Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

About the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness. 

The Gilman Scholarship Program accepts applications twice each year: once in March and once in October. Students who are not selected in one round may apply again in the next round.

Please visit Gilman's website to learn more about the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship including details about the program, eligibility requirements, and past award winners.

To be eligible for the Gilman scholarship applicants must be:

• A citizen or national of the United States
• An undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States
• 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
• In the process of applying to, or accepted to, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship program. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement
• Applying for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country or location with an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System

Campus Nomination Process

Overview: To ensure applications comply with Gilman's eligibility criteria, all students must have their materials certified by 1) Molly DeStafney, Senior Associate Director of Global Education in the Reves Center, and 2) a Financial Aid officer.

Students should locate a study abroad and financial aid advisor before starting an application because they will be required to input contact information for each advisor when applying. Once a student submits an application through the Gilman portal, both advisors will automatically receive an email to certify their materials.

Application Format: Students apply for the Gilman Scholarship Program via the application portal located on Gilman's website. Please note that a student may only receive the Gilman scholarship once.

Deadlines and Timeline: 

• October 1, 2026, 11:59 pm Pacific. Fall 2026 National Deadline. Provides funding for study abroad programs that start between December 2026 and October 2027
• March 1, 2027, 11:59 pm Pacific. Spring 2027 National Deadline. Provides funding for study abroad programs that start between May 2027 and April 2028

Interested students are encouraged to identify a study abroad program they hope to apply for, and begin working on their application, at least 3 weeks ahead of the deadline they intend to submit by.

National Application Process

The national deadline is October 1, 2026 and March 1, 2027.