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Study Abroad Scholarships for Americans: Gilman, Boren, Fulbright and How to Win Them

ByMedia Pavilion

Studying abroad is more affordable for American students than many families assume, because a mix of federal, university and private scholarships is set aside specifically for it. The best-known programmes, including the Gilman Scholarship, the Boren Awards and the Fulbright US Student Program, are funded by the US government and exist precisely to send more Americans overseas. This guide explains the main scholarships, who qualifies, how much they pay, when to apply and how to use the aid you already have to cut the cost of a semester or degree abroad.

Can You Use Federal Financial Aid to Study Abroad?

Often, yes. If you study abroad through a programme approved by your US college, for credit towards your degree, you can usually keep your federal aid, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans. According to Federal Student Aid, students enrolled at an eligible US school who take part in an approved study abroad programme may be eligible for federal aid in the same way as on campus. Your study abroad office and financial aid office can adjust your cost of attendance to include airfare and overseas living costs, which may increase your aid package.

If you want to enrol directly in a full degree at a foreign university, the rules are narrower. Some overseas universities participate in the federal Direct Loan programme, but Pell Grants generally cannot be used at foreign schools. Check the StudentAid.gov list of participating international schools before you commit. Our step-by-step guide on how to study abroad covers the wider planning process.

What Is the Gilman Scholarship?

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a US Department of State programme for undergraduates who receive a federal Pell Grant. According to the programme’s website, it offers awards of up to $5,000 for study or credit-bearing internships abroad, with up to $3,000 more through the Critical Need Language Award for students studying languages such as Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Russian or Swahili.

Gilman deliberately targets students who have historically been under-represented in study abroad, including first-generation students, students from minority backgrounds, community college students and students with disabilities. Applications run in cycles: the autumn 2026 cycle closed on 1 October 2026, and the next cycle, for programmes starting in spring and summer, is due to open in mid-January 2027 with a deadline of 25 February 2027, according to the Gilman website.

What Are the Boren Awards?

The Boren Awards, funded by the National Security Education Program, pay for Americans to study languages and cultures considered critical to US national security, in regions outside Western Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Undergraduates can receive a Boren Scholarship of up to $25,000, and graduate students a Boren Fellowship of up to $30,000, according to the Boren Awards website.

There is a condition: recipients agree to work for the federal government for at least one year after graduating, in a role connected to national security. For students interested in diplomacy, defence, intelligence or international development, that is a feature rather than a drawback. Deadlines usually fall early in the calendar year, so start preparing in the autumn.

What Does the Fulbright US Student Program Offer?

Fulbright is the flagship exchange programme of the US government, offering grants for graduating seniors, graduate students and young professionals to study, research or teach English in more than 140 countries. Grants typically cover travel, living costs and health benefits for an academic year.

The 2027–28 competition closed on 6 October 2026, according to the Fulbright website, with semi-finalists due to be notified by the end of January 2027. If you missed it, the next competition normally opens in spring, giving you several months to develop a project proposal, secure an overseas affiliation and work with your college’s Fulbright adviser, which is the single most useful thing you can do.

Which Other Scholarships Should Americans Know About?

  • Critical Language Scholarship (CLS): a fully funded State Department summer programme for intensive study of 13 or more critical languages
  • Rhodes Scholarship: fully funded postgraduate study at the University of Oxford; 32 Americans are selected each year
  • Marshall Scholarship: funds up to two years of postgraduate study at almost any UK university
  • DAAD scholarships: the German Academic Exchange Service funds US undergraduates, graduates and researchers to study in Germany
  • Fund for Education Abroad and Freeman-ASIA: private awards that prioritise under-represented students and study in Asia respectively
  • Your own college: many universities offer study abroad grants and let you carry institutional scholarships overseas

Deadlines for the elite postgraduate awards, such as Rhodes and Marshall, usually fall in early autumn of your final undergraduate year and normally require your university’s endorsement, so ask your fellowships office about internal deadlines a year in advance.

How Can You Cut the Cost of Studying Abroad?

  • Choose cheaper destinations: many public universities in Germany charge little or no tuition for most programmes, and living costs in parts of Spain, Portugal, Central Europe and Latin America can be lower than in a US college town
  • Pick exchange programmes: on a direct exchange, you usually keep paying your home college’s tuition, so your existing aid travels with you
  • Go for a semester, not a year: shorter programmes cost less in total
  • Apply for several awards: Gilman, Boren and private grants can often be combined
  • Budget carefully: our guide to comparing the cost of living shows how to estimate rent, food and transport abroad

How Do You Write a Strong Study Abroad Scholarship Application?

  • Explain why this country and this programme: generic essays about “experiencing a new culture” rarely stand out
  • Connect it to your goals: show how the experience fits your degree and career
  • Be specific about impact: many awards, Gilman included, ask how you will share your experience with your home community, so propose a realistic project
  • Get feedback early: your study abroad office, writing centre and professors can review drafts
  • Ask for references in good time: give recommenders at least three weeks and a short summary of your plans

For general tactics on finding and winning awards, see our guide on how to find and win scholarships.

When Should You Start Planning?

Ideally 12 months before you travel. A realistic timeline looks like this: research programmes and talk to your study abroad office a year ahead; choose a programme and confirm credit transfer about nine months ahead; apply for scholarships six to nine months ahead; and apply for your passport and any student visa as soon as you are accepted. Visa processing can be slow, as our report on UK student visa delays showed.

Key Takeaways

American students can often keep their federal aid when they study abroad through an approved programme, and several government scholarships exist specifically to fund overseas study: Gilman for Pell Grant recipients, Boren for critical languages and regions, and Fulbright for graduates. Combine them with university and private awards, choose a destination with lower costs and start planning a year ahead. Award amounts and deadlines change, so always confirm the details on each programme’s official website before you apply.

Featured image: Fall 2015 International Student Orientation (21098019291), by University of the Fraser Valley / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0. Cropped, colour-graded and combined with MediaPavilion branding.

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