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Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships

Description

The Gilman Scholarships offer grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. Such international study is intended to better prepare U.S. students to assume significant roles in an increasingly global economy and interdependent world.

Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and must use the award to defray eligible study abroad costs. These costs include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and international airfare.

Awards of up to $5,000 are made for U.S. citizen undergraduates to study abroad. Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need with the average award being $4,000. Students who are receiving federal Pell Grant funding at 2-year or 4-year undergraduate colleges or universities are eligible to apply.

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Eligibility

The Gilman Scholarship is open to all US citizen undergraduates, in good academic standing, who meet the criteria listed below.

• The applicant must be receiving a Federal Pell Grant or provide proof that he/she will be receiving a Pell Grant at the time of application or during the term of their study abroad.
• The applicant is applying to or has been accepted into a study abroad program eligible for credit by the student's accredited institution of higher education in the U.S.
• The applicant is studying abroad for at least 4 weeks in one country. Programs going to more than one country are eligible if the student will be studying one country for at least 4 weeks.
• The applicant is studying abroad in any country except Cuba or a country on the State Department's current Travel Warning list.
• The applicant is studying in the fall, spring, or academic year terms including winter inter-sessions. Summer only programs are not eligible.

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Certification

All applications for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship must be certified online by both a financial aid and a study abroad advisor. The financial aid advisor will verify that the student is currently receiving a Federal Pell grant and the estimated amount of financial aid, in grants and scholarships, that the student may apply to their study abroad program. The study abroad advisor will verify the study abroad program information provided by the student and that the program they are applying to is an approved, undergraduate credit-eligible program at the student's home university.

When completing the online applications, students will be able to choose the Study Abroad Advisor, Dr. Kristin M. O'Rourke, and the Financial Aid Advisor, Nancy E. Welch, from the drop down lists provided.

Applicants will submit a paper copy of their application to Scholarship Advising 2 weeks prior to the student online application deadline for review by the Scholarship Advisor.

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Letters of Recommendation

The Gilman Scholarship does not require or accept letters of recommendation or other supporting documentation from applicants.

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Final Application Submission

Applicants will complete the online student application.

The Scholarship Advisor, Dr. Kristin M. O'Rourke, will complete the online study abroad advisor certification by the deadline.

The Financial Aid Advisor, Nancy E. Welch, will complete the online financial aid advisor certification by the deadline.

Scholarship Advising will submit to the Gilman program three paper copies of the student's current official transcript (1 original and 2 photocopies) as well as the most recently attended transfer institution, if applicable.  The applicant must provide scholarship advising with an official transcript two weeks prior to the application deadline.

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Gilman Application Schedule

September 2009	Campus Deadline for Printed Student Application
October 2009	Gilman Online Student Application Deadline
October 2009	Postmark Deadline for Transcripts
October 2009	Study Abroad Advisor Certification Online Deadline Financial Aid Advisor Certification Online Deadline
December 2009	All applicants are notified of award status
December 2009	Award Recipients must accept/decline award

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Additional Information

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship website

Email Scholarship Advising

Frequently Asked Questions

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