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Am I Too Old/Young For Scholarships and Travel Opportunities?

by Gabby Beckford March 17, 2021
by Gabby Beckford March 17, 2021
Reading Time: 2 minutes

Do you feel that you are too old or too young to apply for scholarships, grants, or internships?

My name is Gabby Beckford and I make the incredible accessible to all ages, nationalities, and industries with the paid travel opportunities (PTO) I share on Packs Light’s social platforms and email newsletter, and blog.

I'm here to answer one of my most frequently asked questions: 

Are scholarships only for young people? Can you study abroad after you graduate? What opportunities should I keep my eye out for? Save this infographic!
Click to pin it!

Middle School 

The least known time frame to seek paid opportunities… but perhaps the time least competition.

Middle school years (age 10 to 13) are the best time to be introduced to the concept of paid opportunities, lump sums of money, paid programs, etc. At this time you can get funding for school field trips and even college.

Start applying for local STEM contests, art contests, dance contests—whatever hobby or skill you can. This is also the time to join organizations like Girl Scouts, Rotary Club, Jr. NSBE, etc. in which affiliation will help you late in life.

Parents if you're reading this—it's never too early to get your child set up for success.

💸 You might be interested in this article: 16 Travel and Study Abroad Scholarships for Middle and High School Students

High School 

Now, you'll see a lot of programs and scholarships popping up for things you're interested in. This is also a time to rack up the funding for either a gap year or to put towards your college degree.

Anyone can get an education as well as explore their options and these scholarships/grants make it even more accessible. The goal here is to start seeing the importance of financial independence and avoiding debt.

💸 You might be interested in this article: 16 Travel and Study Abroad Scholarships for Middle and High School Students

Student

You might think: well I'm in university now (18 to 28) my schedule is restricted— lack of time will keep me from going abroad, getting a killer internship, or having any real amazing experiences…

You couldn't be more wrong!

Being a college student is the time that allows you the most flexibility in your schedule, opportunities to study and work remotely, be eligible for grants, scholarships, and fellowships, and more.

If you want to study abroad, intern abroad or locally, participate in a cultural exchange, start a business, or even get funding to go to college, my paid travel opportunities offer exactly that.

I was able to visit 8 new countries completely funded while a college student, and I was awarded another $40,000 by applying to scholarships and grants as a college student. Not just that, but in my junior year.

It's never too late.

Post-Grad 

Okay, but once I graduate (age 24 to 28), it's over…

Nope! Not even close!

When I was 24 years old working full-time as a quality engineer, I won a scholarship to study Korean language and culture in Seoul for one week, completely paid: flights, food, attractions, transportation, etc.

…Or be awarded funds to travel abroad. Look at the infographic again—what does it suggest?

Funded fellowships, leadership programs, travel contests, international training programs, and conferences, and more. No student status is necessary. 

💸 You might be interested in this article: 8 Funded Travel Programs (Scholarships!) For Non-Students

Career Aged 

Even as you are progressing in your career (age 25 to 50) and working full-time, there are fully-funded travel opportunities (and moe) that await you. You can apply to speak or attend international conferences, business grants and entrepreneurial training programs, internationally recognized awards, travel contests, and workshops.

Don't be intimidated by all the teens, 20s, and 30-somethings.

Beyond + 

You're well into your career (age 50+)or about to retire from it. Finally!

Hopefully, you have a nest egg of financial security to rely on. But who says you can't seek risk, seize opportunity, and see the world and have whirlwind experiences?

There are online courses, workshops, and speaking engagements to participating in, as well as awards in your industry or field.

[bctt tweet=”Opportunity has no age limit!” username=”packslight”]


Has this given you any ideas? Did you pin the infographic to save it for later? Get to it!

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2 comments

Ariel December 10, 2021 - 4:02 AM

Are there any particular websites you would recommend that are safe to enter in traveling contest for those in their 30’s?

Reply
Gabby Beckford December 10, 2021 - 8:48 AM

The Luxury Travel Expert shares luxury getaways, sweepstakes, and contests. You might enjoy checking there!

But often, these contests that are open to all ages are one-off. For example, Expedia, hotel tonight, or Marriott might have a giveaway during Black Friday, or the holiday season.

It’s impossible to predict our plan, per se, but that’s when I would share it in my PTO Dashboard. So make sure you’re signed up to our email list to get notified 🙂

Reply

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Gabby Beckford

Gabby is a multi-awardwinning creator. She is a full-time travel influencer, Gen Z travel marketing expert, and public speaker. You'll find her featured in the likes of Good Morning America, National Geographic, CNNTravel, Forbes, Travel+Leisure, and even the TEDx stage.

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Gabby Beckford is the Creatorpreneur behind Packs Light. She has 500K+ followers across her platforms, Founder of SeekPTO, has given a TEDx talk, and is a 2024 ADCOLOR Influencer of the Year Finalist. She is a digital storyteller and 20-something mogul whose mission in life is to empower women to seek risk, seize opportunity, skip debt, and see the world—ASAP! Read more About Packs Light & Gabby Beckford.

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