From exploring Jamaica’s coral reefs to studying art and architecture in Italy, Moravian University’s Center for Global Education (CGE) offers a range of study abroad opportunities tailored to your comfort level and financial situation.
As part of the ELEVATE Global Greyhound program, announced in March 2021, all students receive a $2,600 stipend that can be used only toward Moravian-led short-term study abroad programs. This stipend can be used toward any short-term programs led by Moravian faculty and staff that take place over Winter Break, Spring Break, May Term or over the summer.
The first step to traveling abroad is to log in to AMOS to complete your personal Greyhound Travel Profile, upload your information and passport and sign your Travel Agreement.
Some programs offered regularly, such as Paris, France, entitled, “Arts & Culture in the ‘City of Lights’” cost more than the $2,600 allowance all students receive, with this specific trip costing $3,100. However, on other trips, such as Florence, Italy (“Drawing Florence: Signs, Myths, & Symbols”), there is no out-of-pocket cost once ELEVATE funds are applied, besides miscellaneous insurance, souvenir, and food costs.
Students are eligible to use their ELEVATE Global Greyhound voucher after spending one full academic year at Moravian; for first-years, that means most students are eligible to use their travel voucher during their sophomore year.
Bryn Wiragh, associate director for Study Abroad at the Center for Global Education, encourages students to use their ELEVATE credit during their sophomore year, as soon as they are eligible, so they have time to consider studying abroad for an extended period, even an entire semester.
“So often we let our support networks and their predispositions influence our own opinions before we look into what is actually possible,” Wiragh said.
“And here at Moravian, we have so many versions of studying abroad that it is possible. And if you’re really motivated to do it, you can, but you have to do the work.”
ELEVATE trips can range from visiting one country to multiple countries in a single trip. For example, The Moravian World Heritage Experience takes place over the May term, and visits the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany and Ireland within two weeks. Programs can run from seven to sixteen days in duration.
Some trips include an academic course students must enroll in before their travel experience, which takes place the semester during or prior to the semester of their travel dates. In these courses, students learn contextual information about the countries and topics they are visiting and studying. It’s also important to note that some Travel Courses carry credits, which could push certain students into course overload. If this is a concern for you, reach out to the CGE and your adviser, who may be able to find a solution for your specific situation.
One of the most common concerns about studying abroad is the financial burden; however, at Moravian, there are possibilities to study abroad even if you are concerned about finances.
The full $2,600 travel voucher for eligible students can pay for an entire short-term trip (excluding food, insurance, and spending money). In addition, students can apply for a number of scholarships that Moravian offers, including the Engels Scholarship, the Alexander, Elizabeth & Joann Trotsky Study Abroad Endowed Scholarship Fund, the Donald N. Diehl Study Abroad Scholarship Fund, the Czech Republic Study Abroad Fund, the Cohen Scholarship Fund and The Fab MAB Pass-It On Award, ranging from $250 to $750+, depending on the resources available that year, and students are eligible for multiple scholarships for the same program.
“I also get questions a lot about scholarships. All this is a lot of timing, too, so you want to think further ahead, because there are scholarship deadlines,” Wiragh said.
“For example, if you wanted to do May term or summer travel, our deadline for those scholarships is in November.”
Outside of Moravian-sourced scholarships, there are federal, state, and honor society scholarships that support students studying abroad, such as the Sigma Tau Delta short-term and long-term travel scholarships and the Gilman Program.
If you are interested in studying abroad, Wiragh suggests looking into the logistics of it as soon as possible.
“I fully recognize that the concept of traveling in 2027 is so far away for you as students, and that’s totally reasonable, but at the same time, that is not reasonable for travel, right?” she said.
“You might have to work a little bit more over the summer to pay for the program that you’re choosing. You might have to start really early, because the visa process for the semester is a lot longer, so it’s little things to start early on that you can have a buffer to account for those things.”
The travel programs for 2026-2027 will be announced at the Global Greyhound Fair on April 1, 2026. Some programs fill within six hours of launch, so if you have your heart set on a specific destination, make sure you have completed your Travel Profile on AMOS before signing up for the trip. If your desired program is already full, you can put your name on a waitlist.
“The world is really your oyster, and there is a way to do it, especially when you’re in college, which is in a very supported way,” Wiragh said.
For long-term programs, such as a semester abroad, students can choose between an affiliate program and an exchange program. An exchange program is often less expensive than an affiliate program, but costs vary by program. Moravian does not function as a one-on-one exchange school; instead, the school can send one Moravian student to an abroad program without receiving a student exchange, which is normal.
For affiliate programs, Moravian will pay up to $10,000.00 toward your spring or fall semester (excluding winter and summer terms) for educational expenses only, which does not include housing, meals, or expenses that are not educational tuition-based fees. Affiliate programs also tend to offer more freedom to students than living with a host family, but host families also offer a much more immersive experience, so it all depends on what you are looking for in your travel adventure.
Students who wish to spend a semester abroad must attend a Semester/Summer Abroad Information Session led by the CFE and have met with a member of the CGE team before contacting or applying to the affiliate program, as the CGE will begin the application process.
Please note that you must pay Moravian tuition if you would like to be considered and eligible for Moravian University scholarships, grants, and other State/Federal funds. If you are interested in a semester abroad, the CGE will pair you with a Trailblazer, a student who has already spent a semester abroad, to advise you and offer first-hand accounts of their personal abroad experience. Seniors are still eligible to attend May and Summer term trips, only if it is the immediate semester following their graduation.
