Walker Global Experiences Scholarship Program

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About the Scholarship Program

Walker Global Experiences Scholarships, supported by a generous $2 million gift, are designed to empower UVA undergraduates by providing much needed financial support for participation in a UVA credit-bearing summer abroad program with a focus on applied learning. Look for this icon identifying eligible education abroad programs on our website; see below for a complete list.

Scholarship Amount

Each award is up to $5,000. The standard scholarship is $5,000, though that will be adjusted downward if the total cost of attendance is at or near $5,000 and the student is receiving other aid or scholarships.

Awards can be used to cover expenses such as program tuition and fees, room and board, transportation, and incidental costs. Awards will be included in eligible students’ financial aid offer before their program’s commitment deadline. Students must not have any holds on their SIS account at the time of their program’s application deadline in order for Student Financial Services (SFS) to review on this timeline.

Upon completion of their experience abroad, award recipients are expected to submit a thoughtful reflection and photo from their time abroad.

Eligibility

Students are eligible to be considered for a Walker Global Experiences Scholarship if they:

  • receive need-based financial aid through AccessUVA during the 2026-2027 school year,
  • are enrolled as an undergraduate in Fall 2027 classes,
  • apply to an identified UVA Summer 2027 Program with an applied learning component (see below), and
  • are accepted, commit, and participate in that program.

A maximum of one Walker Global Experiences Scholarship will be awarded per student, including those who participate in more than one Walker-eligible program in Summer 2027. 

Priority will be given to students who have not previously participated in an education abroad program as a UVA student. Past recipients of a Walker Global Experiences Scholarship are not eligible to receive the scholarship again.

Do I receive AccessUVA?

If you receive financial aid from UVA, check your SIS account to see if you receive AccessUVA specifically. AccessUVA is the umbrella name for the University of Virginia's need-based financial aid program for undergraduate students. Much of the time, a student can recognize AccessUVA grants on their financial aid offer by the simple name "AccessUVA Scholarship". However, there are many other named awards that are effectively AccessUVA grants.

If you do not see AccessUVA in your award information for the 2026-2027 academic year, you may still have AccessUVA via a named award. SFS has compiled a list of these other named offers (top table only) on their website for your reference.

What are Applied Learning Programs?

Applied learning programs incorporate internships, field school or field work, project-focused work, practical training, substantial engagement with host country clients or partners, and/or collaborative research.

Summer 2027 Walker-eligible Programs

Africa & the Middle East

Asia

Central & South America/Caribbean

Europe

Additional Funding Sources

Each UVA Program has a brochure page online, including a Costs & Finances tab that outlines both billable costs and estimates of additional expenses, for a total anticipated cost of attendance. 

Sample Budget


If your program’s total cost of attendance is over $5,000, you are encouraged to seek additional funding sources to cover that gap. These can include:

Talk to us! If you have questions or concerns about funding your education abroad experience, make an advising appointment with your program’s Education Abroad Advisor, or our office’s Scholarships Advisor. We are happy to help. (Different funding options can have different deadlines. The earlier you start thinking and planning, and meeting with us, the better!)