SPONSORED BY

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs

U.S. Department of State
ADMINISTERED BY

Institute of International Education (IIE)

About The Program

The Benjamin A. Gilman

In this era of globalization, increasing access to international

International Scholarship

experiencessuch as study abroad participationis critical

Program diversifies the

to the academic and professional development of American

kinds of students who

students. Study abroad is often considered a luxury due to

study abroad and the

the substantial financial investment that students must make.

countries and regions

where they go. The Gilman

The Gilman Program seeks to diversify the types of students

Program provides study

that study abroad and the regions where they go. The

abroad scholarships to

program aims to reach students with high financial need,

undergraduates who might

students studying in non-traditional countries, those from

otherwise not participate

diverse ethnic backgrounds, first-generation college students,

due to financial constraints.

students from underrepresented institutions (such as

Specifically, the Gilman

HBCUs, MSIs, HSIs, and Community Colleges), students

Program provides up to

majoring in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics

$5,000 (up to $8,000 for

(STEM) fields, and students with disabilities.

students studying critical

need languages in strategic
world areas) to participate
in study abroad programs
all over the globe. Nearly

Undergraduate students who are Federal Pell Grant

recipients may apply for the Gilman Program. Eligible study
abroad programs provide academic credit for a minimum of
four weeks in a foreign country.

10,000 scholarships for

Students who indicate they will be studying a Critical Need

study abroad have been

Language are considered for an additional $3,000 Critical

awarded to some of

Need Language Award, for a total possible award of up to

Americas brightest

$8,000. Critical Need Languages include Arabic, Chinese,

undergraduate students
since the 2001
academic year.

Japanese, Korean, Bahasa Indonesia, Russian, Swahili, Turkic

languages (Azerbaijani, Kazakh, Kyrgz, Turkish, Turkmen,
Uzbek), Persian languages (Farsi, Dari, Kurdish, Pashto, Tajik),
and Indic languages (Hindi, Urdu, Nepali, Sinhala, Bengali,
Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sindhi).
To help expand the impact of the Gilman Program, all
Gilman Scholars must carry out Follow-on Service Projects
to promote international education and the Gilman Program
to their peers and local communities. The students give back
to the U.S. community in this way.

WWW.IIE.ORG/GILMAN
WWW.IIE.ORG/GILMAN

Congressman and Mrs. Benjamin A. Gilman

Program History
The Benjamin A. Gilman

Introducing the Act, Representative Gilman stated: the

International Scholarship

intention of the bill is to work within the existing college

Program came to fruition

campus study abroad programs. It expands the pool of

through the International

students who will benefit personally and later professionally

Academic Opportunity

from internationally oriented education.

Act of 2000 (H.R. 4528).

This legislation
was introduced by
Benjamin A. Gilman, a

In 2001, the Gilman Program was officially launched to

expand and diversify U.S. study abroad participation by
helping to meet the financial needs of underrepresented

former United States

students. Over the past decade, the Gilman Program has

Representative from New

become one of the most widely recognized and respected

Over the span of 10 years,

York, and has received

initiatives of the U.S. Department of States Bureau of

the Gilman Program has awarded

strong bi-partisan support

Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). The Gilman

nearly 10,000 scholarships to an

for over 10 years.

Program is the largest undergraduate study abroad

The purpose of the

scholarship program in the country and is a critical resource

International Academic

for the higher education community to make study abroad

Gilman Alumni, representing nearly 950

Opportunity Act of 2000

accessible to students with high financial need.

institutions from all fifty states (including

Over the span of 10 years, the Gilman Program will have

Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico), have

awarded nearly 10,000 scholarships to an outstanding and

studied in 125 countries over the past decade.

was to establish an
undergraduate grant
program for students of
limited financial means in

diverse group of students. After returning from study

order to broaden the

abroad, Gilman Alumni have gone on to pursue further

outlook and better

international opportunities, such as research or work

prepare such students of

abroad. The Gilman Program has served as a solid

demonstrated financial

stepping-stone toward other grants and awards,

need to assume significant

including Fulbright U.S. Student Scholarships. Many

roles in the increasingly

Gilman Alumni have pursued careers in

global economy.

outstanding and diverse group of students.

the fields of international education,

foreign affairs, and international
business, with government agencies,
nonprofit organizations, and
multi-national corporations.

