Overview
The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students who have high financial need to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.
Application Cycles
Mid-August - Oct. 1 Applications for Spring programs, early applications for Summer accepted
Mid-January - March 5 Applications for Summer, Fall, and Academic Year programs
Cornell University students can present competitive applications for Gilman Scholarships for Summer study and internship opportunities
Award Amounts
Award amounts range from $100 to $5000 (with the opportunity to receive a Critical Need Language Award of up to $8000). Award recipients must use the award to defray eligible study or intern abroad costs. These costs include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance, international airfare, passport and visa fees.
A Gilman Scholar’s final award amount will be determined by financial need, program length, overall program costs and the strength of the application during the selection panel ranking process. Financial need is based on the study abroad expenses provided by the applicant’s advisor and additional financial aid information submitted through the application.
Eligibility
To be eligible to receive a Gilman Scholarship, students must be U.S. Citizens and Pell Grant recipients. For more information, refer to the "Requirements" tab on this page or the program website.
Selection Criteria
Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process. Applications are reviewed holistically, with consideration of the following:
- Academic Preparedness and Impact on Student's Academic and Career Trajectory
- Diversity of Background and Experience
- Destination
- Impact to Community
Application Information
Apply directly on the Gilman Scholarship Program website. The website contains submission tips and advice on how to polish your application. Each application must be reviewed by a Gilman Advisor on campus and certified by a Financial Aid Advisor. The Office of Global Learning has a Gilman Advisor who can assist and review applications and the Financial Aid Advisor.
Cornell University students can present competitive applications for Gilman Scholarships for Summer study and internship opportunities. As Cornell University financial aid covers the items included in the budget for a Gilman Scholarship Award, Cornell students do not tend to earn Gilman Scholarships for study during the academic year.
Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates. Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience. It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.
Benjamin A. Gilman
