United Planet Merit Scholarships
Please note there are 3 different scholarship opportunities:
- One full scholarship for any Short-Term Volunteer Abroad and Internship Abroad Quest within 1 to 3 weeks.
- Five $500 scholarships for any Short-Term or Long-Term Volunteer Abroad and Internship Abroad Quest (1 week to 1 year).
- Five $250 scholarships for any Virtual Volunteer and Internship Quest (1 month - 6 months)
You may apply for one or all scholarships. However, you can only be awarded one of these scholarships.
NSHSS members age 16+

Scholarship Details:
NSHSS partner, United Planet, is an international non-profit organization devoted to building a global network of leaders and volunteers. United Planet’s community fosters cross-cultural understanding and addresses shared global challenges through immersive international service and internships.
Volunteer Abroad and Internship Abroad Quest Countries within 1 to 3 weeks:
Destinations include Chile, China*, Costa Rica*, Ecuador, Japan, Nepal*, Peru, Romania*, South Africa, Spain*, Moldova* and Italy*
(Airline Travel, Vaccinations & Visa Fees not included)
*Students age 18+
Long-Term Volunteer Abroad and Internship Abroad Quest (6 months to 1 year):
*All Long-Term Programs require travelers to be age 18+ by departure
Destinations include:
Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Peru
Asia/Pacific: India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Vietnam, New Zealand
Europe: Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Russia, Switzerland, Spain, Moldova
Africa: Ghana, Kenya, South Africa
Virtual Volunteer and Internship Quests: Organizations are located in Burkina Faso, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, India, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Philippines, Russia, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, Turkey, Vietnam.
All NSHSS students will receive 10% off of United Planet’s Short-Term Volunteer Abroad and Internship Abroad Programs year-round, 10% off United Planet’s Virtual Volunteer and Internship Programs year-round, and 5% off United Planet’s Long-Term Quest Volunteer Abroad and Internship Abroad Programs year-round. The discounts cannot be combined with scholarships.
The project areas to support include health, social work, education, community development, and environmental sustainability. Please visit http://www.unitedplanet.org/volunteer-abroad for more information on United Planet's Volunteer Abroad Programs. You may access the application on your NSHSS dashboard. Enrollment for the Quest Programs can be submitted at https://www.unitedplanet.org/enroll.
Application Requirements:
- Prompt response of 500 words to the following question:
- How will your experience living and serving abroad in a different culture inspire and enrich your academic and professional pursuits as an NSHSS scholar? Describe in detail.
- Color headshot
- Academic resume
- Current Transcript (can be official or unofficial)
- Educator recommendation
- Parent approval prior to applying (for those under 18)
- Recipients must intend to depart between April 15, 2023 and December 31, 2023