The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. To be eligible for the Gilman Program, applicants must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship. The Institute of International Education has administered the program since its inception in 2001.
The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies and interns abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The program aims to encourage students to study and intern in a diverse array of countries or areas and world regions. The program also encourages students to study languages, especially critical need languages (those deemed important to national security). Veterans of military service are encouraged to apply, and preference is given to veterans when other factors are equivalent. By supporting undergraduate students who have high financial need, the program has been successful in supporting students who have been historically underrepresented in education abroad, including but not limited to first-generation college students, ethnic minority students, students with disabilities, students attending HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) or other minority-serving institutions, students attending community colleges, and students coming from U.S. states with less study abroad participation.
MISSION OF THE GILMAN PROGRAM
- Develop a generation of future American leaders who represent the rich diversity
of the nation and have the international networks and skills to advance U.S. national
security and economic prosperity.
- Expand the U.S. student population that studies and interns abroad, helping more
young Americans to gain the professional skills, language abilities, and knowledge of
the world needed for successful careers.
- Broaden the destinations where U.S. students study and intern abroad, in order to
build relationships, foster mutual understanding, and represent American culture and
values, including in developing countries and countries critical to U.S. national
security.
AWARD BENEFITS
Nearly 3,000 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study or intern abroad.