U.S Department of State Gilman Undergraduate Scholarship Programme
The Gilman Program provides financial assistance to undergraduates who might not otherwise be able to study or intern abroad, thus expanding the pool of students who take advantage of this opportunity. The program’s goal is to inspire students to study and intern across a wide range of nations and geographical places. The initiative encourages students…
The Gilman Program provides financial assistance to undergraduates who might not otherwise be able to study or intern abroad, thus expanding the pool of students who take advantage of this opportunity.
The program’s goal is to inspire students to study and intern across a wide range of nations and geographical places. The initiative encourages students enrolled in study abroad or international internship programs to carry out STEM-related research overseas.
Additionally, the initiative promotes language study among students (languages considered critical to national security). Veterans are encouraged to apply, and in cases where other considerations are equal, priority will be given to them.
The program has been successful in supporting students who have been historically underrepresented in education abroad by providing financial aid to undergraduates who meet high financial needs.
These students include but are not limited to, first-generation college students, students from ethnic minorities, students with disabilities, students attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) or other institutions that serve minorities, students attending community colleges, students from rural areas, and students from U.S. states with lower study abroad participation rates.
About Congressman Gilman
Named after the late New York congressman Benjamin A. Gilman, this program is run by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is sponsored by Congress. He helped to develop the program when the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 was passed.
Congressman Gilman, who had chaired the Committee on International Relations throughout his thirty years in the House of Representatives, announced his retirement shortly afterward in 2003.
Eligibility Requirements
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs runs the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. For a candidate to be eligible for a Gilman Scholarship, they must be:
- A United States citizen or national.
- An undergraduate enrolled in good standing at a US college or university (including two-year and four-year schools) with accreditation.
- Receiving a Federal Pell Grant at the time of application, or demonstrating that they will do so for the duration of their internship or study abroad program.
- Applying to or being accepted into a study abroad or internship program that offers credit.
Before the reward is disbursed, proof of program acceptance is necessary.
Additional Notice to Applicants
Applying to study abroad programs that offer credit in a nation or region where, according to the Travel Advisory System of the U.S. Department of State, travel is generally advised at a Level 1 or 2. Note that a nation or place with an overall go Advisory Level 1 or 2 can identify individual areas as either Level 3 or Level 4 in the Travel Advisory.
Gilman scholars will not be permitted to go to these particular areas. Gilman scholars are not permitted to take part in any programs that are situated in a nation or region, or a region inside a nation or region, that has been classified as a Level 3 (Reconsider traveling to) or Level 4.
Benefits
This academic year, more than 3,200 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be given to US citizen undergraduates to study overseas (with the possibility of an extra $3000 for those who additionally apply for the Critical Need Language award).
The amount awarded will vary based on the duration of study and the needs of the student; for students enrolled in semester-year programs, the typical grant is roughly $4,000, while for short-term programs, it is $2,500.
How to Apply
Applicants must first view the eligibility criteria before applying for the scholarship.
The Gilman Scholarship application requires three essays: the Statement of Purpose essay, and the two Community Impact essays (Building Mutual Understanding essay and Follow-on Service Project proposal).
Additional essays are necessary for applicants submitting applications for the STEM Supplemental Award or the Critical Need Language Award.
Applicants must create an account and fill in the forms with the right information to be eligible for the scholarship.
Deadline for Applications
Applications and deadlines come twice within a year in March and October.
- Opening and deadline for March
The deadline for advisor certification is Thursday, March 14, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, while the deadline for applications is Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.
- Opening and deadline for October
Applications for in-person programs or internships beginning between December 1, 2024, and October 31, 2025, will be accepted until mid-August 2024.
For more inquiries on the deadline click here.
FAQS
For more information about the 2024 U.S Department of State Gilman Undergraduate Scholarship Programme use this link to the official website of the page at:
https://umabroad.umn.edu/students/finances/scholarships/gilman.
