The Maria Pia Gratton International Award 2011

The Maria Pia Gratton International Award 2011

The Maria Pia Gratton International Award at the University of Illinois was established by the family and friends of Maria Pia Gratton. Pia passed away on October 31, 1995, at the age of 47. When she came to the United States, Pia had two small children, a degree in math, and little grasp of the English language. Pia enrolled in classes to learn English and computer programming, and with determination she made a home for her family, developed close friendships and began a career in her new country. Those who knew Pia knew her to be a beautiful woman, a caring mother, a loving wife, a dependable co-worker, a true friend, a conscientious student, a patient teacher, and a daring traveler. This award continues Pia’s memory with a living tribute to her life.

Who is eligible to apply for the Gratton Award?

This award is intended to enable a female graduate student from outside the United States to have an academic and cultural experience at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Preference will be given to a student who has had a limited opportunity to travel outside of her home country.

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria to apply:

Applicants must either be: a) currently enrolled as graduate students at UIUC with at least one academic year (i.e., two semesters) of graduate school remaining after the conclusion of the academic year in which the student is applying for the Gratton Award; OR b) if not currently enrolled as graduate students at UIUC, applicants must be applying as graduate students at UIUC for the academic year immediately following the year in which the student is applying for the Gratton Award (Note: Applicants who have not yet been admitted to UIUC must follow regular academic admission procedures. For application information, please refer to http://ping.fm/qmASP);
Applicants must be international students (U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents are not eligible to apply);
Applicants must be female (applications from male applicants will not be considered).
What does the Gratton Award include?

The Gratton Award provides a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend totaling $10,000 for the academic year.

Please note that some Colleges and/or programs do not accept tuition waivers. It is the student’s responsibility to verify that her program will accept a tuition waiver in lieu of payment.

When is the deadline to apply for the Gratton Award?

The deadline to apply for an award for Academic Year 2011-2012 is April 4, 2011. All applications will be reviewed after the deadline. Decisions will be announced and applicants will be notified via email as soon as possible after the deadline.

What criteria are considered by the selections committee in evaluating Gratton Award applications?

The selections committee will take into account the degree to which applicants share Pia’s philosophy of life and desire to improve their multicultural experiences and education. Pia believed that living among various people, studying various cultures, and learning various customs taught her to appreciate and respect the people of this world. For more information about Pia, please refer to: http://ping.fm/vlhIa

What does the application consist of?

The application consists of three questionnaires and one electronic material submission. The first questionnaire asks for basic information about the applicant, the second questionnaire asks the applicant to respond to an essay prompt, and the third questionnaire asks the applicant to provide detailed financial information about funding sources. The electronic material submission outlines the conditions of applying for the award and requires an electronic signature. Scholarship applicants must complete and submit all of the questionnaires as well as the electronic signature form in the application. Your application will be complete once you see check marks in each of the questionnaire and material boxes. Incomplete applications may not be reviewed.

Please note:

When you click “Create App” to begin an application, a message may pop up indicating that you may be charged a $25 fee to begin a new program application. This fee does not apply when creating a scholarship application.
The application allows you to save material and continue working on it at a future date until the deadline. After the deadline has passed, you will not be able to access the application again. You will have until 11:59 p.m. Central Standard Time on the date of the deadline to complete your application; at midnight, the application will close.
Scholarships might be taxable to the recipient. Recipients will be taxed on the scholarship payments, if required.
Questions about applying for the Maria Pia Gratton International Award should be directed to Ms. Jessica Sheets, Study Abroad Scholarship Coordinator, by e-mailing jsheets@illinois.edu

Deadline: 04/04/2011