The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (also known as the Global UGRAD Program) provides one semester scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students from around the world for non-degree full-time study combined with community service, professional development, and cultural enrichment.
The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and administered by World Learning.
The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program is open to all academic fields of study and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, or disability.
Competition for the program is highly competitive and merit based. Finalists will be selected on the basis of academic excellence, leadership potential, and their preparedness for study in the U.S.
Since 2008, World Learning has provided this opportunity to over 2,500 Global UGRAD students. Participants leave the U.S. with the tools to become leaders in their professions and communities.
Global UGRAD alumni go on to receive Fulbright grants, obtain prestigious international internships, and work in business and government in their home countries and regions.
Benefits
Goal of the program: To promote mutual understanding between people of the United States and other countries.
- Provide a fulfilling exchange experience to drive academic, cross-cultural, and leadership competencies for students from Global UGRAD countries.
- Enhance students’ academic knowledge and professional skills needed to pursue long-term academic and career goals.
- Cultivate students’ comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the U.S.
- Facilitate opportunities for students to establish social networks with U.S. host institutions and local communities.
- Empower students to engage constructively in the civic life of their local and global communities.
Benefits:
- The duration of the international exchange program is one semester.
- The students will be given a full tuition fee waiver for the entire semester.
- The candidates will be provided with a monthly stipend.
- A traveling allowance will be given to the students.
- Visa allowance will be provided to the students.
- Return Airfare is given to the participants of the program.
Requirements
The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program provides non-degree undergraduate study abroad in the United States on a competitive basis to university students.
The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program is open to anyone who is/has:
- Over 18 years of age;
- A citizen of a UGRAD participating country, currently residing in that country;
- Enrolled as an undergraduate in good standing at any accredited university, public or private, and has at least one year remaining at their home university at the conclusion of the UGRAD program;
- Completed secondary education in their home country;
- A solid command of written and spoken English (English Language training for some finalists is possible);
- Be able to begin studies in the United States in August 2025 or January 2026;
- Eligible to receive and maintain the US student exchange visa (J-1) required for the program;
- Cleared by a physician to participate in the program;
- Committed to returning to their home country after the completion of the program.
Application Documents
After you have received the completed recommendation forms (faculty and personal), you must upload the
- Faculty recommendation,
- Personal recommendation,
- Most recent transcript, and a
- Copy of a government-issued photo ID to your application.
If you are a first-year student and do not have a transcript from your current institution, you may upload your final high school transcript. See below for additional guidance related to document uploads:
- Only .pdf, .docx, .jpg, .jpeg, and .png files are accepted. We strongly encourage you to not upload any files larger than 1 GB.
- You may upload each file as you have it ready, but you may not submit your application until all four files are added.
- The application will not accept more or fewer than four (4) files
Label files clearly: please give your files names that explain their content:
- Example: 1 LAST NAME, First Name, Faculty Recommendation
- Example: 4 LAST NAME, First Name, Passport
Method of Application
Recommendation:
- As part of your application, you are required to upload two different recommendation forms: one from a faculty member who is familiar with your academic performance and one from an individual who is familiar with you in other personal capacities, such as an employer, coach, mentor, etc. Recommendations cannot be from family members or friends.
- When you reach this section of the application, you will be able to download templates for both the faculty and personal recommendation forms. Please download each template and provide it to your recommender. If preferred, recommenders may use their own template/letter, but they should include all information requested in the template provided by World Learning. You can save your application and return to upload the recommendation forms after they have been returned to you
- Please also note that your application cannot be submitted until both recommendation forms are uploaded, which must be done before the application deadline.
Apply through the U.S. Embassy (Public Affairs Section) or Fulbright Commission in your home country.
Global Undergraduate Exchange Program
1015 15th Street NW,
7th Floor Washington DC 20015
Phone: 202-408-5420
Email:globalugrad@worldlearning.org
For More Information,
Application Deadline: December 15, 2024.