Kicklighter Travel Grants

The Department of Germanic & Slavic Studies awards Kicklighter travel grants to students planning to study abroad during the summer for one semester or an entire academic year. The grants are intended to encourage study abroad or other immersive language and cultural experiences.

In some cases, the awards may be used for academic exchanges, German or Russian classes taken outside of a study abroad, or internships with distinguished German or Russian institutions in the U.S. or abroad.

AWARD AMOUNT: Varies based on duration of program, cost of program, and number of applicants

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Monday after UGA Spring Break

Eligibility Requirements

  • Must be a German or Russian major or minor
  • Must be participating in a study or internship abroad program for German or Russian

  • PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS OF THE AWARD MAY NOT APPLY

    Students participating in the following study abroad programs are ineligible for Kicklighter funding:
  • UGA-Franklin: Freiburg Summer Study Abroad
  • UGA-Franklin: Film, Art, and Cultural History in Berlin
  • UGA Russian Flagship: All Flagship-funded study abroad

Application Materials

  • Completed application form
  • A one-page statement of purpose explaining you want to study abroad and how the program will fit into your long-term academic and career objectives
  • A detailed description of the program students will be attending, specifying the length of the program and the level and nature of classes the student intends to enroll in. You are welcome to include a print-out from a website or a brochure, but please supplement it with a description of your own.

Application - Kicklighter Travel Grant

Please email your completed application to grmn-web@franklin.uga.edu by the Monday after UGA’s Spring Break.

Faculty COntact

Dr. Alex Sager

Dr. Alexander Sager
Study Abroad Coordinator
asager@uga.edu

About The Donor

Reginald and Edna Kicklighter

The Reginald and Edna Katherine Kicklighter Scholars Fund in Germanic and Slavic Studies was established through the generosity of a couple whose connection to the University of Georgia spanned more than half a century. Reginald Kicklighter earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from UGA in 1938 and 1939. He later served in the U.S. Army at the end of World War II and went on to a distinguished career with the U.S. Department of Defense. Fluent in Russian, German, and French, he specialized in East European military and political affairs and prepared and edited publications on defense matters. 

Although Edna Katherine Kicklighter did not attend UGA, she shared her husband’s deep loyalty to his alma mater. Their bequest established a permanent fund supporting the study of the languages, literatures, and cultures of Germanic- and Slavic-speaking countries, providing scholarships, travel awards, and academic resources for students in the department. 

Through this enduring gift, their legacy continues to advance international learning and strengthen global cultural understanding for generations to come.