Empowering Future Leaders The 2025 Global Perspectives Scholarship is now open! Submit your essay for a chance to win a $1,000 scholarship and make an impact. Deadline: August 27th, 2025, 11:59 PM EDT Apply Now
Global Perspectives Scholarship Overview Rustic Pathways empowers students to positively impact lives and communities around the world through its innovative and responsible travel experiences. If you’re looking to learn about summer student travel programs, click here. Rustic Pathways offers a $1,000 scholarship to a high school or college student attending an accredited college or university in 2025. The 2025 scholarship applications are now open! Submit your essay by August 27th, 2025, 11:59 PM EDT for a chance to win. You can apply using this form. You can see our 2024 winner and finalists here.
Ritu Belani – Global Perspectives Scholarship Winner 2024 “Global Perspectives” is the perfect title for this scholarship because it encapsulates my passion for exploring diverse cultures and understanding the interconnectedness of our world. At Stanford, I’m pursuing Chicano/Latino Studies and Islamic Studies. This scholarship is more than just financial support—it’s a validation of my commitment to justice and community-building. I’m deeply grateful to Rustic Pathways for supporting my aspirations to conduct meaningful research and connect with people from all walks of life through my comedy and activism. Meet Ritu: Ritu is a freshman at Stanford University by day and stand-up comedian by night. She has toured across three cities globally performing her solo headliner show, and her favorite show is an open mic that she organized at her local mosque called Hahahalal. Ritu’s interests include Spanish, Arabic, and community-engaged scholarship, and her research has been published in the Association of Computational Linguistics. You can follow her work @RituDoesComedy on your favorite social media platform. Meet Our 2024 Finalists We are proud to recognize our 2024 finalists, who wrote exceptional essays about their most meaningful summer experiences. Each finalist demonstrated creativity, clarity, and a commitment to positive change. Grace Aulicino Gettysburg College – Basking Ridge, NJ Marisol Barajas Central Catholic High School – Westley, CA Mridhini Beegamudre University of Central Florida – St Augustine, FL Isabella Bracken Truman State University – St. Louis, MO Kimorra Buggs City College of New York – Mount Rainier, MD Danielle Campbell Mount Allison University – Rexton, New Brunswick Owen Chen University of Southern California – Danville, CA Zoe Costianis Glenbrook South – Glenview, IL Victoria Collins Sweet Briar College – Leesburg, VA Sam Ellison Homeschool – Sierra Vista, AZ Mahir Hossain Stony Brook University – Bronx, NY Shaina Jhanji South Forsyth High School – Cumming, GA Jaecheol Kim Covenant Global Christian School – Yangju-si, Gyeonggi-do Eva Ledvina Cornell University – Vestavia Hills, AL Lydia Magness The Ohio State University – Lebanon, OH Sam Martin Brighton High School – Rochester, NY Nidhi Nagaraj Oregon State University – Salem, OR Ethan Osiegbu University of Southern California – Middletown, DE Jena Shaqlaih University of Texas at Arlington – Arlington, TX Sara Auger Montana State University – Cannon Falls, MN How to Apply for the Global Perspective Scholarship (2025) 1. Review the essay question (answer must be under 500 words) and write your essay. Teen summer opportunities vary widely. Some teens work during the summer. Some teens head off to summer camp. Some teens enjoy summer travel. What is the most meaningful summer experience you have had, and why? 2. Follow us on Instagram. In order to be considered for the Global Perspectives Scholarship, applicants must follow our Instagram Account. 3. Complete and submit the online application form by August 27th, 2025, 11:59 PM EDT. Judging will be based on the quality of the submission. Judges will look for writing that is clear, articulate and logically organized. Judges will automatically reject any essay over 500 words, or any essay submitted past the deadline. 4. Read and agree to the following: Rustic Pathways Scholarship Terms and Conditions Rustic Pathways Media Release and Consent Agreement For more information, contact us at scholarships@rusticpathways.com. Awards All awards must be used for tuition and/or books. One student will receive the grand prize of $1,000.
Scholarship Eligibility This scholarship is open to all high school and college students who will be attending an accredited college or university in 2025. Students must follow all instructions and agree to Rustic Pathways’ Scholarship Agreement. Students must submit and complete the application form before the stated deadline. No exceptions will be made for applicants after the deadline. For any questions, please contact scholarships@rusticpathways.com before signing and accepting the award. Apply Now
Rustic Pathways Scholarship Agreement The following statements, acknowledged and signed by you below, are required to process your scholarship application. Processing of your application and disbursement of any scholarship funds is contingent upon your reading and acknowledging that you have read and understand all of the following by the application deadline. Terms and Conditions To remain eligible and accept the scholarship award, you must accept the following terms and meet all of the following requirements: Read more Rustic Pathways reserves all rights in determining who receives the scholarship award. The processing of your application and disbursement of any scholarship funds is contingent upon your acknowledgement that you have read and understood this agreement. If the requested materials do not match with the information provided on the application, Rustic Pathways has the right to withdraw your scholarship award and present it to another qualified applicant. The following will not be asked for submission, but is highly recommended to receive the scholarship award: 1. Within six months of receiving the scholarship, you must be enrolled on a full time basis in an accredited community college, four-year college or university. Failure to enroll in a college or university within six months of receiving the scholarship could result in an automatic loss of the scholarship and forfeiture of the scholarship funds. You may only use scholarship dollars for approved expenses incurred in the course of study at the qualifying college or university. 2. You are encouraged to consult with your school’s financial aid office or with your personal or family advisor to determine whether any portion of your Rustic Pathways Scholarship is taxable income that needs to be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. Whether or not reporting is required or any tax will be owed will depend upon the unique facts and circumstances of a scholarship recipient’s individual financial situation and/ or certain aspects of the program of study and/or your institution’s requirements. Rustic Pathways is not in a position to provide this type of advice to you, but wants to be certain that you are aware of the need to determine any financial/tax implications of the scholarship and that Rustic Pathways holds no responsibility for this. Media Release and Consent Agreement This Media Release and Consent Agreement is granted by the Individual Rustic Pathways Scholarship Recipient, effective upon the finalist receiving and signing the Scholarship Acceptance Form. Read more The parties, both Rustic Pathways and Scholarship Recipient, hereby mutually agree to the following terms of release and consent: Rustic Pathways desires to use the below-identified materials in connection with the publication and distribution of materials, in various media, regarding and/or promoting Rustic Pathways, its activities or accomplishments. Photographic and video materials incorporating scholar’s name and/or image. Electronic or digital materials incorporating scholar’s name and/or written words. Printed materials incorporating scholar’s name, likeness and/or image. Web-based or other electronic or digital materials incorporating scholar’s name, image, likeness, voice and/or spoken or written words. For any questions, please contact scholarships@rusticpathways.com before signing and accepting the award.
About Rustic Pathways Founded in the outback of Australia in 1983, Rustic Pathways is the world’s leading student travel brand, with a renowned reputation for creativity, innovation and adventure. Through purposeful design, Rustic Pathways creates culturally-immersive programs for students ages 12 to 22. Rustic Pathways’s programs develop globally-minded self-aware students to identify their interests and passions, gain confidence, grow as individuals, and create positive impact at a local and global level.