The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a program offered by the U.S. Department of State that enables students who are currently receiving or will receive a Federal Pell Grant to study abroad during their undergraduate experience. This program’s main core values lie in diversifying the population that studies abroad, fostering international relationships with host countries, and encouraging the learning of world languages. These goals aligned with my own reasons for wanting to study abroad, which encouraged me to apply.

As a Pell Grant recipient, the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship was critical in making study abroad a real possibility for me. In fall 2023, I was fortunate enough to live and study in Seville, Spain. This experience was truly life changing. I met so many great people, formed strong relationships with new friends, my host mom, and my professors, and engaged directly with the Spanish language and culture. My greatest wish is that other undergraduate students can have similar experiences, especially those with financial concerns.

I always knew I wanted to study abroad during my undergraduate years, but financial constraints placed a huge barrier in my way. When I learned of the Gilman Scholarship Program, I realized that it could bridge the financial gap and turn my dreams into a reality. Awards range from $100 to $5,000 for a semester or the entire academic year, and the amount depends on the student’s financial needs. My award truly made the difference in my decision to study abroad. Now, I want to help fellow Pell Grant recipients who are interested in studying abroad apply for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.

This article will act as a how-to guide for applying for the scholarship. Below, I will outline the main steps in the application process and offer some additional tips for success.

Prepare to write your essays

During the application process, you will write three essays. These essays should be written in a word processing application, such as Word, and should be double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins. If you are applying for the Critical Need Language Award or a STEM Supplemental Award, you will have additional essays. Find more information here.

The first essay is your Statement of Purpose. This should be a maximum of 7,000 characters and should detail your reasons for studying abroad. You should address the following questions:

• How will studying or interning abroad help you achieve your future academic or professional goals?
• Why did you select your specific program and host country?
• How are you academically prepared to be a successful scholar abroad? If you have faced significant academic difficulties, tell us about those and how you are overcoming them.
• What examples of knowledge, skills, and experiences will you draw on to meet the challenges of going abroad?

Second, you will write two Community Impact essays: the first on Building Mutual Understanding, and the second a proposal of your Follow-On Service Project.

Gilman Scholars are expected to foster mutual understanding with the people they meet in their host country by sharing their experiences on what it means to be an American while learning about the host culture. The Building Mutual Understanding essay should be a maximum of 3,000 characters and should respond to the following prompts:

• As a U.S. citizen, how will you represent and share what it means to be an American during your program? 
• How will you seek opportunities to become more culturally engaged and have meaningful interactions with people and cultures different from your own during your abroad program?

The final essay you will have to write is the Follow-On Service Project Proposal. This project is designed to increase awareness of study abroad while also sharing information about the Gilman Scholarship Program. This can be conducted in your home or campus community. It has a maximum of 3,000 characters and should respond to the following prompt:

In no particular order, describe your Follow-On Service Project in more detail: 

• What is your project and how will it increase awareness of study abroad and the Gilman Program among your peers in your home or campus community?
• Identify and explain why you chose the specific community you will be reaching. 
• How will you integrate the impact of your experience abroad into your project?
• With which campus departments, student organizations, or community organizations will you collaborate?

Obtain transcripts

Request transcripts from any institution you have attended as a degree-seeking student. They can be official or unofficial.

Fill out the online application

You can find the application on the front page of the Gilman Scholarship website.

The scholarship has multiple application periods (summer, fall, academic year, winter, and spring). The fall application opens in mid-August and closes in early October. The spring application opens mid-January and closes in early March.

Before you submit your application, contact your Financial Aid and Study Abroad advisors

Your application must be certified by your Financial Aid and Study Abroad advisors at your institution. Before submitting your application, reach out to your advisors so that they know to expect a notification from Gilman. This is also very helpful in the event that your advisors are not registered as Gilman advisors.

Registered advisors will appear in the online application, and you will be able to select them. They will receive a notification from Gilman, and they will then complete their portion of the application certification by the advisor deadline.

Submit your completed application 

Be sure to submit your application through the online application portal by the deadline!

Some additional tips

• The Gilman selection panelists want to hear about you. Make your application as personal as possible while still bearing in mind that it is an academic scholarship. Use your experiences, goals, and academic history to back up your responses to the essays!
• Start writing your essays early. You will want to revise them and ask peers or advisors to help you look over them. The essays are the most critical pieces of your application.
• Follow @gilmanscholarship on Instagram for updates on approaching application deadlines, stories from Gilman scholars and alumni, essay writing tips, and other helpful information.
• As soon as you apply to study abroad at your university, get in contact with the Study Abroad office at your institution for help during the Gilman Scholarship application process. At the University of Iowa, the contact is Teresa Kout, participant services coordinator in International Programs. You can reach her at teresa-kout@uiowa.edu. They have invaluable tips that can help you obtain an award.

If you would like to reach out to me with questions or just to learn more about studying abroad and the Gilman Scholarship Program, you can email me (molly-mcneill@uiowa.edu), or find me on Instagram (@mollyemcneill)! 

International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement.  IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.