Apply for up to $5,000 to study abroad.
The Gilman Program and Gilman McCain scholarships award up to $5,000 to Pell Grant recipients and students from military families, with 1 in 4 students receiving funding. Many ieiMedia students have been awarded Gilman scholarships.
The deadline to apply is Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. PT.
Benjamin J. Gilman International Scholarship Program
This Gilman program offers grants for U.S. citizen undergraduate students of limited financial means to pursue academic studies abroad. It aims to support students of all majors who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to, students with high financial need, community college students, students in under-represented fields (such as the sciences and engineering), students with diverse ethnic backgrounds, and students with disabilities.
The program also seeks to assist students from a diverse range of public and private institutions from all 50 states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico and encourages students to choose non-traditional study-abroad destinations, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
This congressionally funded program is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and is administered by the Institute of International Education through its office in Houston, TX.
Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and must use the award to defray eligible study-abroad costs, which include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance and international airfare.
Average grant: $3,000
Students applying for summer 2027, should review the eligibility requirements below and apply by Oct. 1, 2026.
To be considered, students must be …
The Gilman Scholarships hold two application cycles for summer program funding, one in the fall and one in the spring.
We strongly urge you to apply during the fall period because if you wait until the spring decision, you will not receive the Gilman funds in time to make all of the required payments. This means you will be placed on the waitlist until you do, at which point there might or might not be a spot still available. Another reason to consider applying now is that if you do not receive a grant in the fall and are willing to take your changes on the waitlist, you can apply a second time.
The fall 2026 application cycle is now open and will close Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. (PT).
To apply, you’ll need the following:
We have helped students with the Gilman application process for nearly a decade, and we’re happy to review your essays and help with any questions you might have. Reach out to admissions@ieimedia.com to schedule a review session with an adviser.
Take a stroll through our FAQ page for answers to some of our most common questions.
Wonderful! Feel free to take the next step now and start the application process. Don’t worry if you don’t have everything you need just yet; you can save and revisit your application to make changes or complete it later. (You must use the same email address.)