About the Program

Program Overview

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. Such international study is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.

International experience is critically important in the educational and career development of American students, but it can also require a substantial financial investment. The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The program aims to encourage students to choose non-traditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to support students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in under-represented fields such as the sciences and engineering, students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities. The program seeks to assist students from a diverse range of public and private institutions from all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico.

Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and must use the award to defray eligible study abroad costs. These costs include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and international airfare.

This congressionally funded program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and is administered by the Institute of International Education through its Southern Regional Center in Houston, TX.

Award Benefits

Over 2,300 scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded this academic year for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need with the average award being approximately $4,000.

Students who apply for and receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad are then eligible to receive an additional $3,000 Critical Need Language Supplement from the Gilman Scholarship Program for a total possible award of up to $8,000. During the 2011-2012 academic year, 50 Critical Need Language Supplements were offered to Gilman Scholarship recipients.

U.S. Department of State

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is funded through the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000 and is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State fosters mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries around the world. ECA accomplishes its mission through a variety of international programs based on the benefits of mutual understanding, educational exchange, and leadership development. ECA programs engage participants from a variety of backgrounds and specialties.

More information about ECA can be found at http://exchanges.state.gov 

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program aims to broaden the student population that studies abroad by supporting undergraduates who might otherwise not participate due to financial constraints.

The Gilman Scholarship Program aims to support a diverse range of students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to:

• Students with high financial need 
• Students studying in non-traditional countries, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand
• Students with diverse ethnic backgrounds 
• Students from a diverse range of institutions including four-year, public, private, community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges, Hispanic Serving Institutions and other Minority Serving Institutions.
• Students with disabilities   
  

The program strongly encourages students to choose non-traditional study abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The program strongly encourages students from community colleges to apply. The program encourages students to study abroad for longer periods of time though short-term programs of at least four weeks in length are eligible. The program also seeks to serve students from all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico. The program aims to encourage students in non-traditional fields of study such as the sciences and engineering, to study abroad though all disciplines are eligible.

The program seeks to assist students from a diverse range of colleges and universities including, but not limited to: two and four-year public and private colleges, Tribal Colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other Minority-Serving Institutions from all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico. The program aims to open doors for students who have not previously studied abroad for undergraduate academic credit.

All recipients are required to carry out a Follow-on Service Project that promotes international education and the Gilman Scholarship Program at the students' home institution or in their home community. The Follow-on Service Project Proposal, Statement of Purpose essay and the applicant's academic progress are criteria that are closely considered during the selection process.

Since the inception of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program in 2001, 31,462 applications have been received and 9,796 scholarships have been awarded to students participating in study abroad programs around the world. This page provides further information regarding Gilman Scholarship Recipients and program statistics.

Program Statistics

  Summary Statistics (62.63 KB, PDF) 
  Gilman Comparison to National Study Abroad Figures (105.76 KB, PDF) 
  Gilman Comparison to National - Bar Charts (20.50 KB, PDF) 
  Gilman Program Success in Diversifying Study Abroad (26.9 KB, PDF)

Gilman Scholars Spring 2012

By U.S. Institution - Spring 2012 (567 KB, PDF)

Gilman Scholars Summer 2011 and Fall 2011

By U.S. Institution - Summer 2011 (351 KB, PDF)
By U.S. Institution - Fall 2011 (665 KB, PDF)

Gilman Scholars Fall 2010 and Spring 2011

By U.S. Institution - Spring 2011 (109 KB, PDF)
By U.S. Institution - Fall 2010 (74 KB, PDF)

Gilman Scholars Spring & Summer 2010

By Home State (81 KB, PDF)
By U.S. Institution (70 KB, PDF)
By Country of Study (75 KB, PDF)

Gilman Scholars Fall 2009

By Home State (109 KB, PDF)
By U.S. Institution (108 KB, PDF) 
By Country of Study (137 KB, PDF)

Gilman Scholars Spring 2009

By Home State (87.2 KB, PDF) 
By U.S. Institution (88.2 KB, PDF)
By Country of Study (106 KB, PDF)

Gilman Scholars Fall 2008

By Home State (106 KB, PDF)
By U.S. Institution (107 KB, PDF) 
By Country of Study (111 KB, PDF)

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program has awarded over 10,000 U.S. undergraduates of high financial need to study abroad, who come from over 950 institutions and have studied in 125 countries worldwide. Profiles of some of these outstanding Gilman Scholarship recipients can be found below.

	Recipient: Zachariah Crow Country: India Academic Term: Fall 2010 Home Institution: University of Missouri, St. Louis View Zachariah's profile (81.1KB, PDF)
	Recipient: Lauren Taylor Country: Argentina Academic Term: Fall 2010 Home Institution: Spelman College View Lauren's profile (81KB, PDF)
	Recipient: Marcelo Giovannetti Country: France Academic Term: Academic Year 2009-2010 Home Institution: Texas A&M University, College Station View Marcelo's profile (76.9KB, PDF)
	Recipient: Brijette Romstedt Country: Costa Rica Academic Term: Fall 2009 Home Institution: Johnson County Community College View Brijette's profile (68.7KB, PDF)
	Recipient: Jose Vergara Country: Russia Academic Term: Academic Year 2009-2010 Home Institution: University of Missouri, Columbia View Jose's profile (84.4KB, PDF)
	Recipient: Valery Lavigne Country: China Academic Term: Spring 2009 Home Institution: College of New Jersey View Valery's profile (76.9KB, PDF)

The Gilman Alumni Representatives are a diverse group of Gilman Scholarship recipients who have studied abroad in various countries around the world. They are official representatives of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program providing presentations and promotional outreach to university and college campuses around the nation to students and advisors interested in learning more about the Gilman Scholarship Program. The Gilman Alumni Representatives were trained at the Institute of International Education's Southern Regional Center, the headquarters of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.

If you would like to request a Gilman Alumni Representative to present at your campus or if you are interested in becoming a Gilman Alumni Representative, please contact Gilman Scholars by email at gilman_scholars@iie.org or call 832-369-3481 if you have any questions.

Gilman Representatives who completed training in Chicago in September 2010:

Gilman Representatives who completed training in Houston in September 2009: