The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy is pleased to announce an open competition for the 2021-2022 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD Program) sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State.

The 2021-2022 Global UGRAD program will provide one-semester scholarships to approximately 250 outstanding undergraduate students representing all world regions to study in the U.S colleges and universities.  The program includes pre-academic English language training, academic coursework, service learning opportunities, 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 U.S. faculty and student peers, and for exposure to U.S. academic and classroom culture.   

Students are required to enroll in at least two courses in their major and at least one course in a U.S. Studies field, such as U.S. history, literature, art, or government. Students will also 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 a minimum of twenty hours of community service.  There will also be a virtual arrival orientation and an in-person end-of-program workshop. 

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants must: 

• Be a Cambodian citizen with at least 18 years of age when beginning the UGRAD program in the United States.
• Be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in Cambodia, and must have completed their first year of undergraduate study prior to starting their Global UGRAD Program.
• Have at least one semester or an equivalent term to complete at their home institutions upon completion of the Global UGRAD Program.  The Global UGRAD program cannot be the final academic term of a student’s undergraduate study.
• Be highly motivated and demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities.
• Applicants must demonstrate a command of written and spoken English. The TOEFL exam will be required of those selected as finalists or alternates.
• Priority will be given to students from non-elite or less-privileged backgrounds, from both rural and urban areas, who have little or No prior experience in the U.S. or elsewhere outside of their home countries.
• Applicants must be committed to return directly to their home country after the completion of the program.

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