Do you know you can apply for financial aid abroad if you already receive financial aid?
In addition, there are other scholarships available.
Recently, two of our majors received Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships. The Gilman Scholarship, offered by the U.S. Department of State, is very competitive, but your chances will be higher if you follow some tips offered by Mary D. (Psychology and Spanish) and Glorimar E. (Sociology and Portuguese).
Mary is studying this semester in Sevilla thanks to a Gilman Scholarship. “At first, I did not think I was eligible for this scholarship, believing it was only available to those studying underrepresented languages,” Mary tells us from Sevilla. “But, fortunately students studying Spanish and other more common languages are eligible as well.” Glorimar admits preparing her application gave her “a better sense of my purpose to study abroad in Florianopolis, Brazil for an academic year.”
Both Glorimar and Mary recommend to start planning early. The application process includes two essays that will take some time to craft. As part of her Gilman scholarship, Mary kept a blog. In it she gives practical advise about the application process, planning for your trip, and living abroad. You can read more here.
“One essay is about your goals for studying abroad and how the Gilman Scholarship will help you reach those goals, while the other essay is about your financial circumstances,” Mary explains. Glorimar found very helpful looking at winning essays from previous years. She adds you can “ask for the scholarship essay reviewer” at IPO.
There are lots of resources for future applicants of the Gilman Scholarship. Mary signed up for newsletters and videos that offered useful tips that helped her to write her essays. You can find out more at the program website https://gilmanapplication.iie.org/.
