The U.S. Embassy in Moldova is pleased to announce the annual competitions for the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) for the 2021-2022 academic years.

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. The program is sponsored by the U.S Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and aims to recruit participants from underrepresented, non-elite 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.

Global UGRAD 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.

All participants will be enrolled in full-time, non-degree, undergraduate course work 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 twenty hours of community service. There will also be a virtual arrival orientation and an in-person end-of-program workshop.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be a citizen of Moldova (permanent residents of the Transnistrian region may be considered regardless of citizenship.)
• Applicants must be studying at a Moldovan university.
• Scholarships will be granted to students who currently are enrolled in full-time undergraduate programs only, having completed a minimum of their first semester of study by January 2021. Participants must have at least one semester or an equivalent term to complete 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.
• Preference will be given to those who have had little or NO experience in the U.S. or outside of Moldova.
• Applicants are required to return directly to Moldova after the completion of the program.
• Applicants are over 18 years of age at the moment of application.
• Applicants are able to begin studies in the U.S. in August 2021 or January 2022 (selected participants may not defer to a later date).
• Applicants are eligible to receive and maintain the U.S. student exchange visa (J-1) required for the program.

For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Moldova.