I didn’t get to do a lot of international travel growing up. Ironically, the scholarships that I received in college always kept me tied to my desk, thinking this would be the best use of my time. However, not everything can be learned in a classroom.
That’s why I created the Travel Codex Scholarship Program, which will award $1,000 each year to one person with no strings attached. My goal is to get you thinking about the role of travel in your life and give you the means to take your first great adventure.
My first big trip was backpacking with friends through Europe the summer after I graduated from college. In years since then I took trips to Spain and Cambodia with my sister, sailed the Caribbean with my brother, and more. But I still wish I had started sooner and traveled more often when I had the time. You will never be as free to explore new opportunities as you are right now in school.
If you’re looking to get started traveling on a budget, I recommend my guide to Travel Hacking for Beginners and the Award Maximizer, which helps you find the cheapest award ticket to anywhere. You may also be interested in some of the books written by my friend, Nomadic Matt.
How to Apply
Good writing skills will be critical throughout your life, so please practice them by writing a 1,000-word essay (two pages, single spaced) on your career plans and the importance of travel in accomplishing your goals. I want to know more about who you are and where you see yourself five or ten years from now. What makes you qualified for this scholarship, and how will you use the money? The staff at Travel Codex will read each submission and evaluate it on the persuasiveness of your response to this question.
Your academic accomplishments and work experience may be a factor in your selection if you can demonstrate how they relate to your passion for travel. However, there is no GPA or degree requirement.
Scholarship Eligibility
You must be a student, 18 years or older, and currently enrolled in an accredited four-year undergraduate program in the United States. Students graduating this year are welcome to apply, but you must be currently enrolled. Please include the following information in your application and send it to scott@travelcodex.com.
- First and last name
- School and major
- Expected graduation date
- Phone number and email address
Submissions must be received by 11:59 PM (Pacific Time) on May 3, 2017. Please be mindful that it is not possible to respond to every submission unless you are selected as a winner. However, the recipient will be announced on this page no later than May 17, 2017. A single award of $1,000 will be provided.
Submissions for May 2017 have ended. This page will be updated when the next application round is announced in late 2017 or early 2018.
Winners
For May 2017, the winner is Matthew VerVelde, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Congratulations!
Although only one person can win, I’d like to recognize two runners up, D. Riley Hart, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and Gino Ciarimboli, at the University of Akron.
Privacy Statement
By providing the personal information requested for this scholarship application, you consent to our use of this information for the sole purpose of offering a scholarship and reporting this information to the relevant tax authorities, should you be selected as a winner. Additional information, including a copy of your academic transcript and a completed IRS form W-9, may be required before the scholarship funds are disbursed. Your information will not be used for any other purpose.