Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Institute of International Education, US Dept of State
Overview
Gilman offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad. Such international exchange is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world. its aim is to diversify the kinds of students who study and intern abroad and the countries and regions where they go.
The program aims to support students who have been traditionally under-represented in education abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in underrepresented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities. ALL applicants must be recipients of Federal Pell Grants in order to be eligible to apply.
Additionally, applicants who are studying a critical need language while abroad in a country in which the language is predominantly spoken (e.g., Arabic, Chinese, Indonesian, Swahili, Urdu) will automatically be considered for the Critical Need Language Award, which extends the maximum award allowance from $5,000 to $8,000.
Awards amounts are based upon length of study abroad, as well as financial need.
Students requesting Fall, Spring or Full-year study abroad experiences MUST be approved via the Off-Campus Study approval process, Those who wish to apply for summer study abroad or summer internship may do so outside of the OCS approval process but will still need to work with the Fellowship Advisor.
Deadline Information
Early October for spring study abroad; early March for summer, fall or full-year study abroad. Can apply in an earlier cycle than necessary.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be recipients of a Federal Pell Grant
Must be a U.S. Citizen
Process
There are three application cycles, depending upon whether a student is applying for Spring semester, Summer term, Fall semester or Full-year programs. Spring and summer applications are due at the beginning of March, while fall and full-year applications are due in early October.
Students MUST be prepared to provide a detailed estimate of their program costs (direct and indirect), as well as their financial aid information. All applications will be reviewed for accuracy prior to approval, by both a representative of Wabash's Financial Aid Department and the Fellowship Advisor (on behalf of the Study Abroad Office). Students should expect to work with the Fellowship Advisor on the application.
Applications include:
Online application form
Statement of Purpose Essay
Follow-on Service Project Essay
Unofficial transcript (later to be supplemented by an official transcript, if named a winner)
Gilman applications do NOT include letters of recommendation. This means the importance of the essays is paramount.
| Compensation: | Up to $5,000 (or $8,000 if Critical Need Language Award is also granted) |
|---|---|
| Location: | Various |
| Duration: | Semester, full year or summer |
| Eligible Students: | Recipients of Federal Pell Grants (if uncertain, contact Financial Aid or the Fellowship Advisor) |
| Academic Areas: | Any discipline |
| Areas Of Interest: | Any area of interest |