Info Sessions
Are you an undergraduate student, Pell Grant recipient, and U.S. citizen? Are you interested in studying abroad?
You may be eligible to apply for the U.S. State Department’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship! Here’s what you could earn:
- Up to $5,000 for studying or interning abroad + $500 from UMD Education Abroad through the Gilman Guarantee program
- An additional $3,000 if you are studying a Critical Language
- An additional $1,000 STEM Award for applicants who are doing STEM-related coursework or internships abroad
- and 12 months of noncompetitive eligibility for federal employment for Gilman scholars
UMD students are successful Gilman Scholarship Recipients!
- In the last two years 123 UMD students received the Gilman scholarship!
- These Terps won a total of $369,000 to study abroad!
- UMD applicants regularly outperform the national average acceptance rate!
To help you join the ranks of UMD Gilman Scholars, we are hosting three information sessions. Register for one that works for your schedule!
- Wednesday, August 12, 4:30 - 5:00 pm
- Wednesday, August 19, 12:00 - 12:30 pm
- Thursday, August 20, 4:30 - 5:00 pm
Can't attend? Join our Gilman ELMS resource page, which offers a lot of helpful information as well as successful example essays, please fill out this quick form.
ELIGIBILITY
Students must be:
- a U.S. citizen
- a Pell Grant recipient
- an undergraduate (includes all majors)
- all program lengths are eligible
DEADLINE: October 1, 2026 (For abroad programs that start between December 1, 2026 and October 31, 2027.)
The Luce Scholars Program
Established in 1974, the Luce Scholars Program is a nationally competitive, 12-month immersive leadership development and professional placement fellowship that provides emerging leaders with individualized, professional experiences across Asia. Designed to deepen mutual understanding and foster stronger, more informed, and more compassionate relationships across borders, the program emphasizes experiential, cross-cultural, and professional learning rather than academic study or traditional research.
Luce Scholars are not enrolled in a degree-granting program. Instead, each Scholar participates in a highly individualized experience that begins with intensive language training and is followed by a tailored professional placement aligned with their interests, skills, and long-term goals. Through immersive living, language study, and hands-on professional experiences, Scholars develop the cultural humility, adaptability, leadership skills, and global perspective necessary to navigate an increasingly interconnected world.
The Luce Scholars Program is open to American citizens and permanent residents who will have earned at least a bachelor’s degree by the start of the program, are under 32 years of age, have demonstrated leadership potential and a record of high achievement, and possess a strong interest in deepening their engagement with Asia. We particularly value applicants who bring some form of prior professional experience, whether through full-time work, internships, research, community engagement, or other non-academic experiences.
Placements are currently possible in the following countries and regions: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Learn more and sign up for a webinar!
Wednesday, July 15 – 1:30 -2:30 p.m. Eastern – Open to All Webinar on the Luce Scholars Program
Wednesday, August 5 - 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Eastern – Open to All Webinar on the Luce Scholars Program
Monday, August 24 - 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Eastern - Applicants only – Program review and application Q&A
Tuesday, September 1 1:00 -2:00 p.m. Eastern – Applicants only – Application Q&A