Alright, I'm going to get started with this evening's presentation. Thank you for joining me this evening to learn more about the Benjamin a. Gilman scholarship. But first, I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Marie Gleason and I am a Senior study abroad coordinator. And I coordinate all of the scholarships process and everything that we have through the Center for Global Programs and Services. So I can tell you, help you hopefully through the Gilman process. And maybe you're not ready for right now, but it's good for you to know about this because this is a great tool to help you if you're thinking about study abroad now or in the future. So welcome tonight's presentation. So just to give you a little bit background, the Benjamin a. Gilman scholarship is funded is a program through the US government. So these are your federal dollars at work for you and it's been administered by the Institute of International Education, IIE since the program began in 2001. So since then it's become the largest US undergraduate scholarship program and supporting students with very high need. An enabling students to participate in study abroad programs and international internships. So this is just one way that help students to fund study abroad. And because it is federally funded and let me that means the eligibility requirements. So it's like I said, it's funded by the US Department of State. And their hope is to obviously promote a mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries. So you will see that come into play when we talk a little bit about the required, not only the requirements, but some of the specific parts of the application. So the education of, of Cultural Affairs, of Educational and Cultural Affairs. They have a wide range of academic, professional, and cultural exchanges. So this is the office that takes care of the Gilman Scholars. And so the Gilman Scholarship is also part within the office of USA Study Abroad. So all of these offices, their main goal is to help students here We are presented to to be able to study abroad. That's the goal here. And they have done that successfully. So here they have funded 58% are first-generation college students. They are trying to diversify study abroad. So like I said, underrepresented and you see these numbers and not only underrepresented in terms of ethnicity, but also in terms of where you're from. You from a small town, never had a chance to go outside of that. And since its inception, over 34 thousand US undergrads have been able to study abroad in over a 150 countries. And over a thousand US institutions, including the University of Delaware had been represented. So we have had Gilman recipients from UD. In fact, our latest one was just in the last academic year. So she's looking forward to studying abroad this winter in New Zealand. So it is possible UD students have been successful in earning a Gilman scholarship and these scholarships or up to $5 thousand. And they are towards programs that are either fall or spring, summer session, a winter session. And some universities, but not ours, offer a full academic year. And we don't have those opportunities here at UD. But you can use and you can use this not only for the program cost, like our program fee. Submission, but you can also use it for all the other fees like airfare, local transportation, health insurance, passport, visa cost. So this covers absolutely everything that would be part of your study abroad. What it doesn't include would be a personal expenses such as clothing, entertainment, electronics. So sorry, it's not going to cover your fancy headset or AirPods, but endure excursions outside of the program so it will travel on your free time. Gilman is not going to support with the award, but it is going to really help you out and then perhaps you can budget your own free travel. So they based these awards and selection is based on the strength of your application, the program cost, and depending on your needs. So the scholarships are up to 5 thousand. You may not get that full 5 thousand depending on those factors. So often. Obvious. The obvious question is, well, what are the chances a student receiving a Gilman scholarship? And actually, the responses, generally, one in four students are awarded a scholarship. So it is worth the time and effort to apply for the Gilman. So it's definitely, like I said, worth it. Now. If you happen to be a student studying what they call it critical need language, you could apply to earn an additional $3 thousand. In addition to your Gilman Award. You see many of these languages, but some of these languages are taught at our universities. So if you did find this study abroad program and you're taking your classwork in Chinese or perhaps an Arabic. Then you could apply also for the critical need language award. You don't have to do its part of the Gilman applications. So as you're going through, you'll reach a point in the application that says, are you going do would you like to be considered for this? Yes. No. And if it's no, you just move on to the other part, the Gilman application. If it's yes, then there is another part of the application for you to fill out because it requires an additional essay. They want to know how you are going to or why and how you are planning to study this language, whi, while abroad and the special circumstances that you're going to study. Now, becoming a Gilman recipient means that you become part of a very wide alumni. Collection of alumni also means that you have noncompetitive eligibility for federal jobs. So if you're always thinking about oh, maybe I like one day, maybe worked for the State Department. Being a former recipient of the Gilman Scholarship, we gave you an edge over somebody who had never gone abroad or who had never been selected for that award. So you could give you a chance to kind of move up in the ranks of hiring your resume with kinda go on top of the pile, so to speak. If you want it to work for the federal government. There is a Gilman Scholar network. They're very active. There's an Alumni Ambassador program, so they help get the word out about the Gilman Scholarship and its benefits at other universities and even our own. And they as part of the program, all the returnees, they're able to take part in many seminars and career workshops. And some are quite interesting and always of great use to you as you're trying to go forward in your career. And it's an excellent network opportunity. And they also concentrate on skill development as well. So they want to help you put your study abroad experience to the best effect possible so you can take a look. They always have all kinds of events and so they want to help you present that. Okay. So you're wondering, Okay, this sounds great. But what's the eligibility requirements? And quite a few. So first and foremost, since it is a federally funded program. You need to be a US citizen or national undergrad student, and you must be a Federal Pell Grant recipient. You must also be attending a credit-bearing program, which is not a problem because all of our study abroad programs that UD our credit bearing. And you must be traveling on a program that has a State Department travel advisory level of one or two or an approved level three exception location. So what that means is that