The WashU & Slavery Project supports immersive learning opportunities that help situate the reckoning with slavery and its legacies in our city within a national and global context.

Immersive Learning Scholarships

The WashU & Slavery Project offers scholarships to support participation in university-approved study abroad programs (including Ampersand Programs) that help situate the reckoning with slavery and its legacies in our city and nation within a global context. These scholarships (up to $2,500) are intended to encourage and offset the cost of participation in study abroad and potentially other immersive learning opportunities that promote greater understanding of “local to global” community histories and legacies of colonialism and slavery, as well as the politics and best practices of reparative justice, and to increase engagement with these vital issues across the university. 

Eligibility and Requirements

All WashU students are eligible to apply for immersive learning scholarships. The application form will ask you to request a funding amount (up to maximum of $2,500) and explain how the requested funding will be used to engage local to global community histories and legacies of colonialism and slavery, and approaches to reparative justice. Funding must be used to facilitate the proposed engagement with the thematic focus of the scholarship, which may include immediate tuition and travel expenses for study abroad programs specifically related to the scholarship theme, or funding to supplement a program with more relevant research and other engagement (e.g., extending time to focus on scholarship themes). We will also consider applications for support for archival and other research outside of St. Louis. Funding recipients will be recognized as Project Scholars and are required to produce a reflection essay including visuals sharing some of the insights and experiences facilitated by WashU & Slavery Project support. 

Pictured:
Albert Dock in Liverpool, England, home of the International Slavery Museum today and historically significant for its role in the trans-atlantic slave trade, and the construction of the Confederate naval fleet during the U.S. Civil War (Photo: G. Ward).

Explore Study Abroad Opportunities

WashU's Global Gateway search portal can help you find approved programs that would facilitate engagement with local to global community histories and legacies of colonialism and slavery, and approaches to reparative justice, through immersive learning. Study abroad programs that include research components are especially well-suited to integration with the WashU & Slavery Project.

WashU's Global Gateway

How to Apply

To apply, click the "Apply Here" button (below) to submit an application for the WashU & Slavery Project scholars program, and select the Immersive Learning option. These funds are primarily intended to support domestic and international travel related to original research or study abroad experiences facilitating understanding of local to global community histories and legacies of colonialism and slavery, and approaches to reparative justice.

Applicants interested in applying WashU & Slavery Project scholar awards to Study Abroad should identify an approved study abroad program and develop a preliminary research plan that aligns with that program and our mission of facilitating engagement with local to global community histories and legacies of colonialism and slavery, and approaches to reparative justice, through immersive learning. We welcome inquiries from interested students and encourage you to explore possibilities with Study Abroad Advisors. These plans should be relayed on your scholarship application and will enable us to review applicants and initiate coordination with the A&S Office of Overseas Programs or other schools. All WashU students are eligible for project scholar funding. 

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and reviewed by the project steering committee. Support will be offered according to project fit and funding availability as applications are reviewed over the fall and spring semesters. Study abroad scholarship offers will be contingent on completion of separate application and enrollment processes managed by the A&S Office of Overseas Programs or other WashU schools.  

Apply to the WashU & Slavery Project Scholars Program

Apply Here