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NYU Students Live and Learn Abroad Thanks to Global Awards

Posted on by Katie L

A young woman standing in a glittering urban center looking up.For many students at NYU, a global education isn’t just an option, it’s a given. Gaining international experience provides students with a springboard to hone language skills, pursue advanced research, and build a global network. Many of NYU’s aspiring overseas scholars apply to available scholarships and fellowships to make their dreams of going abroad a reality. Competitive awards provide singular opportunities to explore the world and continue one of the many values seeded at NYU—being a global citizen. It is a lifelong educational pursuit, and students and alumni have a full office—the Office of Global Awards (OGA)—at NYU dedicated to helping them determine the best fit for them and prepare competitive application materials. So, following the recent announcement that NYU is one of the top producers of Fulbright US students, we’re celebrating the scholars who embody the NYU ethos of a campus without walls on the global stage.

Fulbright Program

OGA runs NYU’s internal Fulbright advising and endorsement process, offering students and alumni support, from workshops and modules to accountability and community, throughout the process. Last year, 25 NYU students and alumni were awarded Fulbright grants to research, study, or teach abroad. Fulbright scholars were in countries as diverse as Brazil, Estonia, Indonesia, Jamaica, South Africa, Spain, and Sri Lanka. For this year’s Fulbright process, 67 NYU students are currently semifinalists, and results will be announced later this semester.

Rhodes Scholarship

Perhaps one of the most well-known scholarships, the Rhodes Scholarship grants students the opportunity to study at the University of Oxford as a fully funded and full-time postgraduate student. Gustė Gurčinaitė, an NYU Abu Dhabi Class of 2023 student, is currently majoring in Political Science with minors in Environmental Studies and Legal Studies. As a 2023 Rhodes Scholar, Gustė intends to pursue an MPhil in Environmental Change and Management.

Critical Language Scholarship

The US Department of State classifies certain languages as “critical languages.” That is, languages essential to national security and economic success. The Critical Language Scholarship Program, sponsored by the US Department of State, takes US students abroad for eight to 10 weeks for an intensive study and immersive cultural experience. Two undergraduate NYU students received the award in 2022. Christina Lee, an NYU College of Arts and Science East Asian Studies and Journalism double major, studied Chinese in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Luna Belle Vassão, a Global Liberal Studies major with a concentration in politics, rights, and development studied Japanese in Okayama, Japan.

Marshall Scholarship

By studying in the United Kingdom, Marshall scholars gain a unique understanding and lasting appreciation of everything the country has to offer. The two-year graduate school scholarship supports academically gifted and personally talented US students while they study in the UK. This award helps support storyteller and activist Callie Holley, Tisch School of the Arts Class of 2022, in her pursuit of an MA in Black Studies at Birmingham City University. Callie was one of four finalists from NYU considered for the scholarship in 2022 and the fourth NYU recipient to receive the scholarship in the past three years.

George J. Mitchell Scholarship

Sponsored by the US-Ireland Alliance, the Mitchell Scholarship introduces and connects accomplished, community-minded students to the island of Ireland. Each year, up to 12 Mitchell Scholars are chosen to conduct postgraduate study abroad in the discipline of their choice at any institution in Ireland or Northern Ireland. In 2021 Marilu Duque, Tandon School of Engineering Class of 2019, was selected from a pool of over 450 students. At Technological University Dublin, Marilu studied Criminology with a focus on cybercrime.

Schwarzman Scholars

As China’s role as a global power grows and becomes more complex, it’s increasingly important that the next generation of leaders understands this country of nearly 1.5 billion people. Schwarzman Scholars attend Tsinghua University in Beijing, where they complete a one-year master’s degree in Global Affairs. Throughout the year, they deepen their appreciation of Chinese culture and commerce through lectures, mentorship, language instruction, and travel. NYU students from across schools and majors have won the highly selective award. In 2022 four NYU students were named Schwarzman Scholars; in 2023 that number increased to six.

Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship

The Gilman Scholarship program provides study abroad scholarships to US undergraduate students who currently receive a Federal Pell Grant as part of their tuition. Over the last two years, 48 NYU students received the Gilman Scholarship to support their study abroad experience. While awards typically average up to $5,000, students who apply to the Critical Need Language Award can receive additional funding. Critical languages as of 2023 include Arabic, Bangla, Japanese, Korean, and Turkish.

NYU Named Gilman Top Producing Institution

Posted on , modified on by Kristin Law
Benjamin A. Gilmn International Scholarship logo

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a program of the US Department of State with funding provided by the US government and supported in its implementation by the Institute of International Education (IIE).

In recognition of the large number of Gilman Scholars NYU has produced, the US Department of State named the University one of the highly regarded program’s 20 large Top Producing Colleges and Universities in 2021. NYU was the only private research university in the large category to receive this distinction, announced last fall by the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“Gilman’s mission is to make study abroad more accessible and inclusive by providing scholarships to outstanding US undergraduate students,” says NYU Office of Global Programs assistant director of student services Nyoka Joseph. “As a top-producing institution, NYU is recognized for its support of equity, diversity, and accessibility in study abroad through the programs it offers and the culture it has created with regards to studying or interning abroad for any student who wants the experience.”

Helping Students Fulfill Their Study Abroad Dreams

Since its foundation in 2001, the Gilman Scholarship Program has partnered with US higher education institutions to make study abroad more accessible for underrepresented students, including first-generation college students, students who are of historically marginalized ethnicities, students with disabilities, and students attending historically Black colleges and universities.

Students receive up to $5,000 in funding to study abroad for a full semester or academic year, and they are eligible to apply for an additional $3,000 in aid if they plan to study a critical need language (a language deemed critical to national security).

Each year, Joseph and her team host informational sessions to review the Gilman application process and teach students how to write strong essays. With three Gilman advisers on board, Joseph says they can mentor more than 35 student applicants each semester.

For Mika-Elle Metellus, a College of Arts and Science senior pursuing a double major in French and Politics, the Gilman advisers played a critical role in her Gilman success story.

“Thanks to the NYU Gilman advisers, my application process ran smoothly,” she says. “In the beginning of the spring 2019 semester, I attended a Gilman Scholarship information session at the StudentLink Center. I was then paired with an adviser who simplified the process for me by creating personal deadlines, reviewing all my essay drafts, and motivating me along the way.”

The Lasting Impact of a Gilman Scholarship

According to Joseph, students benefit from the Gilman Scholarship in many ways. One of the immediate benefits, she says, is the reduction of their financial burden. The scholarship allows them to focus on their studies while fully experiencing their new international environment. This was true for Mika-Elle, who studied abroad at NYU Paris in the fall of 2019. “I became fully integrated into the French culture and language,” she says. “My biggest takeaway from studying at NYU Paris was the language immersion that no classroom setting could ever provide.”

The Eiffel Tower

A view of the Eiffel Tower

When students complete their term abroad, Joseph says they gain access to the Gilman Scholar Network (a national alumni network), become a Gilman ambassador, and complete a service project for their NYU peers or their local community. They also qualify for at least 12 months of noncompetitive eligibility hiring status within the federal government. This allows US federal government agencies to hire eligible exchange program alumni outside of the formal competitive job announcement process.

Overall, Joseph says the Office of Global Programs at NYU regularly promotes the Gilman Scholarship because it continues to be an invaluable funding opportunity for students who might not otherwise have the means to study abroad. In the past 20 years, 307 NYU students have received a Gilman Scholarship. With Gilman they’ve been able to explore a new culture, study a diverse language, and acquire critical skills for their personal and professional development.

For more information about the Gilman Scholarship application process, please visit the Studying Abroad Gilman Scholarships page on NYU’s website.

Written by Samantha Jamison