if you're thinking about studying abroad in place, even Europe right now, if you went to the State Department travel advisory level, you might see it may not be a one or two because of COVID or because when COVID first hit, you couldn't find it. It was very hard to find any country that had to travel advisory level of one or two. Thankfully, they have readjusted and Gilman re-adjusted. So that's where they have approved with three exceptions by location. Because many countries, even right now, might be at the level three exception locations. So they have a full list on their website. You can check it out. It has changed. It has been constantly update it as these things change. But you can go and see if France is a level one or two, or if it's an improved level three exception location. And that way, you know, now, if you go to the travel advisory site and the country that you're selecting, testing is a level four, then they're not going to fund that. Okay, hey, so just keep that in mind. They are flexible, they will if, say for example, you did choose a country, that was fine. And then when you got notified of the award, the travel advisory level has changed. They won't award you the Gilman Award until that changes, but they wouldn't give you an opportunity to look into a different program. If it came to that, there was one available. And the great news is there's no minimum length requirement because in the past, the term of the study abroad program had to be a certain length. So now all of our short-term programs apply. So that's great news. Now, you can only receive the Gilman Scholarship once. Just keep that in mind. So if you decide to decline the Gilman Scholarship, then you can re-apply as long as she's still meet the eligibility requirements. So you can you don't have to accept the award if something changes or say the country says Changes or something like that. But if you do accept the award and you do use it, that's it. It's one and done with the Gilman. So these are the links. And so that you could see what were the list of the approved countries are. And like I said, they're always being updated them quite frequently, about once a week. Now, some of you have the addition to be considered for what is known as Gilman McCain scholarships. These scholarships are part of the Gilman application. So just like the Critical Language piece, when you go along, they'll say, Would you like to be considered for the Gilman McCain scholarship? But you can only be considered for this if you are a child or spouse or dependent of an active duty service member. And what did they say? Active duty? They need to be your parent has to be actively in the United States military at the time of your application. And it's the Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, all of the major branches of the military. Or they're, so if that's the case for you and you're a US citizen undergraduate, and you meet the other Gilman requirements, then you could be considered for the $5 thousand reward award as well. They would fund up to 5 thousand. So another opportunity based on that. So this is the application process. The student application consist of brief study abroad program info. Where are you going to study the dates of the program? Who's the sponsor of the program? What institution are you going to study at? If you're going on? If you're going to study at a specific host site, for example. And then essays. You will also need to submit your unofficial transcripts. And then you would select advisors. There's a financial aid advisor and a study abroad advisor. Now, don't panic. You say, Well, how am I going to know who these people are? They automatically come up as soon as she's select University of Delaware, then you will see my name, Murray Gleason as a study abroad advisor that you can select or my colleagues name, Kimberly Saarland. And for the financial aid advisor, you'll just see one name, Renato Rivera. So we're the folks at UD who are use to certifying the Gilman applications. And we know we need to do so by a certain deadline. We get a week after you have submitted after the application deadline. So don't worry about us not doing it. We're used to it, we will do it. In fact, I like to try to do it as soon as possible so students don't get stressed out. But sometimes things come up and we have to do it on the last day, but we will get it done. We know what, how important it is to you all to certify your applications. So essay number one has a max at 7 thousand characters, and it's very important. It's your statement of purpose. So it is really a personal interview because all your entire application is going to be reviewed by a whole panel. There's whole selection process. And these people aren't going to know you. This is your one chance to explain to them the panelists, who you are, what your academic, professional, and personal goals are. What you want to get out of the program. How you found out about the program, and how you met challenges in order to get to this point. Now, keeping in mind that yes, everyone applying for this scholarship has great financial need. So you have to be a little bit creative. What other challenges, what other y they really want to know why and who you are. Why did you select this particular program? Why is this unique for you? Perhaps is it because you're a stem major and this is the only one that we have that's available for biology majors. And it's going to give you the chance to work in a lab in Paris or have this opportunity that you can have on campus. And why is this so important to you? Is it because you're going to do you plan to go to graduate school or medical school in the future. So it's really important that you think about the salt and I can help you. And here's the five questions they want. They suggest that you ask. So what's the connection between your program and your goals? And did you make a connection between the country, your host country, and where are you going to be? And did you share how you will be academically successful on your program? So how have you holler you ready for the courses that you're going to take on your study abroad program. And have you given examples of your experiences and the skills and the knowledge so that if you meet any program challenges. So how will this study abroad experience impacts your future? It's a lot, It's a lot to try to condense into 7 thousand characters. But it can be done. And it's important to make sure that at the same time that you're asking yourself these questions, that you are not unless that they do see who you are. So as much as you can put color to the story, that's even better. Let them know. Who this person is and why is this important? Now there's second essay is, like I said, they wanted to know it's computed. They call it community impact. And this is a relatively new asset that they put in. And it's called building mutual understanding essay. So they want to know how you're going to be a good representative of the United States while you're abroad. How are you going to seek opportunities to be culturally engaged and opportunities to have meaningful interaction reactions with your host country. They don't want you to just go abroad and be in a little bubble. They want you to get out there and to understand what's going on in your