Gilman-McCain Scholarship for Undergraduate Students 2025

The John S. McCain International Scholarship for Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is a congressionally funded initiative of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and named after the late senator John S. McCain from Arizona.

The Gilman-McCain Scholarship provides awards of $5,000 for child and spousal dependents of active or activated United States military personnel during the time of application (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) to study or intern abroad on credit-bearing programs. Applicants must be recipients of any type of Title IV federal financial aid during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving Title IV federal financial aid during their study abroad program or internship.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirments
• Interview Process
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineAugust 7, 2025
• Value$5,000
• Study LevelUndergraduate
• SponsorUS Government
• City to studyWashington
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

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Benefits

The Gilman-McCain Scholarship recipients are awarded $5,000 to be used toward the cost of study abroad or international internship programs.

Requirements

To be eligible for a Gilman-McCain Scholarship, an applicant must be:

• A citizen or national of the United States;
• An undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited institution of higher education in the United States (including both two-year and four-year institutions);
• Dependent (child or spouse) of active or activated United States military personnel during the time of application (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);
• Recipient of any type of Title IV federal financial aid during the time of application or provide proof that they will be receiving Title IV federal financial aid during their study abroad program or internship;
• In the process of applying to, or accepted to, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship program. Proof of program acceptance is required prior to award disbursement;
• Applying for credit-bearing study abroad programs in a country or location with an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2, according to the U.S. Department of State’s Travel Advisory System. It is important to note that certain areas within a country or location that has an overall Travel Advisory Level 1 or 2 may be designated within the Travel Advisory as either Level 3 or Level 4; Gilman scholars will not be allowed to travel to these specific areas. Gilman scholars are unable to participate in programs located in a country or location — or an area within a country or location — that is designated as either a Level 3 (“Reconsider travel to”) or Level 4 (“Do not travel to”).

Interview Dates and Process

During application eligibility review, all eligibility criteria will be reviewed including review of the dependent military ID documentation confirming child or spousal dependent status of an active military member. All complete and eligible Gilman-McCain Scholarship applications will then be reviewed in selection panels separate from other applicants.

Application Deadline

How To Apply

The Gilman-McCain August 2025 Deadline application will open in mid-June for applicants whose abroad programs or internships start between September 1, 2025 to April 30, 2026. The application deadline is Thursday, August 7, 2025 at 11:59pm Pacific Time, and the advisor certification deadline is Thursday, August 14, 2025.

All applicants will be notified of their status via email in September 2025. All advisors will also be notified of scholarship recipients via email and will have access to the status of each student in their Gilman advisor account.

For more details, visit Gilman International Scholarship webpage