This past month, I had the privilege and opportunity to attend the Welsh Counselor Tour hosted by Study in Wales. Roughly 30 US college counselors were invited to explore a variety of Welsh universities throughout Wales.

Study in Wales is the sector of Global Wales that champion’s the promotion of Welsh universities to international students and high school counselors. These organizations advocate the variety of Welsh universities and funding opportunities to students and counselors that may have never had the consideration or opportunity in the past.

During the Study in Wales tour, we were split into two groups to visit the following universities:

Aberystwyth University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff University, University of Wales Trinity St. David, Wrexham Glyndwr University, University of South Wales, Swansea University and Bangor University.

Not only did we tour the campuses, Study in Wales organized a special evening reception at the Royal Welsh College of Drama and Music and a Cultural Day to explore Wales and learn more about the Welsh language, culture and heritage. We stayed at the beautiful Lake Vyrnwy Hotel and Spa, and visited Harlech Castle, and Portmeirion where we had afternoon tea. Our guides, Robert Alexander and Emma Fuller, did a great job of organizing and answering our questions along the way.

Wales may be small, but they have a variety of university options and degrees that are for every type of student. The cost of living is an attractive feature along with funding opportunities that are offered. Major funding opportunities that Americans should keep their eye on are The Global Postgraduate Scholarship Programme, Global Wales Fulbright Scholarship, Global Wales Gilman Scholarship, and the Aberystwyth University Accommodation Award. In addition, Taith is a Welsh funding opportunity that could be beneficial for a variety of programmes and exchanges. It is not a scholarship but it can support funding for students interested in studying abroad, counselors, teachers, researchers, community colleges and universities.

The Global Wales Postgraduate Scholarship programme offers scholarships worth up to £10,000 – to study a full-time masters programme in Wales. The scholarships are available to students from Vietnam, India, USA, Canada and countries of the European Union. This prestigious scheme is the first scholarship of its kind in Wales and is funded by the Global Wales Programme. The deadline is usually the end of May and to be awarded in September.

The Global Wales Fulbright Scholarship covers the first year of any master’s programme offered by a participating Welsh University. The Welsh Government, Global Wales partners, and the Welsh universities have partnered with the Fulbright Commission to provide one master’s degree scholarship to study at one of the participating Welsh Universities, in any field.

The Global Wales Gilman Scholarship is a prestigious scholarship programme for high-achieving students in the United States who wish to study in Wales. Award holders receive a study grant of up to $5,000 USD, to be used toward tuition, housing, travel, and related costs for up to one academic year. This award enables outstanding American students of limited financial means to study overseas for up to one academic year as part of their undergraduate studies. Interested students are welcome to contact their campus study abroad office or visit the Gilman Scholarship website. Application opens in August. The deadline runs until early October.

One scholarship that is very unique in the sector is the Aberystwyth University Accommodation Award. Aberystwyth University is offering undergraduate and graduate international students free housing on the several accommodation options to choose from. Free accommodation spaces are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.  If there are no free spaces left, you will be sent an offer for a discounted rate in your other hall of choice.

Finally, I recommend counselors look into the Taith programme that Wales is running. Taith is an all-Wales international learning exchange programme with a £65 million investment by the Welsh Government. It is focused on promoting international exchanges to support Welsh learners broaden their horizons and instill confidence in their young learners.

Here are a few ideas on how US counselors or schools can take advantage of Taith’s funding:

1. High school, community college and university students could attend an international exchange semester in Wales. There is reciprocal funding available too! Staff who are chaperoning high school students are also eligible for funding.

2. Teachers and youth workers could teach or counsel Welsh students on academics or mental health support and vice versa.

3. Research exchange and university collaborations

These opportunities are great for supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Students can be funded for as little as two weeks! Funding levels depend on the level of the partnership. To learn more about Taith, you can reach out to one of the team members on their website or you can email Rob from Study in Wales.

If none of these scholarships apply to you, don’t forget that all of these Welsh universities accept FAFSA. Students can apply and use federal funding to study in Wales to fund their degree.

Having studied and completed my Bachelor’s degree at Aberystwyth, I am very familiar with Wales, but attending this tour reignited the love I have for Wales while giving me a deeper understanding of the academics, heritage, and offerings.

If you are a student or counselor and are looking for more information about studying in Wales, I recommend connecting to Study in Wales to learn more. You can also check out more information on the universities and blogs on Wales on our website.