FY 2026 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- DFOP0017975
- Agency
-
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
Department of State
- Applications due
- Award size
- $4,800,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Other
- Eligible applicants
-
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- 501(c)(3) Nonprofits
- Points of contact
-
- Stephanie Sanders sanderss@state.gov (202) 634-0616
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs seeks a cooperative agreement recipient to administer the FY 2026 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD), which will place approximately 160 international undergraduate students at U.S. colleges and universities for one semester of non-degree study during the 2027-2028 academic year. The administering organization must possess at least four years of experience conducting international exchanges and must be a U.S. not-for-profit organization, think tank, civil society/nongovernmental organization, or accredited U.S. higher education institution. Key program requirements include recruiting and placing participants at diverse host institutions, including community colleges, land-grant institutions, rural campuses, and Senior Military Institutions; arranging comprehensive participant support services including health benefits, travel coordination, and mental health support; implementing mandatory curriculum in U.S. history, civic engagement, and American culture; facilitating skill-building in strategic priority fields such as business, entrepreneurship, semiconductors, AI, engineering, critical minerals, manufacturing, and supply chain resilience; and establishing J-1 visa compliance through the Exchange Visitor Program. Applicants must submit proposals through Grants.gov by June 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, with an anticipated award date of August 14, 2026, and must register with SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) prior to submission.
The total funding available for this cooperative agreement is up to $4,800,000, pending FY 2026 appropriations, with a 36-month performance period running from approximately August 14, 2026, through August 14, 2029. Approximately 160 participants will be recruited and nominated by U.S. embassies and Fulbright commissions across six regions: East Asia and the Pacific (35 participants), Europe and Eurasia (35), Near East (25), South and Central Asia (25), Sub-Saharan Africa (15), and Western Hemisphere (25). Program implementation will occur across U.S. colleges and universities nationwide, with emphasis on placement at institutions in rural areas and small towns, and the award recipient must prioritize maximizing scholarship awards while maintaining adequate staffing to ensure participant health and safety throughout the program duration.
Synopsis
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the administration of the FY 2026 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD). The total amount of funding for this award will be up to $4,800,000, pending the availability of FY 2026 funds.
The Global UGRAD Program places small cohorts of participants at a broad range of colleges and universities, including community colleges, land-grant institutions, rural campuses, and Senior Military Institutions, giving participants a "real American" experience in small towns and rural communities. Participants build skills in strategic U.S. priority fields such as business, entrepreneurship, semiconductors, AI, engineering, critical minerals, manufacturing, and supply chain resilience. All participants are required to study U.S. history, civic engagement, and American culture, deepening their understanding of American excellence, innovation, and culture. Funding should support approximately 160 participants, pending the availability of FY 2026 funds. Every effort should be made to maximize the number of scholarships awarded; staffing levels should be adequate to ensure that participant health and safety are prioritized.
Please see the NOFO for additional information.
Update #1 ·
The Office of Academic Exchange Programs of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs announces an open competition for the administration of the FY 2026 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD). The total amount of funding for this award will be up to $4,800,000, pending the availability of FY 2026 funds. The Global UGRAD Program places small cohorts of participants at a broad range of colleges and universities, including community colleges, land-grant institutions, rural campuses, and Senior Military Institutions, giving participants a "real American" experience in small towns and rural communities. Participants build skills in strategic U.S. priority fields such as business, entrepreneurship, semiconductors, AI, engineering, critical minerals, manufacturing, and supply chain resilience. All participants are required to study U.S. history, civic engagement, and American culture, deepening their understanding of American excellence, innovation, and culture. Funding should support approximately 160 participants, pending the availability of FY 2026 funds. Every effort should be made to maximize the number of scholarships awarded; staffing levels should be adequate to ensure that participant health and safety are prioritized. Please see the announcement for additional information.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| performance_monitoring_plan_mode_2.3_02.03.2025.pdf | ||
| performance_monitoring_plan_mode_2.3_02.03.2025-4.docx | DOCX document | |
| FY26 Global UGRAD - POGI.pdf | ||
| FY26 Global UGRAD - NOFO.pdf |
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