The Commonwealth Times
The Commonwealth Times
Illustration by Gabriella Denney.
Abdullah Karabatek, Contributing Writer
Several VCU students awarded the federal Gilman Scholarship said they are still waiting for funds that were paused earlier this year due to administrative review.
The Gilman International Scholarship is a need-based federal award designed to help Pell Grant recipients study abroad. This semester, the scholarship experienced a 15-day pause — which has since ended — but students at VCU and other universities have reported that the funds have yet to be released by the Institute of International Education, which administers the program.
Savannah Morris, a third-year political science student, said she was awarded the Gilman in December 2024 to support her summer study abroad program. She was not notified of the pause until an email from IIE arrived on Feb. 26, long after she had already begun making travel plans.
“I was extremely shocked,” Morris said. “I thought this was something that couldn’t be touched or wouldn’t be touched. It gave me a lot of unnecessary stress.”
The Gilman Scholarship is specifically intended to expand study abroad access to students from low-income backgrounds. Morris said the delay undercuts that mission and places unnecessary stress on students who rely on scholarship aid.
“I planned my college career around being able to study abroad,” Morris said. “If the funding doesn’t come through in time, I may not be able to go. For students like me who rely on this support, delays can make or break the opportunity.”
Morris said she appreciates the efforts from VCU’s Global Education Office but remains frustrated by the situation.
“I’ve considered using a credit card or dipping into my federal loans, but that’s not what this scholarship was supposed to be about,” she said. “It’s supposed to help students like me, not make things harder.”
As of now, no exact timeline has been provided for when the Gilman funds will be released, according to the Gilman Scholarship website.
“I just hope they realize that behind the paperwork and processing delays, there are real students trying to better themselves,” Morris said. “And we’re doing everything we can to make it work — we just need the support we were promised.”
Stephanie Tignor, the director of global learning at VCU, said the Global Education Office is in communication with affected students and is working to provide solutions.
“We are working with the currently impacted students to enable them to go on with their programs,” Tignor said. “We’ve kept Gilman recipients informed about updates from the IIE, the organization that administers the program and disburses funds.”
Tignor also said the university actively advocates for students through its Office of Government Relations and professional networks like NAFSA: Association for International Educators.
“Our office has been reaching out to see what support we can offer, and we’re encouraging students to remain hopeful,” Tignor said.
Tignor said transparency and communication are key during times of uncertainty and public investment in scholarships must be protected.
“These programs are critical to making education more equitable,” Tignor said. “Delays like this send a message that students who need the most support can’t always rely on the system designed to help them.”
Students receiving those awards said they have concerns about instability and timing.
Samih Siddiqi, a third-year computer science student who is not a Gilman recipient but receives financial aid through other scholarships, said the situation highlights how dependent many students are on consistent funding.
“Scholarships are the only reason I’ve been able to stay on track in school,” Siddiqi said. “When those funds get delayed, it puts students in a really difficult position, financially and emotionally.”
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