In these pages you will find pertinent information regarding all the educational exchange programs offered by the U.S. Government.
These exchanges range from programs for Undergraduate students to programs for Master Degrees at different universities. These include the Fulbright Program, the Humphrey Fellowship and the International Visitors Program.
Exchanges Programs
Fulbright Foreign Student Program (Fulbright Posgrado)
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program enables graduate students, young professionals and artists from abroad to study and conduct research in the United States. The Fulbright Foreign Student Program operates in more than 155 countries worldwide. Approximately 4,000 foreign students receive Fulbright scholarships each year.
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program is administered by binational Fulbright Commissions/Foundations or U.S. Embassies. All Foreign Student Program applications are processed by these offices.
Program eligibility and selection procedures vary widely by country. Please use the drop-down menu here to find information about the Fulbright Program in your home country, including eligibility requirements and application guidelines.
http://foreign.fulbrightonline.org/about/foreign-fulbright
Application Process-2023
Fulbright LASPAU Program (for university professors)
The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The Fulbright Program has provided approximately 310,000 participants chosen for their academic merit and leadership potential with the opportunity to study, teach and conduct research, exchange ideas and contribute to finding solutions to shared international concerns. Laspau administers a part of the Fulbright Program which provides grants to individuals from Latin America and the Caribbean for graduate study in the United States. Grants are awarded for Master’s and PhD programs in a variety of fields of study
Fulbright Specialist Program
A program of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, the Fulbright Specialist Program is a unique opportunity for U.S. academics and established professionals to engage in two- to six-week consultancies at host institutions across the globe. Host institutions, including universities, non-profits, and other organizations, develop and submit projects for approval by the U.S. Embassy or Fulbright Commission in their country in wide-ranging academic and professional fields that build capacity and promote long-lasting linkages between individuals and institutions in the U.S. and abroad.
Address Priorities and Build Institutional Capacity at Institutions Around the World
An important companion to the traditional Fulbright Scholar Program, the Fulbright Specialist Program differs by providing short-term exchange experiences that tackle discrete, sometimes rapid response, projects. The Fulbright Specialist Program encourages participation of both university faculty and highly experienced non-academics, including legal experts, business professionals, public health practitioners, scientists, IT professionals, artists, and journalists. The program is a mutually beneficial opportunity for the Specialist who may not be available to leave their position for an extended period of time and the host institution which needs an experienced partner to jointly tackle a problem or examine an issue on a short-term basis.
https://www.worldlearning.org/program/fulbright-specialist-program/
Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program brings 200 outstanding mid-career professionals from countries in states of development or transition to the United States to engage in non-degree study and related professional experiences at select American universities. Started in 1978, the program now has a network of over 4,200 alumni in 157 countries around the world.
As a non-degree program, the Fellowship offers valuable opportunities for professional development through selected university courses, attending conferences, networking, and practical work experiences. During the year, Fellows pursue both their individual program goals and work closely with their Humphrey colleagues in workshops and seminars.
The Humphrey Fellowship Program is for experienced professionals interested in strengthening their leadership skills through a mutual exchange of knowledge and understanding about issues of common concern in the U.S. and Fellows’ home countries. If you are interested in broadening your perspectives and becoming a global leader, find out if the Humphrey Fellowship is right for you.
https://eca.state.gov/fulbright/fulbright-programs/program-summaries/humphrey-program
Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD)
PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY RECEIVING APPLICATIONS
FUTURE SCHOLARSHIP DATES: August to December 2024
FOR INQUIRIES: exchangeprograms@worldlearning.org
Global UGRAD Program
The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) provides a diverse group of emerging student leaders with a scholarship for one semester of non-degree academic study at a U.S. college or university. Global UGRAD is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the United States Department of State and aims to recruit participants from underrepresented backgrounds who have not had other opportunities to study in the United States. Successful applicants can expect an in-depth exposure to U.S. society, culture, and academic institutions, as well as opportunities to enhance their professional skills.
All participants will be enrolled for one semester in full-time, non-degree, undergraduate coursework chosen from their host institution’s existing curriculum. Participants will be required to take one, 3-credit U.S. studies course to enhance their understanding of the United States. Participants will live in campus housing facilities with American peers and will be required to participate in 20 hours of community service. There will also be a virtual arrival orientation and an in-person end-of-program workshop.
