AK Travels Limited

Summary

• Scholarship: John S. McCain International Scholarship for Military Families (Gilman-McCain Scholarship)
• Funding: U.S. Department of State
• Award: Up to $5,000
• Study Type: Credit-bearing study abroad or international internship
• Eligible Applicants: U.S. citizens or nationals who are undergraduate students and eligible military dependents
• Military Relationship: Child or spouse of an active or activated U.S. military service member
• Financial Aid Requirement: Recipient of any type of Title IV federal financial aid
• Eligible Institution: Accredited U.S. college or university
• Current Application Cycle: Fall 2026
• Eligible Programme Start Dates: December 1, 2026 – October 31, 2027
• Student Deadline: October 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
• Advisor Certification Deadline: October 8, 2026

About the Scholarship/Programme

The John S. McCain International Scholarship for Military Families, commonly known as the Gilman-McCain Scholarship, is a U.S. Department of State-funded scholarship designed to support undergraduate children and spouses of active or activated U.S. military personnel who wish to undertake eligible international study or internship programmes.

The programme is administered under the framework of the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. Unlike the general Gilman Scholarship, which has a different eligibility structure, the Gilman-McCain Scholarship specifically serves eligible military families.

The scholarship supports credit-bearing study abroad programmes and international internships. Applicants must be enrolled as undergraduate students in good standing at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education, including two-year and four-year institutions.

For the Fall 2026 application cycle, eligible programmes or internships must begin between December 1, 2026 and October 31, 2027. This includes Winter/January 2027, Spring 2027, Maymester 2027, Summer 2027, Fall 2027 and academic-year 2027–2028 programmes.

Scholarship Benefits

Successful Gilman-McCain applicants receive an award of up to $5,000.

The scholarship is intended to help cover the costs associated with eligible credit-bearing study abroad or international internship programmes.

The official programme states that 100 awards of $5,000 each are offered for the current academic year. There is no application fee for the scholarship.

Applicants should note that the award is subject to programme eligibility, available funding and the security situation in the destination. The U.S. Department of State may require programme changes or suspend participation where necessary because of security considerations.

Who Can Apply?

To qualify for the Gilman-McCain Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a citizen or national of the United States.
• Be an undergraduate student in good standing at an accredited U.S. institution, including two-year and four-year colleges.
• Be the child or spouse of an active or activated U.S. military service member at the time of application.
• Receive any type of Title IV federal financial aid during the application period or provide proof that Title IV aid will be received during the study abroad programme or internship.
• Be applying to, or accepted into, a credit-bearing study abroad or internship programme.
• Provide proof of programme acceptance before scholarship funds are disbursed.
• Select a programme in a country or location with an overall U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory Level of 1 or 2. Specific areas within an otherwise eligible country may still be excluded if they carry a Level 3 or Level 4 advisory.

The programme also states that education abroad programmes involving institutions appearing on the relevant Section 1286 National Defense Authorization Act list are not eligible.

Step-by-Step Application Process

Step 1: Confirm your eligibility.
Review the military dependent, undergraduate, U.S. citizenship/nationality and Title IV financial-aid requirements before beginning the application.

Step 2: Identify an eligible programme.
Your study abroad programme or internship must be credit-bearing and fall within the dates covered by the application cycle. Check the destination’s current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory status.

Step 3: Start the online application.
Applications are submitted through the official Gilman online application system. Applicants should use the application cycle corresponding to their programme start date.

Step 4: Provide required information and documentation.
Applicants must provide information demonstrating their eligibility, including documentation confirming their child or spousal military-dependent status. The programme reviews eligibility documentation during the application process.

Step 5: Submit the application before the deadline.
For the Fall 2026 cycle, the student application must be submitted by October 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time.

Step 6: Complete advisor certification.
Study abroad and financial-aid advisor certifications are part of the process. The Fall 2026 advisor certification deadline is October 8, 2026.

Important Deadline

For the Fall 2026 Gilman-McCain Scholarship application cycle:

• Application deadline: October 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
• Advisor certification deadline: October 8, 2026
• Notification: December 2026
• Eligible programme start dates: December 1, 2026 – October 31, 2027

A separate Winter Application is scheduled to open in mid-November 2026. Its student deadline is January 7, 2027 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time, with advisor certification due January 14, 2027. This cycle covers programmes beginning February 1, 2027 through October 31, 2027.

Official Application Link

Applicants should apply through the official Gilman online application system:

Final Note from AK Travels LTD

The Gilman-McCain Scholarship is a highly specific U.S. study-abroad funding opportunity. It is not open to international students generally. Applicants must meet the U.S. citizenship or nationality requirement, be enrolled as undergraduates at an accredited U.S. institution, qualify as a child or spouse of an active or activated U.S. military member, and satisfy the applicable federal financial-aid and programme requirements.

Before applying, eligible students should carefully review the official requirements and ensure that their proposed study abroad or internship programme falls within the correct application cycle.

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