Writing the Essay
Scholarships up to $5,000
•J-term
•Fall
•Academic Year
Additional $3,000 for the Critical Need Language Award
Applicants who are studying a critical need language in a country in which the language is
predominantly spoken can apply for a supplemental award of up to $3,000
Up to $1,000 for the STEM Supplemental Award
Applicants who are conducting STEM-related research abroad as part of their study abroad or
international internship program. This supplemental award is up to $1,000 for STEM Related
expenses such as lab fees, equipment and more
•Summer
•Spring
Gilman Scholarship Overview
Eligibility & Selection Criteria
Gilman Eligibility
• U.S. citizen or national
• Undergraduate student
• Federal Pell Grant recipient
• Credit-bearing program
• In a country or area with an overall
Travel Advisory level 1 or 2
• No minimum length requirement!
Gilman-McCain Scholarship Eligibility
• U.S. citizen or national
• Undergraduate student
• Credit-bearing program
• In a Travel Advisory level 1 or 2 country
• No minimum length requirement!
• Recipient of any type of Title IV federal financial aid
• Dependent (child or spouse) of active or activated military
personnel (including Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Army, Army
National Guard, Army Reserve, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Reserve, Marine Corps, Marine
Corps Reserve, Navy, Navy Reserve, Space Force, NOAA Commissioned Corps, and
USPHS Commissioned Corps)
$5,000 for dependents (child or spouse) of active or activated US military personnel
Selection Criteria
Impact of Program & Destination on
Student’s Academic & Career Directory
Community Impact Abroad &
Upon Student’s Return Home
Academic Preparedness
Diversity of Background & Experience
Commitment to Proficiency in a
Critical Need Language
Commitment to a STEM Field
Last Name A-H
Advisor Certifications
• Study Abroad Advisor: Melissa Ceballos
melissa.ceballos@nyu.edu
• Financial Aid Advisor: Lisa Oranges
lisa.oranges@nyu.edu
• Study Abroad Advisor: Nyoka Joseph
nyoka.joseph@nyu.edu
• Financial Aid Advisor: Minelia Cleland
mc8222@nyu.edu
Last Name I-P
Last Name Q-Z
• Study Abroad Advisor: Payal Batra
pb2800@nyu.edu
• Financial Aid Advisor: Elizabeth Leland
elizabeth.leland@nyu.edu
What is advisor certification?
Study Abroad Advisors will be asked to verify that you have applied to a credit-eligible study abroad program and confirm your
study abroad program information. The Financial Aid Advisor will be asked to verify whether you are currently receiving a Federal Pell
Grant and the estimated amount of financial aid, excluding loans, you can apply to your program. Advisors can only certify if
information is correct, we cannot advocate on students’ behalf.
Essays
Personal Interview
You + Program + Goals
(academic, professional, personal)
Meeting Challenges
Essay #1
Required
Max. 7000 characters
Statement of Purpose
5 Questions to Ask Yourself
1. Do you make a connection between your program and goals?
2. Do you make a connection between your country and goals?
3. Do you share how you will be academically successful on your program?
4. Do you give examples of your experiences, skills, and knowledge that you will use to meet
program challenges?
5. Do you address how this abroad experience will impact your future?
Statement of Purpose Essay
“NYU BA is awesome. I can take lots of literature courses that count towards
my major, plus GPH and CORE courses.”
Sample Section
WAIT!
1. What is NYU BA? You must spell everything out- not everyone understands the world of NYU
acronyms
2. Which literature courses? Why study literature in Buenos Aires?
3. What’s your major? How does this study abroad connect to your future goals?
4. What’s GPH and CORE?
“I’m so excited to travel because I’ve never been to Europe. Florence is a great
location because its centrally located and makes travel easy. I’m going to take Stern
courses in Florence because I want to work in Finance.”
Sample Section
WAIT!
1. Traveling is fun, but this is NOT what Gilman wants to read about. What
else do you hope to experience?
