Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

Provides up to $8,000 to students of limited financial means to study abroad.

Gilman Scholarship: At a Glance

Eligibility:

  • Citizens or nationals of the United States
  • First, second, third, and fourth-year students
  • Recipients of a Federal Pell Grant
  • Applicants to a UChicago Study Abroad credit-bearing program

Selection Criteria: 

  • Impact of program and destination on student’s academic/career goals
  • Community impact, abroad and in a follow-up service project
  • Academic preparedness

Candidates for the Gilman Scholarship can affirm the following: 

  • I can explain my motivation and preparedness for the proposed study abroad experience.
  • I can explain how I will serve as an effective citizen diplomat abroad.
  • I can propose a feasible follow-up project to increase awareness of study abroad and the Gilman Scholarship.

Extensive Description

What is Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship? The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program enables students of limited financial means to study in a diverse array of countries or areas and world regions, providing them with skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. Scholarships are up to $5,000, and up to $8,000 for applicants who are studying a critical need language while abroad. An additional $1000 is available for students who plan  to conduct STEM-related research as part of their study abroad experience.

Selection and Benefits. Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and 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. See a full list of eligible expenses here.

Gilman scholars are eligible for 12 months of noncompetitive eligibility hiring status within the federal government, with the possibility of extensions.

Deadline Information

Deadline: Friday, October 3, 2025

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for a Gilman Scholarship, an applicant must be:

  • A U.S. citizen
  • An undergraduate student in good standing
  • Receiving a Federal Pell Grant
  • Applying for a study abroad eligible for credit at UChicago.
  • Please see all eligibility criteria here.

Application Process

Deadline: The application due in October 2025 is now open. This cycle encompasses programs that start between December 1, 2025, and October 31, 2026, including Winter or January term 2026, Spring 2026, Maymester 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026 and Academic Year 2026-2027. The application deadline is Friday, October 3, 2025, at 11:59pm Pacific Time.

Application Overview: Please submit your transcript and four short essays (500 words maximum each), and any required supplemental essays. Please see FAQs here. 

UChicago Resource for Essay Writing: To help you produce competitive essays, please utilize an online presentation about the Gilman Scholarship in the CCRF Resource Library. Because the selection panel closely examines your essays to assess the competitiveness of the application, you are strongly encouraged to spend considerable amount of time on writing your essays. Please note that CCRF does not offer individual advising or writing support for the Gilman Scholarship. 

Language Study Resources: Students are advised to utilize additional language study resources in preparation for (and/or in addition to) their application for the Gilman Scholarship.

Gilman Application Portal: https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/