What is the purpose of studying abroad? What need do I have to see hordes of people hastening into a crowded train, hear the deafening ringing of a cathedral bell, or taste the flavorless food of a country pub when I can imagine all of that and more from the comfort of my house with a good book? My university challenges its students to go on at least one study abroad trip to broaden their worldview and gain a global perspective. The trip could be a week, month, or semester, as long as it allows the student to explore a new culture and test their assumptions about the world. Every trip requires some sort of class before or during the time abroad and a certain amount of interaction with the locals. Out of the multitude of study abroad opportunities that my university provides, I chose my university’s England Literature Trip, which included many of my friends and my favorite professors.
Because it was a literature-centered trip, we spent eight days reading British literature to prepare us for each location we would be visiting. Although we read various short stories and novels, my personal favorites were Wuthering Heights, Dracula, Sherlock Holmes, and The Wife of Willesden. In each class, we would engage in lengthy discussions on the themes and quotes from each work that inspired us or challenged us intellectually. Every story invited us to imagine the places we would go, envisioning ourselves in towering cathedrals, desolate fields, and sublime countryside of England. During those eight days, my classmates and I grew close in our daily struggles and excited about the places we were going to explore.
We traveled to London, Canterbury, Salisbury, Cambridge, York, and Grasmere. We stayed above pubs that lacked air conditioning in the record-breaking heat and had to face twisting labyrinths to arrive in our Hobbit-sized rooms. We got to master the tube with few trials and errors and dance on the moors to a song that we repeated so often that it haunts my dreams. We went to almost every Oxfam and used bookstore we could find, collecting a combined total of over 100 books. I even got to climb a mountain, and despite lagging behind and struggling even more than the elders of the trip, the view from the top of the peaceful English countryside was well worth the passing humiliation.
I grew tremendously in my time in England and found myself fascinated by the stories about England’s history, religion, and literature that I heard from all the people I met. At one point, I met a teacher, and as a future English teacher myself, I found that we shared similar struggles and joys from teaching. There are certain things in life that are universal no matter where you are, but I hope to inspire my students to discover what makes us different and to value the insights we can gain from worldviews other than ours. The Sigma Tau Delta Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship allowed me to afford this trip, which gave me a new perspective on the value of actually visiting the places that inspired such wonderful works of literature. I hope my future students will be inspired by my pilgrimage and embark on their own journey to discover new perspectives.
Alia Serrano
Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship Recipient, Spring 2026
Alpha Beta Iota Chapter
Lee University, Cleveland, TN
Study Abroad Scholarships
The scholarship provides funding for the purpose of studying in a program that furthers the applicant’s engagement with Sigma Tau Delta’s mission. Students may apply for either a Long-Term or Short-Term scholarship. Applicants should demonstrate academic scholarship and chapter service; they also must explain the relevance of their study abroad program and activities to fostering the discipline of English, including literature, language, writing, or literacy.
Long-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
The Long-Term Study Abroad Scholarship provides up to $3,000 for students studying for a full academic term or year in a certified, undergraduate program outside the country in which the nominating chapter is located.
Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
The Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship provides up to $1,500 to support participation in an undergraduate study-abroad program of less than an academic term. The program must be a certified, undergraduate program outside the country in which the nominating chapter is located.
Scholarship Eligibility Criteria
- Currently an undergraduate student
- Plan to study abroad in a certified undergraduate program for all or part of an academic term
All applications will be submitted via the AwardSpring Online submission process.
Application Deadline: October 12 – 26, 2026, 4:00 p.m. CT
Past Study Abroad Scholarship Recipients
Words Carried Me through Oxford: A Short-Term Study Abroad Experience
From Wales to London: The Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship that Shifted My Creative Baseline
Study Abroad in London: A Broader World
Studying Abroad in Dublin, A City of Literature
My (Literary) Euro Summer: Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship
Granada, Que te Quiero Granada: How Studying Abroad Opened a Whole New World of Literature
Pura Vida: My Four Months Studying Abroad in Costa Rica
Blooming from the Pages: Studying Abroad in Ireland
English Connections through Arcades and Gachapon Shops during a Study Abroad
Fulfilling a Fantasy Dream with a Study Abroad
English Connections through Arcades and Gachapon Shops during a Study Abroad
Lo Spirito Impressa: A Study Abroad Experience
Publishing, Passion, and Paris: My Study Abroad Experience in Paris
Studying Abroad: From Museums to Host Moms
Study Abroad, Or How to Succeed during the Unexpected
Study Abroad Scholarship Sparks Creativity in Nottingham
Study Abroad Scholarship: English Education in Maastricht
Study Abroad Scholarship: Royal Holloway-University of London
Study Abroad and Diversify Your College Experience
On Studying Abroad
Summer Stories from Abroad
Sigma Tau Delta
Sigma Tau Delta, International English Honor Society, was founded in 1924 at Dakota Wesleyan University. The Society strives to
- Confer distinction for high achievement in English language and literature in undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies;
- Provide, through its local chapters, cultural stimulation on college campuses and promote interest in literature and the English language in surrounding communities;
- Foster all aspects of the discipline of English, including literature, language, and writing;
- Promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members;
- Exhibit high standards of academic excellence; and
- Serve society by fostering literacy.
With over 900 active chapters located in the United States and abroad, there are more than 1,000 Faculty Advisors, and approximately 9,000 members inducted annually.
Sigma Tau Delta also recognizes the accomplishments of professional writers who have contributed to the fields of language and literature.