host country. And to make an impact in in that with that program. They, they want to know how are you going to do this. So they suggest that you ask these three questions. How will you represent the US as a citizen? Well, Brad? And how are you going to contribute to that fundamental goal of theirs and building mutual understanding between countries. And how are you going to build meaningful relationships and the KM culturally engaged. And these don't have to be grandiose ideas, okay? These can be something as simple as I am studying French, so I plan to read the newspaper. I'm going to be living with a host family and I hope to ask them about the current elections coming up in France. Let's say something like that. So it doesn't have to be that you're going to go out and change the world here. But the simple everyday interactions, that's what they want you to be aware of and respectful of. And maybe that means you're going to try to use French the whole time that you're in Paris, something like that. And just find ways. So this is the essays that students typically find. Some find it difficult, others don't. But I would say this is the one everyone has to stop and really think about. So one of the requirements and this has to be completed within six months of returning from your program, is you need to complete a follow on service project. And so they want you to provide them with a proposal for this follow on service project. So how are you going to get back to this program by inspiring others to study abroad? And it can be on campus or in your home community. And you have to design a project. Like, oh, okay. Um, and like I said, you gotta do this within six months of your returns. Some study abroad. Great. And they want you to show how you've been an effective citizen diplomat wall. So tie everything it so the main thing here is you have to think about, alright, I got to come up with a follow on service project. And of course they want me to get the word out there about Gilman, the scholarship opportunity and study abroad. That's pretty basic. What becomes the channel is, is developing a timeline and a detailed plan for your project. The more detailed you can be in your proposal, the better off you will be. And you want to make sure your project is feasible. So don't. And when I say feasible, it's important to think, well, what skill sets do I have? If I am not the world's greatest photographer, I am not going to come back and do a photography exhibit at the University of my study abroad and talk about Gilman. That probably isn't going to work that well. Maybe it doesn't have to be at the university. Maybe I have a close relationship with one of my high school teachers. And I could go into my old high school and do a session on my study abroad experience. And how Gilman helped me funded and help inspire these high school students to study abroad and once they get to college. So you don't have to think, Oh, it has to be the university. It can be, it could be your sorority. It could be clubs that you're a member of, but it has to be. I said feasible. They want something that you can do, something that brings out your skills in something that incorporates your study abroad experience into your project. Now obviously they want to know who is your audience, and that's who you really need to sit down and think about. Who can I share this with? What connections do I already have in the community? And who can I reach with this project? Again? If only if you wish to be considered for the critical need language award, then you would have to fill out the essay for that. You have to determine is it a critical need language? They want to know if it's predominantly spoken in the country. Going to, and again, how does it relate to your academic career and your goals? And why are you studying? What motivated you to learn Turkish, for example. So they want to see all that. So once they see your full application, they're going to take a look at everything that you provide them and then make their decisions. So they see, they want to see the impact of the program and the destination that it's going to have on your academic career overall. The year follow-up project and how that's going to impact us, have a community impact, but also the community impact while you're abroad and your academic preparedness. And they also want to, like I said, fund a diverse set of students. And then also, if you happen to have a commitment to the Critical Language, so they want to fund a wide range of students. So deadlines and timelines, very important. The application for the October 22 deadline. And now, take note, this gets a little tricky. But your study abroad program has to start in December 20th, 22, or through October 2023 in order for you to apply for the October 2022 deadline, which is October 6th at 1159 pacific time. Okay. And then as the advisor, I haven't til October 13th to certify the Gilman applications, the March 2023 deadline. And those applications will open in mid-January. Those are for study abroad programs that would start beginning May of 2023 through April of 2024. And that application deadline is March seventh of 2023 and again, 1159 PM Pacific Time. So which terms? So if you're applying for our winter session 20 Twenty-three program that was started in January of 2023. You would apply four by four a Gilman Award by October six. Same for anyone thinking about setting abroad in spring of 2023, you would apply now for the October six deadline. Makes sense. Okay. Now it's a lot of gears and lead dates. And it's important that if you are not thinking about those particular terms, you still have the opportunity in March and now's the time thinking about how you're going to respond to the essay prompts. So that will give you more time to apply. If you're thinking about a program like the summer programs that was started in June of 22, you could also apply. We won't have this owner website yet, so you're going to have to wait until the March deadline. So anything in the future there? And these deadlines remain the same if you think of it, October 6th is like the they're always around the first Tuesday in October and the first Tuesday or something like that in March. And they always open in mid-August. And they don't say exactly what. They'd just send out an email. They just sent out a blast and they say, Hey, the Gilman application is open. As soon as we get that, we send that out to students. We send out tweets, we put it on our social media feed. And so in mid January, when the March deadline opens, we'll let everybody know like as that. Here's some basic application tips. We'll go over more of those in my session next week. So, but the most important thing is they want you to have a compelling story. And they want you, obviously, as in anything, it's best to start an application early. Be authentic while you're answering the prompts, and be competent, you are worth the investment. And we have some very good students, and this is a wonderful opportunity for them to study abroad. And again, for the Follow-on Service Project. Think about all your connections. Think about how you heard about Gilman and how you would tell others about it. And it's very simple. If you don't apply, you will never get it. So take the chance. Even if you think, oh my God, it's due when