Gilman Scholarship

About the 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 our national security and economic competitiveness. A Gilman Scholarship enables American students to gain proficiency in diverse languages and cultures, skills that are critically important to their academic and career development.

Eligibility

  • citizen of the United States
  • undergraduate student in good standing
  • Federal Pell Grant recipient (or proof that you will be receiving a Pell Grant during study abroad program or internship);
  • in the process of applying to, or accepted for, a study abroad or internship program of at least four weeks in a single country and eligible for credit from the student’s home institution. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
  • for study in a country not currently under a Travel Warning issued by the United States Department of State or otherwise determined ineligible for program participation.

Selection criteria

  • The Gilman program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go by supporting undergraduates who might otherwise not participate due to financial constraints. 
  • A principal objective of the Gilman Scholarship Program is to expand international education opportunities by encouraging applications from students who have not previously studied abroad for undergraduate academic credit.
  • Academic preparedness/achievement
  • Maturity needed to benefit from their experience abroad
  • able to articulate expected outcomes of program participation towards their future academic and career objectives
  • coherent link between proposed program abroad activities and future academic and/or career plans, as well as personal development goals

Application information

BU students apply directly to the Gilman, in consultation with BU’s Study Abroad Office regarding approved programs and the Financial Aid Office for verification of aid status.

There are application cycles for fall, spring, or summer experiences abroad with application deadlines in October and March.  Reference the Deadline & Timelines page for exact dates and details.

A complete Gilman Scholarship application consists of:

  • online student application
  • uploaded official transcript(s) into application
  • online Study Abroad Advisor certification
  • online Financial Aid and Study Abroad Advisor certification.
    • Study Abroad Advisors will be asked to verify that you are applying to a credit-eligible study abroad program, whether you have previously studied abroad before and confirm your study abroad program information.
    • Financial Aid Advisors will be asked to verify whether you are currently receiving a Federal Pell Grant and the estimated amount of financial aid, excluding loans, you can apply to your program.
    • Advisors will receive an email immediately after you submit the online application asking them to certify your information. It is very important that you contact your university’s study abroad and financial aid office prior to submitting your application to ensure that your advisors’ information is available to select in your application before the deadline.