The Gilman-McCain Scholarship is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late senator John S. McCain from Arizona.
The Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for child and spousal dependents of active or activated United States military personnel during the time of application (including Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Space Force, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and USPHS Commissioned Corps) to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs. Applicants must be recipients of any type of Title IV federal financial aid during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving Title IV federal financial aid during their study abroad program or internship.
The U.S. Department of State’s Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for undergraduate child and spousal dependents of active or activated United States military personnel during the time of application (including Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Space Force, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and USPHS Commissioned Corps) to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs. Developed under the framework of the State Department’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program, the John McCain International Scholarship for Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is open to eligible students enrolled at accredited U.S. colleges and universities who receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid.
The Gilman-McCain Scholarship is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late senator John S. McCain from Arizona. With the support of the U.S. Congress, this scholarship honors the Senator’s legacy of public service by enabling children and spouses of active or activated United States military personnel to develop the leadership and career readiness skills and global perspective to pursue careers of service and contribute to preserving the principles and alliances that are critical to an international order based on the rule of law, human rights, and democracy.
Please note the following updates to our current program eligibility, below in bold italics. To be eligible for a Gilman-McCain 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);
- Dependent (child or spouse) of active or activated United States military personnel during the time of application (including Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Space Force, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and USPHS Commissioned Corps);
- Recipient of any type of Title IV federal financial aid during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving Title IV federal financial aid during their study abroad program or internship;
- In the process of applying to, or accepted to, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship program, or a virtual international program. Virtual programs and internships will be eligible until April 30, 2023. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
- Applying for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country or area included in this list of countries/areas. If a student is selected for the award, they may be paid in accordance with the Funds Disbursement Policy, but they may only be permitted to travel abroad as a Gilman Scholar if their program’s country/area(s) have a Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System, or is on the list of approved Travel Advisory Level 3 countries/areas.
Please note that the Gilman Program has temporarily updated the Travel Advisory Policy to allow Gilman Scholars to study/intern in select locations with a Level 3 Travel Advisory, starting January 1, 2022. Please check here for Travel Advisory Policy details and a current list of applicable countries.
If the country where you choose to study abroad is at a Level 3 or 4 due to COVID-19 at the time of application, the Gilman program will still review your application. In the event that an applicant is selected for the Gilman Scholarship and if the destination country is still at a Level 3 or 4, and is not one of the select locations indicated in the current list of applicable countries before the program starts, then the recipient will be required to change their program location.
The U.S. Department of State reserves the right to request program changes for specific countries or areas if deemed necessary during any stage of the application, selection process, or program period. Final awards are contingent upon the availability of funds and the security situation in country. Furthermore, programs in progress may be suspended in consultation with the U.S. Embassy in country during the course of the program.
The Gilman Program, under the direction of the U.S. Department of State, aims to work with students to make scholarship experiences a success. Should a Travel Advisory change to a Level 3 or 4 after the student has been granted the award, the program will coordinate with participants to select a different destination study site that falls within the guidelines provided by the U.S. State Department Travel Advisory system. In determining a grantee’s status, the Gilman Program, under the direction of the U.S. Department of State, is the final decision making authority regarding the continuation of a student’s participation as a grantee of the Gilman Program.
The modification to the travel advisory-related eligibility criteria is a system update that has been incorporated into both the student application and advisor certification portals, in light of COVID-19.
For reference, below is a sample travel advisory that shows when a country’s level is based on COVID-19 conditions:
Reconsider travel to intended host country due to COVID-19.
Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 3 Travel Health Notice for intended host country due to COVID-19.
Visit the Embassy’s COVID-19 page for more information on COVID-19 in intended host country.
If you decide to travel to intended host country:
See the U.S. Embassy’s web page regarding COVID-19.
Visit the CDC’s webpage on Travel and COVID-19.
Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
Review the Crime and Safety Report for intended host country.
Have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
Last Update: Reissued with updates to COVID-19 information.
The Gilman-McCain Application is now open for applicants whose in-person programs or internships start between September 1st, 2022, to April 30, 2023. This cycle encompasses Fall 2022, and Academic Year 2022-2023, and Spring 2023 programs or internships. The application deadline is Monday, August 1, 2022, at 11:59pm Pacific Time. Please be aware that the application deadline is in Pacific Time and take into consideration any time difference as you prepare to submit your application.