and just a couple of weeks. I can't do this. How many papers have you written the night before? I'll be honest here. I think we've all written a few in her time, so hey, they may not have been a is some of them might have been. But you never know. Sometimes they've been your best work because you've had a really focused right? And you're like, Wow, shocking, but it worked out well. So stay connected. This is how to stay connected. Gelman's all over the place. They're on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube. And they have wonderful resources. So if you are planning to apply, you will find all the resources, all the tips, tricks and strategies. You will find them on their website. They will be happy to answer your questions if you run into trouble while you're filling out the application, you can send them an email, check out there website. You can see all the opportunities that they have for applicants, but also you can get a sense of the program so that they have for alumni as well. And if you have questions for us, and I love to help you out with this process. You can contact us a study abroad at u del.edu. We're also on social media. Like I said, follow us and we'll let you know as soon as the Gilman app opens for In March or In January, sorry for the March deadline. If you simply are feeling at this moment a little overwhelmed and where do I start? I don't mind setting up, having used schedule an appointment with me just so we can brainstorm. Because I often find if you since I haven't met you, it's a good way for you to start that essay and I can start asking you some questions like, Well, okay, what program then? Did you know this about the program or why that one or where are you from? And just try to help you enrich your essays that way and kinda maybe have something clicked for you in regards to how you're going to approach some of your essays. And then we do have the writing center on campus. Don't forget that there are a great resource if you need to have your essay looked over for grammar and all that good stuff. I have looked over students essays from the past, and if you give me enough time, I would be happy to do that for you as well. So we are always very excited if we can help out and if we can have another blue hand selected for the Gilman scholarship awards. So thank you for listening to all that. I know it's a lot of information. Do you have any questions? Okay. If you do, again, just feel free to e-mail them to study abroad at u del.edu and they'll get back to me. Well, thank you for joining me this evening. I hope you found it helpful. There are some questions some questions in the chat. Okay. Thank you. Let me get to those. Let me get my chat here. Alright. Thank you. Alright. Questions in the chat. We do have fallen spring semester programs. You can find them by going to the Center for Global Programs and Services, our study abroad. Site. And we have several first spring of 2023 that you can find on the website. And for scholarship, the Gilman scholarships covers all the costs associated with the study abroad program, your airfare, your books, anything except for personal expenses but visas. All of the excursions that you would go on as part of the program that and the tuition, the program fee. You can use that for the Gilman Award for those fees. Are there any questions? Summer 2023 programs that you are not posted yet? We should have them soon. And then those programs you could apply. If you were thinking of those, you could apply for the March deadline for Gillman? Yes. We have had students who have studied abroad for a second time as made a good case. And they have been able to win the Gilman Award. The students referring to the world Scholar Program, where students spend their very first semester at UD but studying abroad. But they're also required to spend their junior year abroad. So we have had world scholars get selected for Goldman for their junior year abroad. So it is possible, it is possible our study abroad programs less typically if it's the semester program, there are only about four months long and our short-term programs are going are you typically four to five weeks? So that's the length of the programs. And it's okay if, if you don't know where you're going to study abroad get, you won't be able to apply on the October 6th deadline. That's alright. That's not the point. The point is to note that this scholarship opportunities out there, once you finally do decide on one study abroad, fits into your academic career best for you academically. And that is something that you can work out with and plan ahead with your academic advisor. And then you can come to our office and we can help you with the process of if you have any questions about the process, applying for a program or what the differences between a semester and a short-term program. So don't worry about October six if you don't know right now, that's okay. This is just to let you know this opportunity is out there and that eventually, when you're ready to go abroad, you could apply for the Gilman Scholarship if you're still eligible for it. Okay. So yes, obviously, you could apply next fall in October for our winter 2020 for spring 2024 programs. So yes, the due date for applying to study abroad are remaining. Winter 2023 programs and our 2023 spring semester programs are all going to close on September 20th. Okay. And yes. Yes. If you applied in March for a winter session program, you applied and Gilman, you weren't going to study abroad until January. That would be fine. You would they would hold the funds until you are fully accepted to the program and you had to send in that information to them. And that's that's fine. And then you would use it when you went abroad in January of 24. And that's the nice thing about the March deadline. That way, you know, you have they'll announce those winners in about April or May. So which is good, because you would've probably already had commit to winter 2024 programs. At the end. Most of our programs will close by April 20. So okay. I think I got all the questions in the chat. You can set up a meeting with me. Simply buy. You can buy me by emailing study abroad at u del.edu or my emails M. Gleason at u del.edu. And then we can set up an appointment. Okay. Alright. I hope I covered everything. If I haven't. I hope so. Any other questions? Concerns? Yes. Can you unmute mute. Sorry. Let me put it in the chat. Sorry. Chat function works so well when I think about it. Okay. There you are. Thank you for asking. You can apply for the scholarship more than once. If you are awarded the scholarship, you can apply second time only if you defer it. If you say no, I'm not going to use it. For this program, then you would have to reapply. But once you use the Gilman funds, you can't be awarded a second scholarship from Gilman. Alright. I hope that's clear. Any other questions? Well, thank you all for coming. And feel free to email me if you do have any more questions or concerns. Okay. Sabrina, did you have a question? with this evening's presentation. Thank you for joining me this evening to learn more about the Benjamin a. Gilman scholarship. But first, I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Marie Gleason and I am a Senior study abroad coordinator. And I coordinate all of the