in each cycle receives the award.
Deadlines and awards
Two cycles a year, each with one $1,500 award. Dates shown are for the 2026–2027 cycles.
| Cycle | Application deadline | Winner announced | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | October 1 · 11:59 PM ET | November 5 | $1,500 |
| Spring | March 1 · 11:59 PM ET | April 5 | $1,500 |
These deadlines recur every year; apply for the current open cycle. If a deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday, we accept applications until 11:59 PM ET the next business day.
How the award is paid. Funds are paid directly to the recipient’s institution and applied to their student account. Where an institution cannot accept third-party scholarship funds, we arrange payment to the student directly. Before any funds are released, we confirm the winner’s enrollment and program participation with their institution or provider, so the award reaches a genuine, verified student every time.
How to apply
A few details and one submission. It takes most applicants under 30 minutes.
Prepare your response
Write up to 600 words, or record up to 2 minutes, answering the prompt above.
Complete the short form
A few details about you and your education abroad experience, no essays, no documents.
Submit before the deadline
Apply any time before the current cycle’s deadline. We reply within two business days.
The application form collects
Program term options are: academic year, semester, quarter, winter, summer, or other.
Questions before you apply? Email seed@authentica.com.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to travel with Authentica?
Is there an application fee?
I have not been accepted to a program yet. Can I apply?
Can I use the SEED Scholarship for a summer, winter, or short-term program?
Can I apply to both cycles?
Can international students apply?
Is the award taxable?
Who reads my application?
Are there study abroad scholarships that do not require a minimum GPA?
What sustainability scholarships can study abroad students apply for?
Do study abroad scholarships require you to travel with a specific provider?
Official rules and terms
The full terms of the Authentica SEED Scholarship published so advisors and applicants can review everything in one place.
- Sponsor and administration
- The Authentica SEED Scholarship is sponsored, funded, and administered by Authentica. No purchase or enrollment is necessary, and applying creates no obligation of any kind.
- Eligibility
- Applicants must be 18 or older; currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students (full-time or part-time) at an accredited institution; of any nationality. They must be participating in, accepted to, or applying for an education abroad experience of 14 days or longer that begins within 12 months of the deadline. No minimum GPA and no financial documentation are required. Authentica employees and contractors, their immediate families, and previous SEED winners are not eligible.
- Awards
- Two awards of US $1,500 are made each year; one per cycle (Fall and Spring). Awards are not renewable.
- How to enter
- Submit the online application and one response, written (600 words maximum) or video (2 minutes maximum) addressing the published prompt before the cycle deadline. One application per applicant per cycle. Applicants who are not selected may reapply in a future cycle; previous winners may not.
- Selection
- Each application is scored by a two-person panel against the published 40-point rubric. The highest-scoring applicant in each cycle receives the award; ties are broken by the practicality score. Reviews are conducted with applicant names removed where the platform allows. Decisions are final.
- Verification and acceptance
- Awards are contingent on verification. Authentica may confirm a selected applicant’s enrollment, good academic standing, and program participation with their institution or program provider. Within 14 days of notification, the selected applicant must accept the award and provide reasonable proof of enrollment or program participation; an acceptance or enrollment letter, a confirmation from their study abroad office, or provider registration. If a selected applicant does not respond, declines, or cannot verify eligibility within that window, the award passes to the next highest-scoring applicant in that cycle. Authentica may withhold or rescind an award for misrepresentation.
- Notification and publicity
- Winners are notified by email and announced on the scholarship page by first name, last name, and institution, only with the winner’s written permission. Declining publicity does not affect the award.
- Disbursement and taxes
- Funds are paid to the recipient’s institution and applied to their student account. Where an institution cannot accept third-party funds, Authentica will arrange payment to the student directly, subject to identity and enrollment verification. Recipients are responsible for any applicable taxes; treatment varies by country.
- Data and privacy
- Application information is used only to administer the scholarship. Applicants are added to Authentica’s mailing list only if they choose to opt in and may unsubscribe at any time.
- Non-discrimination
- Awards are made without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.
- Changes and governing terms
- Authentica may update these rules or cycle dates; the version published on the scholarship page governs. Questions about these terms: seed@authentica.com.
Questions and advisor materials
Questions? Email seed@authentica.com — we reply within two business days.
Read the official rulesFor study abroad offices and advisors
You are welcome to share the SEED Scholarship with your students. We can provide a one-page printable flyer, a co-branded link for your funding page, or answers to any due-diligence questions about eligibility, selection, and disbursement. Email seed@authentica.com.
Bring something back.
If you are heading abroad and you have looked closely at a problem worth solving, we would like to read about it.
Apply for the SEED ScholarshipApply at authentica.com/financial-options/authentica-seed-scholarship/
Authentica SEED Scholarship · authentica.com/financial-options/authentica-seed-scholarship/ · Updated September 2026 · Dates shown for the 2026–2027 cycles.