San Francisco State University is a Gilman Program 25th Anniversary Top Producing Institution!
The national recognition highlights SFSU’s commitment to making global education accessible and affordable
- By David Knutson
San Francisco State University has been named a Gilman Program 25th Anniversary Top Producing Institution, earning national recognition for its long-standing commitment to expanding access to study abroad opportunities.
This week, the U.S. Department of State recognized SFSU for having a high number of students receive the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship over the program’s 25-year history. The University was also noted for its success in making international education accessible to diverse and high-need students.
In 2025 alone, 22 SFSU students studied abroad with support from the Gilman Scholarship. Altogether, students received $41,000 in awards, with individual scholarships ranging from $3,000 to $8,000.
For Jason Reyes, who studied at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands for a semester, the Gilman Scholarship was transformative.
“Receiving the Gilman scholarship has oriented my academic and professional goals toward a more globally integrated path,” Reyes said. “I am much more well-rounded in my field now that I have experienced it in very different settings. I have gained skills and knowledge and had access to learning materials that I would not have otherwise been able to access. Ultimately, I graduated much faster by studying abroad and created many strong relationships with my professors, both at home and abroad.”
Angelique Shara Persails, who studied in Madrid, Spain, said that receiving the Gilman scholarship was a main factor in her ability to study abroad last year.
“With the help of Gilman and the campus Study Abroad office, I was able to turn my dreams of traveling into reality," Persails said. "This opportunity has taught me a global perspective and supported my work as a journalist through lived experiences and cross-cultural exploration. Thanks to the Gilman Scholarship offered here at SF State, my work is more well-rounded, and I have gained the confidence and adaptability required to enter my field after graduation.”
“When you step beyond your borders, you don’t just discover the world; you discover yourself in it,” said Janelle Waldrep, who advises students applying for the scholarship alongside colleague Mark Belocura. “San Francisco State University has a long, proud history of supporting diversity of participants in education abroad, including but not limited to the minoritized, first-generation college students and transfer students. We feel that the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a fundamental piece in that support. We enjoy a shared goal with Gilman in increasing diversity in education abroad.”
Belocura added that personalized advising and application coaching help students see studying abroad as achievable. “For many students, cost is the biggest barrier,” he said. “We work closely with them to navigate the application process and tell their stories in a compelling way.”
According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), one of the most common regrets among college graduates is not studying abroad. Yet for many SFSU students, it can feel financially out of reach. The Gilman Scholarship, which is open to U.S. citizen undergraduates who receive Pell Grants, helps bridge that gap.
Angelique Shara Persails in Madrid.
SFSU offers study abroad programs in 36 countries, with options available for students in all majors. Through the University’s exchange model, students pay the same SFSU tuition while abroad, continue receiving financial aid and earn resident credit that keeps them on track for graduation.
Megan Chow, who spent a semester at Chung-Ang University in South Korea, documented her experience in a blog, offering practical tips on planning and financing a study abroad journey.
Students interested in exploring international opportunities can browse programs in the SF State Abroad Database, which includes options across six continents.
With national recognition from the U.S. Department of State and continued support for high-need students, SFSU’s message is clear: studying abroad is not just possible, it’s within reach.
