Funding
To schedule a study abroad funding advising session, please contact Kim Simpson at ksimpson@polk.edu | 863.669.4917
Gilman Scholarship Information for Study Abroad
The March 2026 Deadline application will open in mid-January for applicants whose abroad programs or internships start between May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. This cycle encompasses Maymester 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026, academic year 2026-2027, and Spring 2027 abroad programs or internships. The application deadline is Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, and the advisor certification deadline is Thursday, March 12, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
All applicants will be notified of their status via email in May 2026. All advisors will also be notified of scholarship recipients via email and will have access to the status of each student in their Gilman advisor account.
- Application Opens: Mid-January 2026
- Student Deadline: March 5, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time
- Advisor Certification Deadline: March 12, 2026
- Email Notification: May 2026
- Eligible Programs: In-person programs that start between May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027.
Terms Accommodated: Maymester 2026, Summer 2026, Fall 2026, academic year 2026-2027, Spring 2027
Eligibility Note
Gilman scholarship recipients can only receive the scholarship once. If a student previously declined a Gilman scholarship, they are welcome to re-apply, as long as they still meet all eligibility requirements listed below.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program (Gilman Program) is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. To be eligible for a Gilman scholarship, an applicant must be:
A citizen or national of the United States;
An undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States (including both two-year and four-year institutions);
Receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving a Pell Grant during the term of their study abroad program or internship;
In the process of applying to, or accepted to, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship program. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
Applying for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country or location with an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System.