During the month I spent studying abroad at Oxford University I kept a daily journal. While initially assigned as a graded reflection practice for one of my classes, I began taking my daily journaling incredibly seriously. My classmates laughed at how many pages I would go through describing a day trip to Wales or even just an afternoon spent in the library archives. My journal became my main outlet for the trip, as I ran through the things I had done over the course of the day and reflected on an incredible and fleeting experience. Now that my journal has been returned to me (following its journey alone overseas to be graded by my professor), I lean on the words I wrote over my days in a place that taught and showed me so much to remember how fortunate I was to have that experience. The words bring me back.
During my time at Oxford University, I was able to immerse myself in the vast history of the school and its community while gaining experiences I know will follow me through both my personal and professional life. As an English major, being able to sit in a pub that had been frequented by the likes of C. S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll and stand in the rooms that Oscar Wilde and Percy Bysshe Shelley were both once in was unbelievable. Being surrounded by so much rich literary history was incredibly meaningful and inspirational to me. As an aspiring journalist with a true love for writing, being able to read pivotal texts in the place where they were written while observing all the sights and atmosphere that inspired them was incredibly motivating. If the words I write can leave even a fraction of that legacy one day, I will be fulfilled.
My time studying at Worcester College at Oxford University would not have been possible without the generous financial support I received from Sigma Tau Delta’s Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship. As a first-generation college student who had previously never traveled out of the country, this opportunity felt inaccessible to me when I was first presented with it. Studying for a month during the summer at the best university in the world felt like a complete dream, and the fact that I was able to partake in it without worrying about the barriers that often stop people from seeking out this experience was incredible.
As I look back on my journal entries from my trip abroad and all the words I wrote about the wonderful time I had in Oxford, I think fondly about the things I experienced during my time there. A fondness for history and literature, for stories, brought me to Oxford. Now, the words I wrote, which I cling to now as nostalgia starts to creep in, take me back.
Addison Phelps
Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship Recipient, Spring 2026
Phi Xi Chapter
University of Alabama
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
From Wales to London: The Short-Term Study Abroad Scholarship that Shifted My Creative Baseline
Short-Term Study Abroad: A Study in Perspective
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.
