Overview

Scholarships of up to $6,500 are available to help offset travel and living expenses for students pursuing internships in Asia in the summer of 2026.

The Freeman Internship Scholarships are made possible through the generous support of the Freeman Foundation, one of the premier scholarships advancing career development opportunities for UI undergraduate students. This scholarship program aims to further strengthen the bonds of friendship between the United States and the countries of East and Southeast Asia by supporting U.S. students in gaining a deeper understanding of the different cultures, economies, systems and values prevalent in the region.

Eligibility and Application

Students

• Students are not required to have any level of proficiency in an Asian language. However, if you have studied the language of the country you plan to intern in, include this in your application.
• Have at least one semester remaining at the University of Iowa after the internship.
• Preference given to U.S. citizens. International applicants are eligible to apply. You cannot be placed in a country in which you have lived for an extended period (more than one year).
• GPA: A minimum GPA of 2.5 is required. 

Internship

The internship program must be selected from this list of options that have been pre-approved by the University of Iowa. Each student will be required to meet their specific program's eligibility and application requirements by the stated deadlines. 

CIEE Tokyo Summer Internship
CIEE Singapore Summer Internship
CIEE Seoul Summer Internship
CIEE Taipei Summer Internship

Application

Apply here

(Application only available through the UI Scholarship Portal from December 1 - January 31)

Deadline

Summer Deadline: January 31

A complete application consists of short answer questions, an essay and an academic letter of recommendation. Awardees must complete a student impact survey before the end of their program abroad.

This award is open to all majors.

International internships are unpaid, credit-bearing experiences. The Freeman Foundation Internship Scholarship is intended to cover a significant portion of the program cost of interning abroad. Students will be responsible for paying some costs out of pocket, including, but not limited to:

• Roundtrip airfare
• Tuition
• Meals
• International medical insurance
• Passport and visa fees
• Miscellaneous spending while abroad (toiletries, souvenirs, weekend travel, etc.)
• Programmatic fees in excess of what the scholarship covers

Maximum Awards

A student may not receive financial aid and other resources in excess of the estimated cost of attendance in accordance with federal guidelines.  If you receive additional financial resources and/or assistance, it may impact your eligibility for other financial aid awards.  

Please note: This Freeman Scholarship cannot be used for virtual programs, or programs less than six weeks in length. They must be used for University of Iowa-sponsored internship opportunities. 

Follow-on Requirements

A student impact survey will be distributed in July.  The impact survey provides an opportunity for recipients to provide feedback on their internship abroad experiences and share information needed for our annual report to the Freeman Foundation.