Bust out the birthday cake and your dog-eared copy of Much Ado About Nothing because it’s William Shakespeare’s birthday! At least this is the day most people celebrate it, no one’s quite sure what day he was actually born. Anywho - in honor of the man that inspired so many here are some "Shakespearean-inspired" scholarships:

Theatre Arts Department: Betty Evans Shakespeare Scholarship at Central Washington University

This full time scholarship is for a theatre arts major who is at least a sophomore and who plans to study abroad at either the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts or other accredited institution.

The scholarship is for either two academic years or one full-year intensive program. Travel costs to England will not be funded; however the return fare back to the United States may be paid.

Eligibility:

• Be full-time student at CWU Ellensburg campus, with sophomore, junior, senior or graduate status during the scholarship period.
• Undergraduate  GPA of at least 3.25; graduate of at least 3.5.
• Satisfy requirements with respect to major or research/creative project activity specified above.
• Secure faculty sponsorship for the course of study.
• Demonstrate a record of good character and scholastic ability to indicate the likelihood of successful course completion.

Indiana State Department of English Alumni Scholarship

This $500 scholarship is for full-time freshmen declaring a major in English or English Teaching

Eligibility:

• Competitive SAT/ACT scores (SATV 510 or higher; ACT English score of 20 or higher), and/or
• Competitive class rank upper 25% of graduating class
•  Competitive high school GPA (3.0 on a 4.0 scale).
• Submit a letter of recommendation from their high school English teachers and/or
• A letter of recommendation from an alumnus of the Department of English at Indiana State University

Grants like scholarships are an excellent way of securing funding for your future education. They come in all shapes and sizes and can apply to anyone from doctors to English majors. Students often confuse grants with student loans—unfortunately—and miss out on excellent opportunities to secure interest-free funding that does not need to be paid back.

For students interested in studying abroad, the U.S. Department of State sponsors the Fulbright Program, a resource for students seeking funding for their educational endeavors.

This program has been supplying students with the funding they need since 1946 and has donated more than $235 million, making it the largest international exchange support program in the United States.

According to the website, the purpose of the Fulbright Program is to:

“Bring a little more knowledge, a little more reason, and a little more compassion into world affairs, and thereby to increase the chance that nations will learn at last to live in peace and friendship.”

This program runs annually and is an excellent opportunity for students to secure funding for their international education. This year’s deadline is October 19, 2007, so now is the time to begin the application process if you are interested in pursuing this opportunity.

According to the website, the selection process is based upon the following:

Language preparation and experience.

Academic record.

Student qualifications.

Preferences as determined by the Fulbright Program.

The approachability of the proposed project or study.

For more information about the Fulbright Program, visit the Institute of International Education for more details.

Interested in studying abroad but unsure of how to pay for it? There are actually many scholarship programs available to students just like you—even more in recent years than ever before.

The Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship has been providing funding for international study since 2000, when the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs passed the International Academic Opportunity Act. The funds are administered annually through the International Institute of Education.

According to the website, students must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible for this award:

The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of their study abroad.

The applicant is applying to or has been accepted into a study abroad program eligible for credit by the student’s accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.

The applicant is studying abroad for at least 4 weeks in one country. Programs going to more than one country are eligible if the student will be studying in one country for at least 4 weeks.

The applicant is studying abroad in any country except Cuba or a country on the State Department’s current Travel Warning list.

The applicant is studying in the fall, spring, or academic year terms including winter inter-sessions. Summer-only programs are not eligible.

If you are interested in participating in this opportunity and meet the above requirements, visit the International Institute of Education website for more details and to apply online. The deadlines to submit applications take place in October and April of each year.

Thinking of leaving the country to continue your education? Want to study abroad but concerned about the additional expenses? There are scholarship solutions for students like you.

The Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) has been operating since 1950, sending students across the globe to live out their dreams and pursue their education in their countries of choice. IES to date now has over 60,000 alumni to attest to the institute’s success. According to the website, their mission is to:

…Provide students and U.S. colleges and universities with high-quality academic study abroad programs that foster intercultural development. Our vision for the future remains connected to the original IES program in 1950…a world filled with interculturally competent leaders who have both the understanding and skills to effectively, humanely, and positively navigate across different cultures, in politics, education, business, or the non-profit sector.

To help students achieve such lofty goals, the institute offers scholarships to interested candidates. The IES Dehli Scholarship is just one example.

The Dehli Scholarship is a $3,000 award available to students who have applied to study for a term with IES. To qualify, applicants must have a GPA of 3.3 or higher.

This scholarship requires students to submit a personal statement that is 1 to 2 pages along with their essay and application. The application is available on the website.

To learn more about this scholarship opportunity, visit the IES website.

The David L. Boren Undergraduate Scholarship is sponsored by the Institute of International Education for Unites States students who are interested in studying abroad. This scholarships helps students realize many of their ambitions and receive the opportunity to study in one of several regions that “are critical to U.S. interests, including: Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Eurasia, Latin America & the Caribbean, and the Middle East.

Included in these unique study abroad programs is the chance to learn a foreign language by being immersed in the native culture of the country that you are visiting.

Students who receive the David L. Boren Undergraduate scholarship are required to work in the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, State, the Intelligence Community, or possibly another U.S. federal department or agency with national security responsibilities.

According to the website, students are selected based on the following criteria:

These scholarships are offered annually. Please visit the Institute of International Education for more information.