The GLOBAL Undergraduate Exchange Program is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, US Department of State providing one-semester scholarships to undergraduate students from underrepresented sectors for a non-degree, full-time study in the US. Students will study at accredited two and four-year US institutions of higher education, receive intensive English language instruction if needed, and engage in community service, professional development workshops, and cultural enrichment activities.

Global UGRAD participants will be enrolled full time in undergraduate course work at the host institution to allow ample opportunity for substantive interaction with US faculty and student peers, and for exposure to US academic and classroom culture. Host institutions will offer instruction on topics including academic research and writing, critical thinking, time management, note-taking, and studying for and taking tests. Participants will live on-campus with US peers or in homestays with American families.

Students cannot choose their host institution and will be placed at the most appropriate host institution based on students’ academic interests. This is a non-degree program, so it is the students’ responsibility to check with their home institutions whether any credits accumulated during the UGRAD program will be transferred.

Students will be required to participate in a minimum of twenty hours of community service activities during the program. Students will also be required to enroll in at least one course in a US Studies field, such as US history, literature, art, or government.

Failure to meet the academic requirements of the university and UGRAD program (poor grades, failure to submit assignments or attend class) may result in dismissal from Global UGRAD. Participants must remain in good academic standing with a minimum 2.0 GPA.