U.S. Government Partners Resources for Study Abroad U.S. Department of State The U.S. Department of State is committed to preparing the next generation of diverse American leaders to succeed in a globalized economy and work across borders to address our world's most pressing issues. Through the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, various resources and opportunities are available for U.S. undergraduate and graduate students, educators, and U.S. colleges and universities, among others, to support study abroad, language learning, and professional interests. Some of these key initiatives are highlighted below:
Fulbright U.S. Student Program* | us.fulbrightonline.org The Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers fellowships for graduating college seniors, graduate students, young professionals and artists to study, conduct research, and/or teach English abroad. Up to 1,800 awards are available each academic year in over 140 countries. Other Fulbright programs offer opportunities to U.S. faculty, researchers, teachers, and professionals.
Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program* | gilmanscholarship.org The Gilman Program enables American undergraduate students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, gaining proficiency in diverse languages and cultures and providing them with skills that are critically important to their academic and career development. Under this program, the John McCain International Scholarship for the Children of Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is also available. Approximately 3,000 scholarships of up to $5,000 are awarded each academic year. Since its inception in 2001, the Gilman International Scholarship Program has awarded more than 33,000 scholarships to U.S. students studying or interning in 151 countries.
Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program* | clscholarship.org The CLS Program is an intensive overseas language and cultural immersion program for American undergraduate and graduate students. Every summer, approximately 550 U.S. students spend eight to ten weeks studying one of 15 critical languages in countries where these languages are widely spoken. The CLS Program is part of a wider government initiative to expand the number of Americans studying and mastering foreign languages that are critical to national security and economic prosperity. Participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.
IDEAS Program | studyabroadcapacitybuilding.org The Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad, also known as IDEAS (Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students), is designed to increase and diversify American student mobility in support of U.S. foreign policy goals. The program expands the institutional capacity of U.S. colleges and universities through IDEAS Grants, IDEAS Incubator Workshops, and capacity building initiatives for the wider U.S. study abroad community. *Successful program completion allows alumni of the Fulbright U.S. Student, Gilman, and CLS Programs to be eligible for up to three years of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government. NCE makes it easier for federal agencies to hire exchange alumni who meet the minimum qualifications of a given position with three key advantages: less competition, a faster application process and strong interest from hiring managers. IIE GENERATION STUDY ABROAD IMPACT REPORT / 29
