Grant Allen
Study Abroa
d Too Expensive? Try The Gilman Scholarship!
I had always known that I wanted to study abroad. Coming from a military family, I grew up with wild stories of living abroad, and I wanted to experience that. I also knew there was no way I could afford it. Study abroad programs are expensive, and depending on where you go the living costs can be exorbitant to say the least (always remember to convert the local currency back to US dollars. If you think something costs $20, it probably costs $35). I had honestly accepted that I would never be able to save up the money to study abroad, when a friend of mine suggested I look into the Gilman scholarship. A year later, I’m back in Evanston after a summer in London, learning at the London School of Economics, walking along the banks of the Thames, and spending way too much time in pubs.
If you are a U.S. citizen receiving the federal Pell Grant and you want to study abroad, then congratulations! You are eligible to receive the Gilman Scholarship and up to $5,000! The application can be a little writing-intensive, requiring four essays with an optional STEM supplemental award essay. The essays mainly center around your goals for the study abroad experience. Really, the scholarship program wants to see whether you’re studying abroad for the right reasons. Be sure to mention the cultural significance of your study abroad destination, how it influences your career or academic trajectory, and community impact.
Community impact is an important element of the Gilman scholarship. The Gilman Scholarship isn’t money for nothing: they want to know that you will apply your experience of studying abroad to inspire the next wave of study abroad students. The Gilman Scholarship asks its recipients to perform a follow-on project within approximately six months of returning to the United States. The goal of the follow-on project is to spread awareness of the Gilman Scholarship on your campus or in your community, but how you do so is almost entirely up to you!
The Gilman Scholarship is an easily accessible and highly effective program that allows students to study abroad who would otherwise be unable to do so. In return, all they ask is that you spread the word to other students, so they can have the same opportunity to immerse themselves into new cultures and cities around the globe. I sincerely hope that this blog post has been helpful, and a last word of advice: if you’re ever in London, try the food in Soho!