Gilman-McCain Scholarship 2026: Apply for a $5,000 Study Abroad Scholarship for U.S. Military Family Dependents

Overview

The John S. McCain International Scholarship for Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship) is a U.S. government-funded initiative administered through the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. Department of State. It is designed to assist eligible undergraduate students from U.S. military families in participating in international education and internship experiences. The program currently provides 100 awards worth $5,000 each toward the costs of eligible credit-bearing programs.

Eligibility

• Must be a U.S. citizen or national.
• Must be an undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited two-year or four-year U.S. institution of higher education.
• Must be a dependent child or spouse of active or activated U.S. military personnel at the time of application.
• Must receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid during the application period or provide proof of receiving it during the study abroad program or internship.
• Must be applying to, or already accepted into, a credit-bearing study abroad or international internship program that complies with U.S. Department of State travel advisory and restriction guidelines.

How to Apply

Applicants should approach the application process through the following steps:

1. Review all eligibility criteria and prepare required military dependent documentation, such as the DD1173 Form.
2. Identify and apply to a suitable credit-bearing study abroad program or international internship.
3. Verify Title IV federal financial aid status.
4. Complete the official online application through the Gilman application system.
5. Coordinate with a study abroad advisor to ensure the required advisor certification is completed on time.

Deadline

The application deadline for the Fall 2026 cycle is Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time, with a separate advisor certification deadline on Thursday, October 8, 2026.