Small grants are intended to assist in expenses such as conference fees, capstone projects and internships for students. All Honors college students may apply for assistance; the maximum award is $500. Funding is contingent upon the University's financial situation. Small grants will be used to directly fund expenses reflected to the relevant project, not given as a monetary distribution to students. 

Preference is always given to students who have demonstrated active and sustained engagement and leadership in the Honors College. Awards will be based on a combination of demonstrated need, merit, and a student’s level of engagement in the life and community of the Honors College.  

Application for Small Grants

The Honors College strives to keep costs low and make study abroad affordable. We offer limited need-based scholarships to qualifying students. Awards are based on a combination of financial need, academic merit, quality of scholarship application responses, and level of engagement in the Honors College. Students must be in good academic standing in the Honors College and must demonstrate financial need that is appropriate to the level of funding requested. If necessary, preference is given to students who have had limited international travel experience.

In addition to the Honors College, the following endowment scholarships also support study abroad experience for Honors students:

The Parker Family Scholarship Endowment in Support of the Honors College Study Abroad Programs is endowed to benefit outstanding undergraduate student scholars who wish to study abroad. To qualify for a scholarship a student must: be an outstanding freshman or sophomore in good academic standing and enrolled in the Honors College; have an expressed interest in participating in one of the Honors study abroad programs; and demonstrate financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

The Edythe S. Rowley Honors Scholarship is established with a gift from the Estate of Edythe S. Rowley. Recipients shall be enrolled in the Honors College and demonstrate financial need, as determined by the University’s Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.

The Robert C. and Karen Ahrens ’80 Wheatley Scholarship Endowment for Travel Abroad is established by Robert C. and Karen Ahrens ’80 Wheatley. This scholarship will provide financial resources annually to support the participation of first and second year Honors College students in JMU’s innovative and nationally recognized Honors study abroad programs. To be named a Wheatley Scholar, recipients must demonstrate financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Please reach out to Dr. Felix Wang with questions or to apply for an Honors Study Abroad Scholarship.