The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) is closely monitoring the spread of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus in China. ECA views the health and well-being of exchange participants as its top priority. While ECA has not yet made a determination on the longer-term status of the Gilman Program in China for this year, due to the country’s Level 4 Travel Advisory (“Do Not Travel”), Gilman Scholars scheduled to study abroad in China between now and the end of April 2020 are required to identify an alternate study abroad destination.
Given the quickly evolving nature of the health situation, we will continue to accept applications for China in the currently open application for programs that start between May 1, 2020, and April 30, 2021. This application will close on March 3, 2020. In the event that a student is selected for the Gilman Program and China still has a Level 3 or 4 Travel Advisory, then the student would be required to change their program location. We will continue to keep you updated as the situation evolves. Please feel free to contact the Gilman team at 1-800-852-2141, ext. 2 or gilmanadvisors@iie.orgwith any questions or concerns, or StudyAbroad@state.gov if you have questions regarding ECA’s other exchange programs for U.S. students. We also strongly encourage you to read the entire travel advisory for China, which includes important information from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
