Case Study: DePaul University expands study abroad access and streamlines operations with Terra Dotta

DePaul University distributes $500k+ in study abroad scholarships with Terra Dotta

DePaul University, a large institution in Chicago, faced challenges in making its study abroad programs accessible and equitable for its diverse student body, particularly first-generation students. Their processes were fragmented, relying on paper forms and manual approvals, which created administrative barriers. To address this, DePaul partnered with vendor Terra Dotta to leverage its study abroad and international education management platform to streamline and innovate its operations.

Using Terra Dotta, DePaul consolidated applications, automated the scholarship distribution process, and rebuilt workflows to eliminate barriers. The solution enabled the university to automatically consider every applicant for scholarships, fully distributing over $500,000 in annual funding. This resulted in a significant recovery in participation, with 1,100 students studying abroad annually, and the complete removal of legacy barriers for first-generation students, creating a more inclusive and efficient process.

DePaul University