WWW.IIE.ORG/GILMAN

Gilman International Scholarship Program

U.S. Demographics
Recipients

Total Number of Recipients

9,796

Applicants

Total Number of Applicants

36,212

Institutions Represented

Total Number of Institutions

969

U.S. Region Breakdown

20%

24%

Midwest
Northeast
Rocky Mountain
Southern
West

24%
22%
10%

Ethnicity Breakdown Comparison

P E R C E N TA G E O F U . S . S T U D E N T S

100
90

Gilman Recipients

80

National Statistics *

Without funding, my six month study abroad experience in Ecuador

would not have been possible. My time in Ecuador showed me how
important it is to be culturally sensitive which I can utilize as a
bilingual professional in the health field.

70

Emily Moreno

60

ECUADOR, 2007

50
40
30
20
10
0

15

Black /
Non-Hispanic

Native
American

14

Asian or
Pacific Islander

14

Hispanic

40 83

White /
Non-Hispanic

Other /
Multi-racial

* All references to National Study Abroad data are from Open Doors
9% of Gilman recipients did not respond to the survey question

Top 20 Gilman Scholar HOST Countries

Gilman Scholar HOST Countries

After having gone to Norway alone, my self-confidence has soared to a new level that I
once thought was unattainable. International education and the Gilman Scholarship hav
impacted my life in more positive ways than I could ever adequately express in words.
Andrea Hanson
NORWAY, 2008

Setting foot on the historically and

culturally-rich European soil has given
me a very personal connection with
the world surrounding me. My eyes
were opened and I suddenly wanted
to re-experience every history class,
every historical documentary, and
every piece of world news I had ever
encountered.
Kara Nordhus
CZECH REPUBLIC, 2003

One unique aspect of my time

abroad, which resulted from being
a Gilman Scholar, was the
opportunity to work with the State
Department through the U.S.
Embassy in Senegal to promote
international education among
Senegalese high school students.

After my experience in
India, my goal is to
continue to help the less
fortunate and to help
people find justice.
I want to show all of my
young neighbors that the
hardships of the barrio
in which we live do not
have to be an excuse for
failure, but a reason to
succeed, and to help our
community succeed.
Fatima Ortega
INDIA, 2006

Joel Rowe
SENEGAL, 2008

The Gilman Sch

my life and futu
unable to study
been a much di

Ariel Simo

NEW ZEALAND

Global Demographics

ve

Countries of Study

Total Countries

125

Top 20 Countries of Study

Studying abroad in China has impacted me in ways beyond my

expectations as it has changed my view on academics, work,
and above all, appreciation of culture. I now possess a broader
view of things, especially in regards to different cultures and
customs, and have a deeper appreciation of diversity
Chae-Ri Han
CHINA, 2010

Rank
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
11
12
13
14
15
15
16
17
18
18
19
20

Country
China
Japan
Spain
United Kingdom
France
Italy
South Africa
Costa Rica
Ghana
Korea, South
Argentina
Mexico
India
Egypt
Australia
Hong Kong
Chile
Russia
Germany
Brazil
Ecuador
Thailand
Czech Republic

Recipients
745
734
661
530
380
340
290
269
257
251
234
234
229
217
205
167
167
163
157
155
155
136
111

World Region Breakdown

10%
30%

Africa
Asia
28%

Eastern Europe
Latin America
Middle East

4%

Oceania
6%

4%

Western Europe

18%

Critical Need Language Awards Represented

holarship and my study abroad experience have had a profound impact on

ure goals. Had it not been for the scholarship program I would have been
y abroad, and without my study abroad experience I believe I would have
ifferent person than I am today.

61%
Arabic
Chinese

ons

Indic

D, 2008

Korean

5%

Russian

2%

Swahili
6%
4%

6%

16%

Turkish

Alumni Profiles
Gilman Scholarships have fostered and enhanced
leadership abilities in recipients. Gilman Scholars
return with clear aspirations, a renewed sense of
hope, and a commitment to pursue their dreams.
Read about five Gilman Alumni whose international
experiences shaped and affirmed their future goals
and gave them the courage to achieve their dreams.

Brian Hardin
University of Texas
UNITED KINGDOM - 2003

Brian Hardin, a student from the

University of Texas, Austin, received
a Gilman Scholarship to the United Kingdom for the spring of
2003. He reflects that winning the first high profile scholarship is
often times the most difficult. The Gilman Scholarship offers
students with high financial need an equal opportunity to build
their academic record to win future fellowships.
This was definitely the case for

Polytechnique Fdrale de

Brian, who went on to receive

Lausanne.

several prominent awards after

receiving a Gilman Scholarship.