The Gilman-McCain Application will open in mid-August 2022 for applicants whose in-person programs or internships start between December 1, 2022, to October 31, 2023. Virtual programs will be eligible through April 30, 2023. This cycle encompasses Spring 2023, Summer 2023, Fall 2023, and Academic Year 2023-2024 programs. The application deadline is Thursday, October 6, 2022, at 11:59pm Pacific Time, and the advisor certification deadline is October 13, 2022. Please be aware that the application deadline is in Pacific Time and take into consideration any time difference as you prepare to submit your application.
All applicants will be notified of their status via email in early December 2022. 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.
If an applicant is not selected for the October 2022 Deadline, they may re-apply for the next cycle as long as they continue to meet the eligibility requirements.
The Gilman-McCain Application will open in mid-January 2023 for applicants whose in-person programs or internships start between May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024. This cycle encompasses Summer 2023, Fall 2023, and Academic Year 2023-2024, and Spring 2024 programs or internships. The application deadline is Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 11:59pm Pacific Time, and the advisor certification deadline is Tuesday, March 14, 2023. Please be aware that the application deadline is in Pacific Time and take into consideration any time difference as you prepare to submit your application.
All applicants are notified of their status via email in May 2023. 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.
During application eligibility review, all eligibility criteria will be reviewed including review of the dependent military ID documentation confirming child or spousal dependent status of an active duty military member. All complete and eligible Gilman-McCain Scholarship applications will then be reviewed in selection panels separate from other applicants.
The Gilman-McCain Scholarship recipients are awarded $5,000 to be used toward the cost of study abroad or international internship programs.
Q: If a student is not receiving a Federal Pell Grant, how can they apply for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship?
A: We recommend that any eligible child or spousal dependent of an active duty military member should complete the Gilman-McCain Scholarship application. Applicants must be a child or spousal dependent of an active duty military service member of the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, or Coast Guard) and be receiving any type of Title IV federal financial aid. If any eligible child or spousal dependent applies for the Gilman Scholarship, the Gilman Program will automatically consider them a Gilman-McCain applicant as long as they provide the proof of their child or spousal dependent status when they submit their application.
Q: Is a student eligible for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship if their parent or spouse is on active duty at the time of their application, but no longer active when the student goes abroad?
A: Yes, the student is eligible when their parent or spouse is an active duty military member at the time the student applies for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship.
Q: If a student is a child or spousal dependent of an active duty military member and is receiving a Federal Pell Grant during the time of the application or while abroad, which application should they fill out?
A: We recommend that any student eligible for both scholarships should complete the Gilman-McCain Scholarship application. If any eligible child or spousal dependent applies for the Gilman Scholarship, the Gilman Program will automatically consider them a Gilman-McCain applicant as long as they provide the proof of their child or spousal dependent status when they submit their application.
Q: Can students apply for Gilman and Gilman-McCain and receive both scholarships?
A: If a student is receiving a Federal Pell Grant and is also a child or spousal dependent of an active duty military member, then the student is eligible for both scholarships; however, the student can only receive one. If they are eligible for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship, then they will no longer be considered for the Gilman Scholarship.
Q:Can Gilman-McCain applicants apply for the Critical Need Language Award?
A: Yes, if a Gilman-McCain applicant is studying a critical need language in the specified locations, they are eligible for the Critical Need Language Award.
Q: How many Gilman-McCain awards are available?
A: The Gilman-McCain Scholarship offers 100 awards of $5,000 each for the current academic year.
Q: Are dependents of military personnel who died while on active duty eligible to apply to the Gilman-McCain Scholarship?
A: No, only dependents of current active duty military members are eligible for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship.
For information on other study abroad scholarships and grants for which you might be eligible, consult Other Study Abroad Resources.
Q: Is there an application fee for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship?
A: There is no application fee for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship. It is completely free to submit an application.
Q: Are child or spousal dependents of reservists eligible?
A: Child or spousal dependents of all active duty U.S. military members are eligible (assuming all other eligibility criteria are met). This includes active duty in the Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Space Force, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and USPHS Commissioned Corps. All applicants will need to provide their child or spouse dependent military ID (DD1173 Form), which confirms guardian or spouse’s active duty status.
The study abroad advisor certification will be required for Gilman-McCain Scholarship applicants.
The financial aid advisor certification will be updated to reflect the same statements provided under the Application Overview Page. This means that information on Federal Financial Aid status and total financial aid amount will be captured.
One-pager
Social Media Graphic
Social Media Toolkit
Spanish Social Media Toolkit