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be a citizen of the country in which they apply for the Global UGRAD Program.
- Applicants must be studying in the country in which they apply for the Global UGRAD Program.
- Scholarships will be granted to students who currently are enrolled in full-time undergraduate programs only, having completed a minimum of one semester of study by January 2024.
- Participants must have at least one year remaining in their undergraduate studies at their home institutions upon completion of the Global UGRAD Program.
- Applicants should demonstrate leadership potential through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities.
- Applicants must achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 48iBT to be considered. Students who score between 48-60 will be considered for the virtual English Language Training prior to the exchange portion of the program. Students must achieve a minimum score of 61 to be eligible to participate in the exchange portion of the program in the United States.
- Preference will be given to those who have had little or no experience in the United States or outside of their home countries.
- Applicants are required to return directly to their home country after the completion of the program.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age at the time of the program’s start.
Application and Program Timeline:
Applications will be accepted from November 1, 2023 to December 15, 2023 for the 2024-2025 academic year. Participants will be placed at a U.S. university in either the fall 2024 semester (August – December 2024) or spring 2025 semester (January to May 2025).
Application Deadline: December 15, 2023
https://webportalapp.com/sp/login/ugrad_student_application_2024
SUSI Students
DEADLINE TO APPLY: December 20, 2022
PROGRAM TRAVEL DATES: July to August, 2023
TO APPLY: Submit Word Form (Word Doc – 68 KB) and requested documents to exchangessanjose@state.gov
FOR INQUIRIES: exchangessanjose@state.gov
Women’s Leadership Program for Indigenous and Afro-Costa Ricans (Study of the United States Institute) on Women´s Leadership for Afro-Costa Rican or Indigenous students is an intensive short-term academic program in Spanish, whose purpose is to provide undergraduate women student leaders with a deeper understanding of the United States while simultaneously enhancing their leadership skills. The four-week Institutes will consist of a balanced series of seminar discussions, readings, group presentations, and lectures. The coursework and classroom activities will be complemented by educational travel, site visits, leadership activities, and volunteer opportunities within the local community.
The program provides participants with an overview of America’s leading women in government, the private sector, and academia. Topics may include but are not limited to, the history of women’s rights in the United States, gender, and racial issues, including the LGBTQI community’s struggle for inclusion in the United States and Latin America, current challenges in the global women’s issues, such as the economic impact of the pandemic on women and girls, and the growing role of indigenous and Afro-Latin women in their countries.
The candidates must be motivated young women, who are studying between the first and third year of university or other higher education institutions (between the ages of 18 and 25). They must have at least one academic semester to complete upon return from the program, demonstrate leadership skills in their academic work, community service, or other extracurricular activities. In addition, they must show that they have a genuine interest in learning about the U.S., the topic of female leadership and empowerment. They must be students who have maintained a high level of academic achievement, good grades, recognition, and good recommendations from their teachers. Mature, responsible, independent, self-confident, tolerant, open-minded, intellectually restless, and judicious students are sought. Priority will be given to people who have not made previous trips to the United States or other destinations outside the country.
SUSI Scholars
Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars (SUSIs) are intensive post-graduate level academic programs with integrated study tours whose purpose is to provide foreign university faculty and other scholars the opportunity to deepen their understanding of U.S. society, culture, values, and institutions. The ultimate goal of the Institutes is to strengthen curricula and to enhance the quality of teaching about the United States in academic institutions abroad. Study of the U.S. Institutes for Scholars takeS place at various colleges, universities, and institutions throughout the United States over the course of six weeks.
https://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/study-us-institutes
Costa Rica- Study Abroad Directory
This guide (PDF 520 KB) is a list of study abroad programs being offered in Costa Rica by various Universities and third-party providers.
They include brief descriptions to help identify the best program for you. Through this, the U.S. aims to reach the U.S. Government’s “100,000 Strong” initiative, seeking to surpass 100,000 exchanges within the Latin American and Caribbean region by the year 2020.
If your program is not listed, please contact us at exchangessanjose@state.gov and we’ll include it.
- Costa Rica- Study Abroad Directory (PDF 520 KB)