September 25, 2008 by Mara Strom
It’s time for our weekly round-up of scholarships with upcoming deadlines. I’ve got a really exciting new opportunity for you this week, so I hope you will have a chance to work on your college scholarship applications this weekend.
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship
Are you interested in studying abroad? One of the conundrums for many students who want to study abroad is that their financial aid might actually be in jeopardy depending on what program they choose. That’s because if you receive scholarships directly from your college or university, you can only get that assistance if you pick a study-abroad program sponsored by your school. But let’s say you really want to go to Ireland and your college doesn’t have a program there. So instead you chose another school’s program. Your school will more than likely recognize the program and award you credit for the classes you take, but what they won’t do is give you your scholarship money while you are attending another school’s program.
This drop in aid can be a double whammy, since studying abroad usually comes with a whole new set of costs, including air fare, travel in country and additional funds for sightseeing and soaking up all that local culture.
Now I don’t mean to turn you off from studying abroad – in fact, the opposite. I spent my entire junior year in Israel and I think it was an invaluable educational and life experience. But what do you do if your finances are so tight that studying abroad is simply not an option? If you are one of America’s Pell Grant recipients, there is way to make your dreams of standing under Big Ben or walking along the River Seine come true. It’s called the Benjamin Gilman Scholarship, and it supports financially needy students who want to avail themselves of this incredible educational opportunity. Time is of the essence, though, since the Gilman Scholarship deadline is October 7th. Here’s what you need to do:
Go online and fill out the student section. Then download the study abroad advisor certification and the financial aid advisor certification. You will also need to head over to your registrar’s office to request three paper copies of your official transcript. You have until Tuesday, the 7th of October to finish the student section, but there is a bit more breathing room on the rest of the application components. The advisor certification is due on the 14th and your transcripts have be postmarked by the 10th. While you apply online, you must send in your transcripts to:
Gilman International Scholarship Program
Attn: Transcripts
Institute of International Education
1800 West Loop South, Suite 250
Houston, Texas 77027
So, are you planning to study abroad? Where are you going?