2. What’s Stern?
3. How does taking business courses in another country contribute to your
understanding of the field you want to work in?
“I don’t have enough money for study abroad and my family doesn’t understand why I
want to go abroad. I generally find that as an underrepresented student it is hard for
me to go abroad.”
Sample Section
WAIT!
1. Most students applying for Gilman have significant financial need. Are there specific
circumstances that make it financially difficult for you to go?
2. Could you provide more information about the support you are receiving from your family
(financial, emotional, etc.) to study abroad?
3. Are you the first in your family to go to college? To study abroad?
4. Will you lose income during study abroad because you have to put your job on hold?
5. Do you have a disability that makes it more difficult for you to go?
6. Do you identify as a student of color, and does this play into your decision to study abroad?
What it means to be a
U.S. citizen while
abroad
How you will seek
opportunities to be
culturally engaged
Seeking opportunities
to have meaningful
interactions
Essay #2
Required
Max. 3000 characters
Community Impact:
Building Mutual Understanding Essay
3 Questions to Ask Yourself
1. Do you articulate how you will represent the U.S. as a citizen diplomat while abroad?
2. Do you explain how will contribute to the goal of building mutual understanding?
3. Do you discuss how you will look for opportunities to build meaningful relationships and become more
culturally engaged?
Building Mutual Understanding Essay
Sample Section
“I understand that if selected not only would I be a representative of Gilman
scholars, but also a representative of the United States. During my time abroad I
will engage both inside and outside the classroom by participating in school related
excursions and adventuring on personal travel to meet Spanish locals.”
WAIT!
1. Give more detail on how to have meaningful interaction with community members
2. How are you representing the US? How can you break the “American abroad
"stereotypes?
3. What type of activities or involvement do you hope to be apart of and how will studying
abroad help you build mutual understanding?
Being an effective
citizen diplomat
while abroad
How will you give
back by inspiring
others to study
abroad?
On campus or in
home community
Essay #3
Required
Max. 3000 characters
Community Impact:
Follow-on Service Project Proposal
Design plan of action
(audience, tools, timeline)
5 Questions to Ask Yourself
1. Does your FOSP increase awareness of the Gilman Scholarship and study abroad?
2. Is your project feasible?
3. Do you give a detailed plan for your project?
4. Do you incorporate your study abroad experience into you project?
5. Do you have an intended audience? Who will you collaborate with to reach this community?
Follow-On Service Project (FOSP) Proposal
Sample Section
“For my follow up service project, I am planning to hold my own info session. I plan to speak on
how the Gilman scholarship makes studying abroad possible as well as the benefits of going
abroad. I understand that people aren’t sure that going abroad is really worth it because they are
worried about missing out on opportunities or internships in New York. However, having gone
through this thought process myself, I have come to realize the importance of learning about a
new culture and I want to help people understand that.”
WAIT!
1. You want to do an Info Session. Great. Now we need SPECIFICS!
2. Where and when will the info session be? How will you publicize? Who is your target audience and why?
3. You don’t need to write about the importance of Gilman or of studying abroad – the selection committee
knows that already.
4. How will you use your individual background, experiences abroad, talents and skills, etc. in this project?
Sample Projects
Gilman Scholars have proposed projects in K-12 Outreach, Academic Department Outreach, Campus Office
Outreach, Study Abroad Outreach and Other. Examples of these projects include:
• Participating in your local high school College Night to share information on study abroad opportunities and
scholarships. Speaking to local k-12 students about the value of study away.
• Developing an informational flyer/brochure specific to your academic department or field of study promoting
study abroad.
• Promoting and encouraging study abroad opportunities and the Gilman Scholarship at on-campus clubs,
academic clubs, honor society meetings, or organization meetings.
• Presenting on study abroad opportunities and the Gilman Scholarship Program at Freshmen Orientation or in
First-Year Experiences courses, encouraging students to consider study abroad earlier rather than later.
• Volunteering or working in the study abroad office as a Peer Mentor/Advisor to potential study abroad
students.