scholarships process and everything that we have through the Center for Global Programs and Services. So I can tell you, help you hopefully through the Gilman process. And maybe you're not ready for right now, but it's good for you to know about this because this is a great tool to help you if you're thinking about study abroad now or in the future. So welcome tonight's presentation. So just to give you a little bit background, the Benjamin a. Gilman scholarship is funded is a program through the US government. So these are your federal dollars at work for you and it's been administered by the Institute of International Education, IIE since the program began in 2001. So since then it's become the largest US undergraduate scholarship program and supporting students with very high need. An enabling students to participate in study abroad programs and international internships. So this is just one way that help students to fund study abroad. And because it is federally funded and let me that means the eligibility requirements. So it's like I said, it's funded by the US Department of State. And their hope is to obviously promote a mutual understanding between the people of the United States and people of other countries. So you will see that come into play when we talk a little bit about the required, not only the requirements, but some of the specific parts of the application. So the education of, of Cultural Affairs, of Educational and Cultural Affairs. They have a wide range of academic, professional, and cultural exchanges. So this is the office that takes care of the Gilman Scholars. And so the Gilman Scholarship is also part within the office of USA Study Abroad. So all of these offices, their main goal is to help students here We are presented to to be able to study abroad. That's the goal here. And they have done that successfully. So here they have funded 58% are first-generation college students. They are trying to diversify study abroad. So like I said, underrepresented and you see these numbers and not only underrepresented in terms of ethnicity, but also in terms of where you're from. You from a small town, never had a chance to go outside of that. And since its inception, over 34 thousand US undergrads have been able to study abroad in over a 150 countries. And over a thousand US institutions, including the University of Delaware had been represented. So we have had Gilman recipients from UD. In fact, our latest one was just in the last academic year. So she's looking forward to studying abroad this winter in New Zealand. So it is possible UD students have been successful in earning a Gilman scholarship and these scholarships or up to $5 thousand. And they are towards programs that are either fall or spring, summer session, a winter session. And some universities, but not ours, offer a full academic year. And we don't have those opportunities here at UD. But you can use and you can use this not only for the program cost, like our program fee. Submission, but you can also use it for all the other fees like airfare, local transportation, health insurance, passport, visa cost. So this covers absolutely everything that would be part of your study abroad. What it doesn't include would be a personal expenses such as clothing, entertainment, electronics. So sorry, it's not going to cover your fancy headset or AirPods, but endure excursions outside of the program so it will travel on your free time. Gilman is not going to support with the award, but it is going to really help you out and then perhaps you can budget your own free travel. So they based these awards and selection is based on the strength of your application, the program cost, and depending on your needs. So the scholarships are up to 5 thousand. You may not get that full 5 thousand depending on those factors. So often. Obvious. The obvious question is, well, what are the chances a student receiving a Gilman scholarship? And actually, the responses, generally, one in four students are awarded a scholarship. So it is worth the time and effort to apply for the Gilman. So it's definitely, like I said, worth it. Now. If you happen to be a student studying what they call it critical need language, you could apply to earn an additional $3 thousand. In addition to your Gilman Award. You see many of these languages, but some of these languages are taught at our universities. So if you did find this study abroad program and you're taking your classwork in Chinese or perhaps an Arabic. Then you could apply also for the critical need language award. You don't have to do its part of the Gilman applications. So as you're going through, you'll reach a point in the application that says, are you going do would you like to be considered for this? Yes. No. And if it's no, you just move on to the other part, the Gilman application. If it's yes, then there is another part of the application for you to fill out because it requires an additional essay. They want to know how you are going to or why and how you are planning to study this language, whi, while abroad and the special circumstances that you're going to study. Now, becoming a Gilman recipient means that you become part of a very wide alumni. Collection of alumni also means that you have noncompetitive eligibility for federal jobs. So if you're always thinking about oh, maybe I like one day, maybe worked for the State Department. Being a former recipient of the Gilman Scholarship, we gave you an edge over somebody who had never gone abroad or who had never been selected for that award. So you could give you a chance to kind of move up in the ranks of hiring your resume with kinda go on top of the pile, so to speak. If you want it to work for the federal government. There is a Gilman Scholar network. They're very active. There's an Alumni Ambassador program, so they help get the word out about the Gilman Scholarship and its benefits at other universities and even our own. And they as part of the program, all the returnees, they're able to take part in many seminars and career workshops. And some are quite interesting and always of great use to you as you're trying to go forward in your career. And it's an excellent network opportunity. And they also concentrate on skill development as well. So they want to help you put your study abroad experience to the best effect possible so you can take a look. They always have all kinds of events and so they want to help you present that. Okay. So you're wondering, Okay, this sounds great. But what's the eligibility requirements? And quite a few. So first and foremost, since it is a federally funded program. You need to be a US citizen or national undergrad student, and you must be a Federal Pell Grant recipient. You must also be attending a credit-bearing program, which is not a problem because all of our study abroad programs that UD our credit bearing. And you must be traveling on a program that has a State Department travel advisory level of one or two or an approved level three exception location. So what that means is that if you're thinking about studying abroad in place, even Europe right now, if you went to the State Department travel advisory level, you might see it may not be a one or two because of COVID or because when COVID first hit, you couldn't find it. It was very hard to find any country that