He enrolled at Stanford
University as a Ph.D student in

As a Gilman Scholar at the

the Material Science

University of Oxford, Brian

Department after his return

developed a computer model to

from Switzerland. Brian has

design new types of non-

spent the last few years

tracking solar concentrators

developing new kinds of

using genetic algorithms and

dye-sensitized solar cell

began researching Dye-

architectures, which mimic

Sensitized Solar Cells. After

photosynthesis and have the

graduating from the University

potential to increase solar cell

of Texas at Austin with a

performance by more than 30%.

Bachelor of Science degree in

Electrical Engineering, Brian
received a Grant from the
Fulbright U.S. Student Program
to conduct research in
Switzerland for the 2004-2005
academic year. As a Fulbright
U.S. Student Fellow, Brian

Upon reflection, Brian finds that

the Gilman Scholarship was my
first major scholarship and gave
me the opportunity to cultivate
my research interests abroad
and follow my dream of making
solar power affordable.

worked with Michael Grtzel, a

He will soon defend his thesis

distinguished solar scientist and

and will then launch his own

the inventor of the dye-

solar company.

sensitized solar cell at Ecole

Victoria Pinto

Victoria Pinto

Taurean Barnwell

University of California

University of South Florida

SOUTH AFRICA - 2005

JAPAN - 2006

South Africa struck Victoria Pinto from the start as the

As a young boy, Taurean Barnwell would anxiously wait for

country of wonders. Although Victoria, a student from the

his father to return home from his travels with the Air Force.

University of California, San Diego (UCSD), realized that it is

Taurean was captivated by his fathers stories about his

hard as a Westerner to fight the urge to exoticize Africa as

expeditions around the world - especially the stories about

this big mysterious place she used her Gilman Scholarship to

Japan, a country that Taurean dreamed of visiting.

study in South Africa during the Fall of 2005 to seek out not
only the differences but also the similarities of the many

In 2006, Taurean, an International

cultures of South Africa with our own.

Business major at the University

During her semester in South Africa, she auditioned and was

opportunity to make his dream

cast for a play entitled Identity, which gave her a deeply

come true through the Gilman

of South Florida, finally had the

personal and intimate look at the many complexities of South

African identity. In addition to the play, Victoria interned at
Learn With Echo, a publication within the largest newspaper in
the province, The Natal Witness.
She volunteered in her spare time at the Salvation Army
orphanage/half-way house for children who were either
infected with HIV/AIDS or orphaned by parents who were
infected. Deeply moved, Victoria was inspired to do more
research into the issue. With the help of her political science
professor, Victoria did a comparative analysis of the public
health policies of several African nations afflicted with
HIV/AIDS including Nigeria, South Africa, and Tanzania.

Program. He set his sights on a

study abroad program at Kansai
Gaidai University in Japan and
started preparing his essays.
In his Gilman Scholarship
application, Taurean explained
how Kansai Gaidai was the

Taurean also elaborated

on his professional goal to
work in foreign affairs in
Washington, D.C., concluding
that overseas experience in
Japan would help to
differentiate me and make me
more competitive.
After submitting a stellar
application, Taurean received a
Gilman Scholarship for his
semester at Kansai Gaidai.

graduation, Taurean served as

an Assistant Language Teacher
for the Japanese Exchange
Teaching program (JET) in
Japan for two years.
Currently, Taurean works in the
political section of the Embassy
of Japan in Washington, D.C.
As part of his many

perfect fit for his academic

While in Japan, Taurean took

responsibilities, Taurean assists

aspirations, which were to gain

every opportunity to practice

diplomats in the development

practical Japanese language

his Japanese and learn about

and implementation of special

abilities and learn about East

business and culture in East

events, such as receptions and

Asian economies and cultures.

Asian countries. After

high profile visits by dignitaries.

Upon her return to the United States, she began to put her
Gilman Follow-on Project into motion. Victoria met
with her universitys Student Organization and

Erika DelCid

Leadership Opportunity Office and collected the

necessary paperwork to get AIDS Project Africa

Virginia Commonwealth University

established as a new student organization on campus.

INDIA - 2010

She worked with the three most prominent student

bands on UCSD's campus and put together a benefit

Erika DelCid received a Gilman Scholarship to study

concert on her campus.

abroad at the University of Hyderabad in India. She was

At the event, the group posted information about the

motivated by her parents determination to give their family

AIDS crisis in Africa and worldwide. This first ever

a better life. Erikas parents, now residents of Virginia, were

AIDS Project Africa event was a huge success, with over

refugees from the civil war in El Salvador in the early

150 people in attendance and $300 raised.

