So, you heard about International Business Seminars on campus and you’re looking into the different trips. As you’re perusing the website and rereading the brochure that was thrust at you, you notice the four digit number under “Cost of Trip” and your heart skips a beat. You think to yourself, ouch. Last time you checked, money didn’t grow on trees and your parents definitely weren’t going to pay for you to go. After losing nearly all hope, you decide that an international business trip would look great on your resume and you need to find out how to pay for it. Well then keep reading…
Ask Family Members
One of the most successful ways to raise money for your trip is to ask your family. Since requesting money isn’t always easy, angle yourself to be as successful as possible whenever you ask. Since the trip you want to take is business related, make your pitch professional!
Develop a PowerPoint about which countries you will see and the variety of international businesses you will visit. Share a breakdown of costs and explain what experiences you will get for what you spend. If you want to go all out, dress professionally as you give your presentation to prove to your family how serious you are about the trip. Remember, anything counts when it comes to fundraising so if you inspire your Grandma to give you your birthday money early this year (even if it’s just $100), that’s a win for you.
Fundraising Opportunities
Another great way to pay for the trip is to meet with your college to discuss fundraising opportunities. Some universities, especially smaller universities, dole out sponsorships to students who want to experience the business world on a global scale. A sponsorship by the university could result in a trip that is nearly paid for, so why not ask?
If sponsorships are not available, a meeting with your college could result in discovering unadvertised scholarships for business travel. And since International Business Seminars has been around since 1976, there’s even a chance that someone at your school is an alumni of the program and can give you ideas on how they paid for it.
Search for Scholarships
And if the above ideas don’t work, there are plenty of scholarships that can be found online to go towards international business travel experiences for students. There are websites where you can plug in your information and why you need the money and you will be personally matched to scholarships. Scholly, an app for scholarship matching that was featured on Shark Tank, is another great way to find funding for your trip.
There are many different ways for you to fund your trip; you just have to find them. Don’t be afraid to be inventive with your ideas, because this trip is absolutely worth the cost.