had to travel advisory level of one or two. Thankfully, they have readjusted and Gilman re-adjusted. So that's where they have approved with three exceptions by location. Because many countries, even right now, might be at the level three exception locations. So they have a full list on their website. You can check it out. It has changed. It has been constantly update it as these things change. But you can go and see if France is a level one or two, or if it's an improved level three exception location. And that way, you know, now, if you go to the travel advisory site and the country that you're selecting, testing is a level four, then they're not going to fund that. Okay, hey, so just keep that in mind. They are flexible, they will if, say for example, you did choose a country, that was fine. And then when you got notified of the award, the travel advisory level has changed. They won't award you the Gilman Award until that changes, but they wouldn't give you an opportunity to look into a different program. If it came to that, there was one available. And the great news is there's no minimum length requirement because in the past, the term of the study abroad program had to be a certain length. So now all of our short-term programs apply. So that's great news. Now, you can only receive the Gilman Scholarship once. Just keep that in mind. So if you decide to decline the Gilman Scholarship, then you can re-apply as long as she's still meet the eligibility requirements. So you can you don't have to accept the award if something changes or say the country says Changes or something like that. But if you do accept the award and you do use it, that's it. It's one and done with the Gilman. So these are the links. And so that you could see what were the list of the approved countries are. And like I said, they're always being updated them quite frequently, about once a week. Now, some of you have the addition to be considered for what is known as Gilman McCain scholarships. These scholarships are part of the Gilman application. So just like the Critical Language piece, when you go along, they'll say, Would you like to be considered for the Gilman McCain scholarship? But you can only be considered for this if you are a child or spouse or dependent of an active duty service member. And what did they say? Active duty? They need to be your parent has to be actively in the United States military at the time of your application. And it's the Air Force, the Air Force Reserve, all of the major branches of the military. Or they're, so if that's the case for you and you're a US citizen undergraduate, and you meet the other Gilman requirements, then you could be considered for the $5 thousand reward award as well. They would fund up to 5 thousand. So another opportunity based on that. So this is the application process. The student application consist of brief study abroad program info. Where are you going to study the dates of the program? Who's the sponsor of the program? What institution are you going to study at? If you're going on? If you're going to study at a specific host site, for example. And then essays. You will also need to submit your unofficial transcripts. And then you would select advisors. There's a financial aid advisor and a study abroad advisor. Now, don't panic. You say, Well, how am I going to know who these people are? They automatically come up as soon as she's select University of Delaware, then you will see my name, Murray Gleason as a study abroad advisor that you can select or my colleagues name, Kimberly Saarland. And for the financial aid advisor, you'll just see one name, Renato Rivera. So we're the folks at UD who are use to certifying the Gilman applications. And we know we need to do so by a certain deadline. We get a week after you have submitted after the application deadline. So don't worry about us not doing it. We're used to it, we will do it. In fact, I like to try to do it as soon as possible so students don't get stressed out. But sometimes things come up and we have to do it on the last day, but we will get it done. We know what, how important it is to you all to certify your applications. So essay number one has a max at 7 thousand characters, and it's very important. It's your statement of purpose. So it is really a personal interview because all your entire application is going to be reviewed by a whole panel. There's whole selection process. And these people aren't going to know you. This is your one chance to explain to them the panelists, who you are, what your academic, professional, and personal goals are. What you want to get out of the program. How you found out about the program, and how you met challenges in order to get to this point. Now, keeping in mind that yes, everyone applying for this scholarship has great financial need. So you have to be a little bit creative. What other challenges, what other y they really want to know why and who you are. Why did you select this particular program? Why is this unique for you? Perhaps is it because you're a stem major and this is the only one that we have that's available for biology majors. And it's going to give you the chance to work in a lab in Paris or have this opportunity that you can have on campus. And why is this so important to you? Is it because you're going to do you plan to go to graduate school or medical school in the future. So it's really important that you think about the salt and I can help you. And here's the five questions they want. They suggest that you ask. So what's the connection between your program and your goals? And did you make a connection between the country, your host country, and where are you going to be? And did you share how you will be academically successful on your program? So how have you holler you ready for the courses that you're going to take on your study abroad program. And have you given examples of your experiences and the skills and the knowledge so that if you meet any program challenges. So how will this study abroad experience impacts your future? It's a lot, It's a lot to try to condense into 7 thousand characters. But it can be done. And it's important to make sure that at the same time that you're asking yourself these questions, that you are not unless that they do see who you are. So as much as you can put color to the story, that's even better. Let them know. Who this person is and why is this important? Now there's second essay is, like I said, they wanted to know it's computed. They call it community impact. And this is a relatively new asset that they put in. And it's called building mutual understanding essay. So they want to know how you're going to be a good representative of the United States while you're abroad. How are you going to seek opportunities to be culturally engaged and opportunities to have meaningful interaction reactions with your host country. They don't want you to just go abroad and be in a little bubble. They want you to get out there and to understand what's going on in your host country. And to make an impact in in that with that program. They, they want to know how are you going to do this. So they suggest that you ask these three questions. How will you represent the US as a citizen? Well, Brad? And how are you going to contribute to that fundamental goal of theirs and building