Scholarships for Pell Grant Eligible Students

Background on the Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is offered to either full-time or part-time undergraduate students that are eligible for Federal Student Aid. To apply, the student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The amount a student may receive is dependent on their financial need, the cost to attend school, status as a full-time or part-time students, and plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

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Scholarships available to Pell Grant Eligible Students

The following scholarships are available to you, as long as you qualify for a Federal Pell Grant, regardless of whether you accept the grant or not: 

Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, thereby gaining skills critical to our national security and economic prosperity. The Institute of International Education has administered the program since its inception in 2001.

WHY GILMAN?

A Gilman Scholarship enables American students to gain proficiency in diverse languages and cultures, skills that are critically important to their academic and career development.

The Gilman Scholarship Program broadens the student population that studies and interns abroad by supporting undergraduates who might not otherwise participate due to financial constraints.  The program aims to encourage students to study and intern in a diverse array of countries and world regions. The program also encourages students to study languages, especially critical need languages (those deemed important to national security). Veterans of military service are encouraged to apply, and preference is given to veterans when other factors are equivalent. By supporting undergraduate students who have high financial need, the program has been successful in supporting students who have been historically underrepresented in education abroad, including but not limited to first-generation college students, students in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, ethnic minority students, students with disabilities, students attending HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) or other minority-serving institutions, students attending community colleges, and students coming from U.S. states with less study abroad participation.

Award amounts will vary depending on the length of study and student need. Applicants who are studying a critical need language while abroad can apply for a supplemental award of up to $3,000, for a combined total of $8,000. This award is competitive and offered to a limited number of Gilman scholars each year. Not all students who are studying these languages will receive $8,000. In addition to receiving additional funds for language study, students who are awarded the Critical Need Language Award and complete their Gilman Scholarship requirements will be offered the opportunity to take the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI). This test and the results will serve as both an evaluation measure of the award and as a credential for the award recipient.

AWARD RECIPIENTS

Award recipients are chosen by a competitive selection process and must use the award to defray eligible study or intern abroad costs. These costs include program tuition, room and board, books, local transportation, insurance, international airfare, passport and visa fees.

NON-COMPETITIVE ELIGIBILITY FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT

Under Executive Order 13750, Gilman scholars are eligible for 12 months of noncompetitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government, with the possibility of extensions if certain criteria are met. NCE allows U.S. federal government agencies to hire eligible exchange program alumni outside of the formal competitive job announcement process and to compete for certain federal employment jobs that are only open to federal employees. In other words, a Gilman alumna/us can receive a job offer with as little as an open position and a résumé that reflects the necessary experience and education for an agency.

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Ramapo College Partners’ Scholarships for Pell Grant Eligible Students

The following partners of Ramapo College offer additional scholarship support to students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant: 

Academic Programs International (API)

The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards for undergraduate study abroad and was established by the International Academic Opportunity Act of 2000. This scholarship provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study abroad programs worldwide.

Students participating in a semester or academic year study abroad program with API who have been awarded a Gilman scholarship will be eligible to receive up to $1,000 in matching contributions from API, or up to $500 in matching contributions from API for an intern abroad program during the summer, semester, or academic year. To receive this award, Gilman winners should indicate their scholarship details on their financial aid information after acceptance to an API study abroad program.

Arcadia University’s College of Global Studies

Students receiving a Pell Grant may be eligible for this scholarship, which provides up to $5,000 for any semester abroad, including summer. Gilman scholarship recipients who apply for an Arcadia Scholarship are guaranteed a scholarship of at least $1,000 from us for semester and year programs and $500 for summer programs.

CIEE

GAIN TRAVEL GRANT

$750 to $2,000 toward airfare; award amount depends on CIEE program location.

Eligibility: The Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Travel Grant helps cover airfare to and from all CIEE program locations for students who demonstrate financial need. PELL students are guaranteed a GAIN Travel Grant if they submit their Scholarships Application by October 15 for January and spring programs, or by April 1 for summer and fall programs. GAIN Travel Grants are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

GILMAN GO GLOBAL GRANT

Go Global Grant recipients also automatically receive a GAIN Travel Grant!

Semester Programs: $2,500 toward program costs
Summer Programs: $1,000 toward program costs

Eligibility: Qualified applicants for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship are GUARANTEED a CIEE Go Global Grant and a GAIN Travel Grant, regardless of whether they receive the Gilman Scholarship. That’s a program cost reduction and funding toward airfare! Students must submit their Scholarships Application by October 15 for spring programs, or April 1 for summer and fall programs to be guaranteed a grant.

DIS: Study Abroad in Scandanavia

The combined maximum scholarship for any individual student is $5,000 per semester. During the summer, awards range from $250-$1,000 depending on program cost and duration.

• DIS Scholarship
  Awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need
• Diversity Scholarship
  Awarded to support students from populations that are underrepresented in study abroad, including but not limited to diverse ethnic, racial, cultural, socioeconomic, or educational backgrounds, sexual orientation, disability, age, etc.

Fill out the Need-Based Scholarship Form here (PDF)

The School for Field Studies

SFS matches Federal Pell Grant funding for students using their Pell Grant to help pay for the cost of an SFS semester program. Students must complete the SFS Financial Aid Application in order to receive this award. The total award package is not limited to the amount of the Pell Grant; you will also be considered for additional scholarships, travel grants, and loans offered by SFS that could enhance this award.

SIT Study Abroad

SIT Study Abroad is committed to making its study abroad programs affordable for a diversity of students, including low-income undergraduates who might otherwise not pursue international opportunities. Our Pell Grant Match program provides matching grants to students receiving Federal Pell Grant funding for the term during which they are studying with SIT. This award can be applied to any SIT program. Qualified students must complete the scholarship portion of their application.

How to receive the SIT Pell Grant Match Award

1. Please begin by clicking the scholarship box and completing the scholarship section of your program application.

• Electronically sign the Consent to Release Student Information Form (FERPA).
• Provide SIT with the name and email address of a financial aid officer at your home school.

2. SIT Study Abroad will then send a link to a web-based form to the indicated financial aid officer at your home school.
3. As part of your scholarship application, you will also want to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) per the scholarship instructions. Add the SIT School Code: 008860 to your existing FAFSA. Please do not eliminate the existing School Code for your home school.
4. Once the indicated financial aid officer completes the SIT Study Abroad web-based Financial Assessment Form with proof of your Pell Grant and your FAFSA is received, SIT Study Abroad will match the amount of the Pell Grant dollar for dollar for that semester’s program. You will also be reviewed for additional scholarships, if eligible.

Special Note for Summer Program Students: The Pell Grant Match is available for students who are eligible for summer term Pell Grants as verified by the home school’s financial aid office. Typical students in this category include students enrolled at quarter system schools.

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For more details, or to receive support in your application to any of the above scholarships, please visit the Roukema Center for International Education (ASB-123) or contact us at (201) 684-7533 or goabroad@ramapo.edu.