The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies or credit-bearing, career-oriented internships abroad.
Gilman Scholarship
The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies and interns abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints. The program aims to encourage students to study and intern in a diverse array of countries or areas and world regions. The program also encourages students to study languages, especially critical need languages. Annually nearly 3,000 scholarships worth up to $5,000 are awarded nationally. Applicants who are studying a critical need language while abroad can apply for a supplemental award of up to $3,000, for a combined total of $8,000.
Since program inception, URI has had over 100 Gilman Scholars!
Gilman-McCain Scholarship
For child and spousal dependents of active or activated United States military personnel.
The John McCain International Scholarship for the Children of Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late senator John S. McCain from Arizona. The Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for child dependents of active duty service members to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs. Developed under the framework of the State Department’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the Gilman-McCain Scholarship is open to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid.
Information for URI Applicants
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship website has a wealth of information related to eligibility requirements, application cycles, and candidate resources. Applicants are encouraged to start early, review the helpful tips on how to submit a competitive application, and sign-up for a free webinar.
Quality Essays Make a Big Difference
The Gilman Scholarship Application requires three essays as part of the application process. For those applying for a Critical Need Language Award, an additional essay is required. Their web page provides a wealth of information on completing this component of the application and great writing tips.
- Watch the “Composing Competitive Essays” video before you start writing!
- Review the Gilman “Essays” page for guidelines and tips to developing competitive essays.
- Start early and revise until you have quality application essays. This part of the process is where you are able to convince the selection committee why you should be selected as a recipient.
- Utilize the Gilman social media resources or participate in an online webinar or workshop to learn how to develop an effective Statement of Purpose and Follow-on Service Project Proposal.
- Have your essays proofread by a professor, advisor, tutor in the URI Writing Center, family member or friend.
- Once you have a quality Statement of Purpose, use it as a foundation to apply for other scholarship opportunities!
URI’s Certifying Advisors for the Gilman Program
As part of the Gilman Scholarship application process you will be required to identify an education abroad and financial aid advisor on the URI campus who can certify your application. The URI Office of International Education and Enrollment Services Office work very closely to ensure URI applicants are certified in a timely manner. URI Gilman applicants should be aware of the following:
1. The Certifying Financial Aid Advisors at URI is Abigail Juenger. Their names will appear in the appropriate drop-down menu within the Gilman application portal. URI applicants should feel comfortable selecting one of their names as each of them are prepared each application cycle to proceed with certification process.
2. Students participating in a URI Faculty-Led Summer program should select your Education Abroad Advisor for all other study abroad program options.
Gilman Scholarship and Pell Grant “Match” Scholarships
Ask your study abroad program provider if they offer Gilman Scholarship or Pell Grant “match” scholarships. Several provide awards to supplement Gilman or Pell Grant funds. Below is a list of URI affiliated providers with such opportunities. Refer to each individual site for complete information and eligibility requirements as the program details are subject to change.
API-Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Awards – Students participating in an API program who have been awarded a Gilman scholarship will be eligible to receive up to $1,000 in matching contributions from API for a study abroad program, or up to $500 in matching contributions from API for an intern abroad program.
CIEE Gilman Go and GAIN Travel Grants – Federal Pell Grant-eligible students can receive a GAIN Travel Grant up to $1,000 when they complete their CIEE Scholarships and Grants application by our published deadlines. Gilman Scholarship applicants can receive a CIEE Go Global Grant AND a GAIN Travel Grant totally up to $3,500!
SIT Study Abroad Pell Grant Match – The program offers matching funding to Pell Grant recipients to help pay for their SIT Study Abroad programs.