mutual understanding between countries. And how are you going to build meaningful relationships and the KM culturally engaged. And these don't have to be grandiose ideas, okay? These can be something as simple as I am studying French, so I plan to read the newspaper. I'm going to be living with a host family and I hope to ask them about the current elections coming up in France. Let's say something like that. So it doesn't have to be that you're going to go out and change the world here. But the simple everyday interactions, that's what they want you to be aware of and respectful of. And maybe that means you're going to try to use French the whole time that you're in Paris, something like that. And just find ways. So this is the essays that students typically find. Some find it difficult, others don't. But I would say this is the one everyone has to stop and really think about. So one of the requirements and this has to be completed within six months of returning from your program, is you need to complete a follow on service project. And so they want you to provide them with a proposal for this follow on service project. So how are you going to get back to this program by inspiring others to study abroad? And it can be on campus or in your home community. And you have to design a project. Like, oh, okay. Um, and like I said, you gotta do this within six months of your returns. Some study abroad. Great. And they want you to show how you've been an effective citizen diplomat wall. So tie everything it so the main thing here is you have to think about, alright, I got to come up with a follow on service project. And of course they want me to get the word out there about Gilman, the scholarship opportunity and study abroad. That's pretty basic. What becomes the channel is, is developing a timeline and a detailed plan for your project. The more detailed you can be in your proposal, the better off you will be. And you want to make sure your project is feasible. So don't. And when I say feasible, it's important to think, well, what skill sets do I have? If I am not the world's greatest photographer, I am not going to come back and do a photography exhibit at the University of my study abroad and talk about Gilman. That probably isn't going to work that well. Maybe it doesn't have to be at the university. Maybe I have a close relationship with one of my high school teachers. And I could go into my old high school and do a session on my study abroad experience. And how Gilman helped me funded and help inspire these high school students to study abroad and once they get to college. So you don't have to think, Oh, it has to be the university. It can be, it could be your sorority. It could be clubs that you're a member of, but it has to be. I said feasible. They want something that you can do, something that brings out your skills in something that incorporates your study abroad experience into your project. Now obviously they want to know who is your audience, and that's who you really need to sit down and think about. Who can I share this with? What connections do I already have in the community? And who can I reach with this project? Again? If only if you wish to be considered for the critical need language award, then you would have to fill out the essay for that. You have to determine is it a critical need language? They want to know if it's predominantly spoken in the country. Going to, and again, how does it relate to your academic career and your goals? And why are you studying? What motivated you to learn Turkish, for example. So they want to see all that. So once they see your full application, they're going to take a look at everything that you provide them and then make their decisions. So they see, they want to see the impact of the program and the destination that it's going to have on your academic career overall. The year follow-up project and how that's going to impact us, have a community impact, but also the community impact while you're abroad and your academic preparedness. And they also want to, like I said, fund a diverse set of students. And then also, if you happen to have a commitment to the Critical Language, so they want to fund a wide range of students. So deadlines and timelines, very important. The application for the October 22 deadline. And now, take note, this gets a little tricky. But your study abroad program has to start in December 20th, 22, or through October 2023 in order for you to apply for the October 2022 deadline, which is October 6th at 1159 pacific time. Okay. And then as the advisor, I haven't til October 13th to certify the Gilman applications, the March 2023 deadline. And those applications will open in mid-January. Those are for study abroad programs that would start beginning May of 2023 through April of 2024. And that application deadline is March seventh of 2023 and again, 1159 PM Pacific Time. So which terms? So if you're applying for our winter session 20 Twenty-three program that was started in January of 2023. You would apply four by four a Gilman Award by October six. Same for anyone thinking about setting abroad in spring of 2023, you would apply now for the October six deadline. Makes sense. Okay. Now it's a lot of gears and lead dates. And it's important that if you are not thinking about those particular terms, you still have the opportunity in March and now's the time thinking about how you're going to respond to the essay prompts. So that will give you more time to apply. If you're thinking about a program like the summer programs that was started in June of 22, you could also apply. We won't have this owner website yet, so you're going to have to wait until the March deadline. So anything in the future there? And these deadlines remain the same if you think of it, October 6th is like the they're always around the first Tuesday in October and the first Tuesday or something like that in March. And they always open in mid-August. And they don't say exactly what. They'd just send out an email. They just sent out a blast and they say, Hey, the Gilman application is open. As soon as we get that, we send that out to students. We send out tweets, we put it on our social media feed. And so in mid January, when the March deadline opens, we'll let everybody know like as that. Here's some basic application tips. We'll go over more of those in my session next week. So, but the most important thing is they want you to have a compelling story. And they want you, obviously, as in anything, it's best to start an application early. Be authentic while you're answering the prompts, and be competent, you are worth the investment. And we have some very good students, and this is a wonderful opportunity for them to study abroad. And again, for the Follow-on Service Project. Think about all your connections. Think about how you heard about Gilman and how you would tell others about it. And it's very simple. If you don't apply, you will never get it. So take the chance. Even if you think, oh my God, it's due when and just a couple of weeks. I can't do this. How many papers have you written the night before? I'll be honest here. I think we've all written a few in her time, so hey, they may not have been a is some of them might have been. But you never know. Sometimes they've been your best work because you've had