This document describes parameters of the Flinn Scholarship’s study/travel benefit. Funding for this benefit, like other aspects of the Flinn Scholarship, is provided via Flinn Foundation grants to third parties—typically Flinn Scholars’ home universities—rather than directly to Scholars.

Purpose of Study-Travel Programs

• All study-travel programs should complement and broaden the Scholar’s chosen field of study and enrich their educational experience in ways that are not part of a conventional baccalaureate program. While the strong preference of the Scholarship Program is that Scholars travel internationally, participation in U.S.-sited programs, such as a research or federal-government internship, a summer theater festival, or an intensive foreign-language seminar sponsored by an accredited U.S. university, may in some cases also be acceptable.
• At the discretion of the Foundation, funds may also be used for professional development. The Program recognizes that professional-development opportunities may require a Scholar to make a request with relatively less notice (e.g., invited to present a poster at a professional conference).

Academic Credit

• The Flinn Scholars Program requires Scholars to receive academic credit for study-travel experiences. Scholars who elect to attend non-credit bearing programs, conferences, or self-directed travel may make arrangements for independent study through their respective universities. Requiring that credit be earned (either directly, via transfer, or via independent study) through these study-travel programs will translate to more academically enriching experience for the Scholar and will add structure, meaning, and academic collaboration.
• Scholars at ASU and UA designing independent‐study credit in conjunction with travel during a summer session may register for independent-study credits during the following fall semester to keep down costs. Summer session tuition is not covered by the Flinn Scholarship.

Funding

• Scholars have $8,000 available for one or more additional study-travel experiences after the rising-sophomore group study-travel program. Under no circumstances may the amount of funding requested by a Scholar exceed the documented cost of the proposed study-travel experience.
• For study-travel during the academic year, the Scholarship Program allows Scholars to request both study-travel funds and the Scholarship Program’s semester allowance of $8,250 per semester. To be eligible to use Flinn semester funds to support a study-travel experience, a Scholar must be enrolled as a full-time continuing student at their Arizona university and receive approval from the university to use semester funds for study-travel.
• The Scholarship Program issues checks only to the Scholar’s home university for release to the Scholar, not to the sponsoring program or directly to the Scholar. Review of the Scholar’s request, preparation of the check, and release of funds by the university requires at least one month. If a complete application for funding, accompanied by all required documentation, is not submitted by the Scholarship Program’s stated deadline, the Scholarship Program cannot guarantee any funding whatsoever, even if the identified study-travel opportunity is otherwise appropriate for support.
• Some programs may require a fee or partial advance payment with the application. Similarly, airline tickets or other travel require payment at the time of purchase. Unless sufficient time is allocated for receipt of Scholarship Program funds, the Scholar must pay these fees in advance of receiving their travel funds through their university, assuming the study-travel experience is approved.
• Unused study-travel funds are forfeited when a Scholar concludes participation in the Scholarship Program; they are not transferable to another student.

Timing

• A Scholar may apply for travel funds after their Group Seminar (following the freshmen year) is complete.
• A Scholar may undertake a summer, semester, or academic-year program. The Scholarship Program encourages students to stay abroad as long as possible to maximize cultural and academic benefits; however, the Program recognizes the considerable costs of lengthy programs and recognizes that some learning objectives may be met by short-term program experiences.
• Upon returning from any Scholarship Program-funded study-travel experience, a Scholar must have at least one full-time semester of study remaining before earning their undergraduate degree. This provides the Scholar sufficient opportunity to share their learning with others and to make the experience both a private benefit and a public good.

Expectations

• Written Travel Report: After returning from a study-travel or professional-development experience, the Flinn Scholar must submit to the Scholarship Program a written report reflecting on the study-travel experience. This report becomes part of the Scholar’s file and may be used to assess the value of the experience for future Scholars. No Scholar may draw down further study-travel or professional-development funds until the previous experience has been documented.
• Travel Presentation: Scholars returned from study-travel or professional-development experiences typically are expected to offer a verbal account to their peers and Scholarship Program and university representatives at each year’s annual retreat. If a Scholar is unable to attend the retreat immediately following their return, that responsibility should, if possible, be met at the following year’s retreat.