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K-State Today

February 2, 2016

Study Abroad Office seeks to increase scholarship opportunities for students with high financial need

Submitted by Joe Milostan

The application deadline for the nationally competitive Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship is March 1.

The scholarship 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. The Gilman scholarship seeks to provide funding assistance to students of limited financial means interested in credit-bearing international experiences. Eligibility for the scholarship is limited to Federal Pell grant recipients and goes toward study abroad programs lasting longer than 28 days.

The Study Abroad Office has increased promotion of the Gilman scholarship to the K-State campus and during the fall 2015 application cycle, K-State saw a record number of applicants for the scholarship with 10 applications. We were recently notified that five K-Staters received the scholarship, which is a record. These scholarships are available up to $5,000, with the average award coming in at $4,000, so they make a significant difference to a student of high financial need.

While we are excited to have increased the number of applicants and recipients at K-State, we think there is potential to continue to increase Gilman applicants and recipients. Approximately 25 percent of the K-State student body qualify for the Pell grant and the Study Abroad Office would like to reach as many of those students as possible.

The Study Abroad Office is working closely with the Office of Student Financial Assistance, both at the Manhattan campus and the Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus, to reach out to Pell-eligible students. We'd also like to encourage any faculty, staff or advisor to mention the Gilman scholarship to any Pell-eligible students you work with.

In addition, the Study Abroad Office has partnered with the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships to create a Gilman preapplication. This preapplication allows students to submit a draft of the Gilman application to the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships, which can then provide feedback to the student on how to draft a more effective application.

If you have any questions about the Gilman scholarship or any other study abroad-related scholarships, please contact the Study Abroad Office in 304 Fairchild Hall, or at overseas@k-state.edu. Additionally, the Gilman website is a great place for more detailed information on this scholarship.