1980s. Their experience inspired Erika to attend college

and study abroad with the goal of eventually working
for an international humanitarian organization. As a first

seek out not only the differences but

also the similarities between the many
cultures of South Africa with our own.

generation college student, she works hard to serve

as a positive role model for others in her family.
University of Hyderabad

international students as well as

Over the past few years, Erikas

provided the ideal academic

courses with Indian

Victoria is grateful for her experience in South Africa. Africa

studies led her to a focus on

environment to grasp the

undergraduates. She also took an

taught me that I am but one small piece of an intricate, diverse,

Indias culture and resources. She

intricacies of Indian culture,

introductory course in Hindi in

and increasingly complex puzzle of global citizenship. She adds

was captivated by the

analyze humanitarian efforts, and

that this new perspective has enriched my life in inexpressible

organizations that offer relief and

pursue studies as a political

ways and the Gilman Scholarship has contributed greatly to that.

support to impoverished

science major.

After graduation, Victoria ventured to Japan to work as an

English teacher.

communities in India.
Her program of study at the

order to better integrate herself

into the local culture. Erikas study
abroad experience reaffirmed her

In Hyderabad, Erika took classes

goal to work for an international

on Indian culture with other

humanitarian organization.

the region cannot be understood from books alone, and

the language cannot be perfected without speaking it on
the streets, in the dialects used by real people.

Collaborating with
University Advisors:

A Key
Component of
the Gilman Program

Don Gomez
City University of New York
EGYPT - 2009

Don Gomez served in the U.S. Army for five years

and was deployed twice to Iraq. After his return,
he remained fascinated with the modern Middle East
and the Arabic language. He saw the Gilman Program

Since the inception of the program, 3,000 University

as the perfect opportunity to experience the region as a student and a civilian,

to understand what it feels like to be completely immersed in the culture in a way that is not
possible when deployed. Don received a Gilman Scholarship to study in Cairo, along with a

Advisors at nearly 1,000 institutions have participated as

Gilman Scholarship Advisors. Many of these advisors not
only certify Gilman Scholarship applications from their

Critical Need Language Award to learn Arabic.

institutions, but they also serve on national selection panels

Don is grateful for his direct

Follow-on Service Project as a

the globe. Gilman Scholars are

experience in the Middle East

Gilman Scholar, Don was

ideal correspondents. They not

because the region cannot be

chosen in a competitive

only study in various countries

understood from books alone

application process to be a

around the world, but they are

University Advisors, who are representative of the diverse

and the language cannot be

Reach the World correspondent.

also inspirational role models to

higher education institutions in the U.S., collaborate with

perfected without speaking it

on the streets, in the dialects
used by real people. He refers
to his semester in Egypt as the
capstone to his undergraduate

In 2009, the Gilman Scholarship

Program began a partnership
with Reach the World, a
nonprofit organization with the

many other young people,

informing them of the
opportunities both to attend
college and to study abroad.

and conduct outreach for the program at institutional and

international conferences and events.

Gilman administrators to increase the number of Gilman

Scholarship applicants and the competitiveness of their
applications. The Benjamin A. Gilman International
Scholarship Program is grateful to advisors who

mission of linking students and

Dons immersion in Egypt led

teachers to online, global

him to a long-term goal of

journeys that have the power to

becoming a Foreign Service

expand learning beyond the

Officer. He is currently in

walls of the classroom. Through

graduate school working

Although he focused on

an interactive website, RTW

towards a Master of Arts

practicing his Arabic and gaining

enriches the school and

Degree in Near and Middle

underrepresented students. We would like to take this

an understanding of the region,

afterschool curriculum by

Eastern Studies at the School of

opportunity to say

experience, noting that he

could not have gone without
the support of his Gilman
Scholarship.

Don also aspired to make a

connecting classrooms to

Oriental and African Studies

difference in elementary

independent travelers who are

(SOAS) in London.

classrooms in the U.S. For his

studying or exploring around

continuously promote study abroad and encourage their

students to apply for the Gilman Scholarship.
As we embark on the next decade, we hope to continue to
build upon this collaboration to reach a greater number of

thank you.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
and administered by the Institute of International Educations (IIE) Southern Regional Center in Houston, Texas.

Institute of International Education

Gilman International Scholarship Program
1800 West Loop South, Suite 250, Houston,TX 77027

Telephone : (832) 369-3483

WWW.IIE.ORG/GILMAN
WWW.IIE.ORG/GILMAN