• Serving as a resource person for a specific country/program/field of study that would advise/assist potential
study abroad students
• Hosting a photography exhibit on campus or in your community to share your experiences abroad,
international opportunities that exist, and the Gilman Scholarship
Is it a critical need
language?
Is it predominantly
spoken in the
country you’re going
to?
How does it relate
to your academic
or career goals?
Essay #4
Optional
Max. 2000 characters
Critical Need Language Award Essay
Motivations for
improving language
proficiency
(academic, professional, and personal)
Critical Need Language Award
• Arabic
• Azerbaijani
• Bahasa Indonesian
• Bangla
• Chinese (Mandarin)
• Hebrew*
• Hindi
• Japanese
Up to an additional $3,000 + access to proficiency testing
Studying any of these languages in sign language is also eligible for CNLA Requires an additional essay to be considered
• Korean
• Persian
• Portuguese
• Punjabi
• Russian
• Swahili
• Turkish
• Urdu
4 Questions to Ask Yourself
1. Do you address your academic, professional, personal motivations for improving your language
proficiency?
2. Do you give examples of how you will improve your language skills while studying abroad both
inside and outside of the classroom setting?
3. Do you share how you intend to use the language after you study abroad and how the CNL Award
prepares you for this?
4. If you would like to be considered for an exception of studying a language in a country/location
where it is not predominantly spoken. Do you explain why you choose your particular location and
the benefits and resources for studying the selected language there?
Critical Need Language (CNL) Award
How is your STEM
research associated
with your study
abroad program?
Describe its
contribution to your
future academic
and/or career goals.
Demonstrate
motivations to your
STEM Field
Essay #5
Optional
Max. 1000 characters
STEM Supplemental Award
2 Questions to Ask Yourself
1. Will you conduct STEM-related research as part of your study abroad or international internship
program?
2. Do you summarize your STEM-related research component and how this will contribute to your
future academic and/or career goals?
Allowable expenses may include, but are not limited to:
● Lab fees
● Equipment or gear required to conduct research
● Hardware of software required to conduct research
● Fees required to conduct research, such as internet, cell phone, or printing costs
● Local transportation required to conduct research
STEM Supplemental Award
Application Tips
Gilman Scholars’ Tips for Applicants
Create a compelling story
that ties your past,
present, and future to
highlight the impact the
scholarship will have on
you.
Start the application
early, be your truest self,
and have confidence
that you are worthy.
Gilman Scholars’ Tips for Applicants
For your Follow-on Service
Project, think about your
community and local schools.
Think of how you heard about
Gilman and how you could tell
others about it!
If you don’t apply,
you’ll never get it!
Writing Tips
• Be precise
• Use clear, concise language
• Choose compelling words that paint a picture of who you are
as a person
• Give concrete examples
• Mention the Gilman Scholarship by name
• Avoid jargon: don’t assume reader knows about NYU, your
major or your planned field
• Proofread: Spellcheck does not catch everything! Consider
asking someone with strong writing and editing skills to
proofread the essay before you submit it.
• Make sure your grammar and spelling are impeccable!
• Be creative
Pro Tip! Remember, the selection
committee is just as human as you
are, with the difficult task of
deciding who to award a
scholarship to. Just like you, they
have hopes, goals, dreams, and
passions, and they can recognize
these qualities in other people
too. As you write your essay,
appeal to these sensibilities and
try to give them an idea of who
you are.
Additional Essay Writing Resources
● Advising Sessions with Us!-
■ Throughout September, please sign up on our website for a virtual advising
session
https://apply.globalstudy.nyu.edu/portal/gilman
■ Please send over your draft essays before your advising session
■ Review the Gilman Website for essay guidelines, tips for writing competitive
essays, and examples of follow-on service projects
Deadlines and Timelines
Contact Information
800.852.2141 Ext. 1
Gilmanscholarship.org
global.programs@nyu.edu
gilman@nyu.edu
212-993-4433
Office of Global Programs
Gilman Contacts
