The recognition highlights UGA’s commitment to making study abroad accessible for students with financial need
The U.S. Department of State has recognized the University of Georgia as a Gilman Program 25th Anniversary Top Producing Institution, a distinction awarded to colleges and universities that have supported the most Gilman Scholars from 2001 to 2025.
The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program provides merit-based scholarships to undergraduate students with high financial need to study or intern abroad for academic credit. Established by the U.S. Congress in 2001, the program is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026.
“We are deeply honored to be recognized as a Gilman Program 25th Anniversary Top Producing Institution,” said Yana Cornish, director of global education at UGA. “This distinction reflects our commitment to expanding access to global education and supporting students with high financial need in pursuing transformative international experiences.”
The recognition underscores UGA’s success in preparing students to compete for the Gilman Scholarship.
Since 2001, UGA Gilman Scholars have studied and interned in countries around the world, gaining the kind of cross-cultural skills and professional experience that prepare them for careers in an increasingly connected global workforce. In 2025, 45 UGA students were named Gilman Scholars.
“The Gilman Scholarship has opened doors for so many of our students, empowering them to engage with the world, develop critical skills and return home ready to lead,” Cornish said. “We are proud to partner in advancing opportunities that make study abroad more accessible.”
At UGA, the Office of Global Engagement supports students throughout the Gilman application process, offering in-person information sessions on campus each fall and spring semester as well as application essay reviews at the Office of Global Engagement.
Recipients have gone on to apply their experiences abroad directly to their academic and professional goals.
Loren Peoples, a biology major and Spanish minor graduating in May 2026, used the Gilman Scholarship to participate in the UGA en España: Peru Medical Spanish program.
“Because of the Gilman Scholarship, I was able to expand my academic perspective beyond the classroom and into real-world health care settings,” Peoples said. “It strengthened my commitment to medicine.”
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of State, funded by the U.S. government and implemented with support from the Institute of International Education.
For more information about the Gilman Scholarship and study abroad opportunities at UGA, visit studyaway.uga.edu.