a really focused right? And you're like, Wow, shocking, but it worked out well. So stay connected. This is how to stay connected. Gelman's all over the place. They're on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube. And they have wonderful resources. So if you are planning to apply, you will find all the resources, all the tips, tricks and strategies. You will find them on their website. They will be happy to answer your questions if you run into trouble while you're filling out the application, you can send them an email, check out there website. You can see all the opportunities that they have for applicants, but also you can get a sense of the program so that they have for alumni as well. And if you have questions for us, and I love to help you out with this process. You can contact us a study abroad at u del.edu. We're also on social media. Like I said, follow us and we'll let you know as soon as the Gilman app opens for In March or In January, sorry for the March deadline. If you simply are feeling at this moment a little overwhelmed and where do I start? I don't mind setting up, having used schedule an appointment with me just so we can brainstorm. Because I often find if you since I haven't met you, it's a good way for you to start that essay and I can start asking you some questions like, Well, okay, what program then? Did you know this about the program or why that one or where are you from? And just try to help you enrich your essays that way and kinda maybe have something clicked for you in regards to how you're going to approach some of your essays. And then we do have the writing center on campus. Don't forget that there are a great resource if you need to have your essay looked over for grammar and all that good stuff. I have looked over students essays from the past, and if you give me enough time, I would be happy to do that for you as well. So we are always very excited if we can help out and if we can have another blue hand selected for the Gilman scholarship awards. So thank you for listening to all that. I know it's a lot of information. Do you have any questions? Okay. If you do, again, just feel free to e-mail them to study abroad at u del.edu and they'll get back to me. Well, thank you for joining me this evening. I hope you found it helpful. There are some questions some questions in the chat. Okay. Thank you. Let me get to those. Let me get my chat here. Alright. Thank you. Alright. Questions in the chat. We do have fallen spring semester programs. You can find them by going to the Center for Global Programs and Services, our study abroad. Site. And we have several first spring of 2023 that you can find on the website. And for scholarship, the Gilman scholarships covers all the costs associated with the study abroad program, your airfare, your books, anything except for personal expenses but visas. All of the excursions that you would go on as part of the program that and the tuition, the program fee. You can use that for the Gilman Award for those fees. Are there any questions? Summer 2023 programs that you are not posted yet? We should have them soon. And then those programs you could apply. If you were thinking of those, you could apply for the March deadline for Gillman? Yes. We have had students who have studied abroad for a second time as made a good case. And they have been able to win the Gilman Award. The students referring to the world Scholar Program, where students spend their very first semester at UD but studying abroad. But they're also required to spend their junior year abroad. So we have had world scholars get selected for Goldman for their junior year abroad. So it is possible, it is possible our study abroad programs less typically if it's the semester program, there are only about four months long and our short-term programs are going are you typically four to five weeks? So that's the length of the programs. And it's okay if, if you don't know where you're going to study abroad get, you won't be able to apply on the October 6th deadline. That's alright. That's not the point. The point is to note that this scholarship opportunities out there, once you finally do decide on one study abroad, fits into your academic career best for you academically. And that is something that you can work out with and plan ahead with your academic advisor. And then you can come to our office and we can help you with the process of if you have any questions about the process, applying for a program or what the differences between a semester and a short-term program. So don't worry about October six if you don't know right now, that's okay. This is just to let you know this opportunity is out there and that eventually, when you're ready to go abroad, you could apply for the Gilman Scholarship if you're still eligible for it. Okay. So yes, obviously, you could apply next fall in October for our winter 2020 for spring 2024 programs. So yes, the due date for applying to study abroad are remaining. Winter 2023 programs and our 2023 spring semester programs are all going to close on September 20th. Okay. And yes. Yes. If you applied in March for a winter session program, you applied and Gilman, you weren't going to study abroad until January. That would be fine. You would they would hold the funds until you are fully accepted to the program and you had to send in that information to them. And that's that's fine. And then you would use it when you went abroad in January of 24. And that's the nice thing about the March deadline. That way, you know, you have they'll announce those winners in about April or May. So which is good, because you would've probably already had commit to winter 2024 programs. At the end. Most of our programs will close by April 20. So okay. I think I got all the questions in the chat. You can set up a meeting with me. Simply buy. You can buy me by emailing study abroad at u del.edu or my emails M. Gleason at u del.edu. And then we can set up an appointment. Okay. Alright. I hope I covered everything. If I haven't. I hope so. Any other questions? Concerns? Yes. Can you unmute mute. Sorry. Let me put it in the chat. Sorry. Chat function works so well when I think about it. Okay. There you are. Thank you for asking. You can apply for the scholarship more than once. If you are awarded the scholarship, you can apply second time only if you defer it. If you say no, I'm not going to use it. For this program, then you would have to reapply. But once you use the Gilman funds, you can't be awarded a second scholarship from Gilman. Alright. I hope that's clear. Any other questions? Well, thank you all for coming. And feel free to email me if you do have any more questions or concerns.
Gilman Presentation
From Marie Gleason September 16, 2022
21 plays
21
0 comments
0
You unliked the media.
The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman Scholarship is an undergraduate scholarship program for U.S. citizens of limited financial means to enable them to study or intern abroad. The program provides awards of up to $5,000 for students who are U.S. citizens, Federal Pell Grant recipients, and studying at undergraduate level at a two or four-year institution.
- Tags
- Department Name
- Center for Global Programs & Services
- Date Established
- September 16, 2022
- Appears In
Link to Media Page
Loading