Global Undergraduate Exchange Program 2025-26 (Ukraine)

Participants will be selected for academic excellence, leadership potential, community involvement, fluency in written and spoken English, motivation and flexibility to be an exchange student.

The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD), sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, is supported by the people of the United States. This international educational and cultural exchange program brings future leaders to the United States to experience the U.S. educational system, enhance their knowledge and skills, and explore U.S. culture and values. It also provides students with the opportunity to educate Americans about other cultures and traditions. The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program is administered through the joint efforts of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Embassies abroad and World Learning.

The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs strives to ensure that its efforts reflect the diversity of U.S. society and societies abroad. The Bureau seeks and encourages the involvement of people from traditionally underrepresented audiences in all its grants, programs, and other activities and in its workforce and workplace. Opportunities are open to people regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. The Bureau is committed to fairness, equity and inclusion.

Participants will study for one academic semester at accredited four-year U.S. institutions of higher education, receive intensive English instruction if needed, and engage in community service, professional development workshops, and cultural enrichment activities. Global UGRAD participants cannot choose their host institution and will live on-campus with U.S. peers. Candidates should be highly motivated and demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities.

The Global UGRAD scholarship provides one academic semester of undergraduate, non-degree study in the United States in all fields. Interested applicants in medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmacology or other clinical fields of study, should be aware that direct patient care, including animal care, is not permitted, and therefore academic coursework and/or program activities at participating U.S. institutions may be limited. In addition to coursework in their fields of study, U.S. studies, and electives, Global UGRAD finalists will engage in several non-academic activities including:

• Pre-Departure Orientation: all Global UGRAD finalists must attend a pre-departure orientation (PDO) prior departure to the United States.
• Community Service: Global UGRAD finalists engage with their U.S. communities through the completion of required community service.

Benefits

• The Global UGRAD Program cover finalists’ travel to/from the U.S., university tuition, room and board, health insurance, required books, and monthly stipend for incidental expenses.

Role and Responsibilities

• Individuals participating in the Global UGRAD Program are required to uphold the academic standards of the host institution and abide by all program terms and conditions. Failure to maintain academic standards or meet the goals of the program may result in the participants’ dismissal from the program.
• Students will be placed at colleges and universities throughout the United States. Students will not be able to select their own placement. Students will take courses in their fields of study and the number of credits earned during these courses is included in the obligatory 12 credits per semester. Additional credits are contingent upon U.S. host institution and are subject to World Learning’s approval. Participants 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 twenty hours of community service. Students will not be eligible to transfer into degree programs in the U.S. All participants must return to their home country immediately after completing their program.

Eligibility Criteria

• Global UGRAD applicants will be considered irrespective to their race, color, religion, ethnicity, or gender. Persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. All Global UGRAD Program participants must be committed to return to Ukraine after the completion of the program.
• The Global UGRAD Program is merit-based competition opened to anyone who is:
  • A citizen of Ukraine currently residing and studying in Ukraine as a full time University student at the 1-2 year of Bachelor degree program, academic year 2024-25;
  • Over 18 years of age by the start date of their Program in the United States;
  • Enrolled as full-time undergraduate student in good academic standing at any university in Ukraine, public or private;
  • Demonstrate leadership potential through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities;
  • Has a good command of written and spoken English (English language skills should be strong enough to study in the U.S. university);
  • Able to begin studies in the United States in September 2025 or January 2026 (selected participants may not defer to a later date);
  • Upon program completion return to Ukraine and continue studying for a least one academic year at home university in Ukraine;
  • Eligible to receive and maintain the U.S. student exchange visa (J-1) required for the program.

Ineligibility Criteria

• Individuals in the following circumstances are not eligible for the Global UGRAD Program:
  • U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the United States;
  • Individuals currently studying, residing, or working outside Ukraine;
  • Graduate students and students of 3rd and 4th year of bachelor’s degree programs;
  • Local employees of the U.S. missions abroad who work for the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); employees are also ineligible for one year following the termination of employment;
  • Immediate family members (i.e. spouses and children) of U.S. Department of State and USAID employees; family members are also ineligible for one year following the termination of employment;
  • Current World Learning employees and their immediate family members.

Selection Criteria

• Competition for the Global UGRAD Program is open and merit based. Selection committee will review all eligible applications and invite semi-finalists for interviews.
• Upon receipt, evaluation of applications and interview reports, final selection will be made by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in Washington, D.C.
• Global UGRAD Program finalists and alternate candidates will be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A limited number of finalists will be eligible for intensive online English language training before beginning their academic programs in the U.S. All finalists and alternate candidates must also complete a medical exam and receive required immunizations prior to beginning of the Program.

Application Requirements

• To be considered for evaluation, applicants must:
  • Complete the online application (answer every question thoroughly in English);
  • Upload a copy of international passport bio (first) page or government-issued ID (if the applicant does not have international passport);
  • Upload two letters of recommendation with certified translations, if necessary. One letter of recommendation must be completed by instructor, professor or advisor from the student’s university. The second recommendation can be from another instructor, an employer, coach, former exchange program coordinator or community/volunteer activities supervisor. Each letter of recommendation must have a contact information (telephone, email address) of a person who provided it. Family members and friends may not provide letters of recommendation.
  • Upload complete and certified official undergraduate transcripts (starting from the first year of studying at the university) with certified English translations.
  • First year students are required to upload “atestat” of complete secondary education and “dodatok do atestatu”, both documents with certified translation. Grades must be printed on official school/university stationery, signed by a dean or equivalent official, and certified with official university seal or by translation agency.
  • Upload official confirmation of the current academic year enrollment – “dovidka” (if not included in transcript). This document does not need official translation to English. “dovidka” can be uploaded to the ‘Portfolio’ section of the application.
  • Upload English language test score report (if taken previously). This document is not required;
  • All additional documents including certificates of achievements, Olympiads, conferences etc. are not required but can be uploaded under the ‘Portfolio’ part of application.
• Please check that you have included all of the following (where applicable) with your application:
  • Complete online application (all applicable questions must be answered);
  • Electronic signature on application;
  • Required essays;
  • Two letters of recommendation;
  • Official translation of any recommendations not written in English originally;
  • Official academic transcripts with university/department seal;
  • Official verified translations of the official transcripts if not issued in English;
  • Official confirmation of the current academic year enrollment “dovidka”. This document does not need official translation into English;
  • “Atestat” of complete secondary education and “dodatok do atestatu” with certified English translation in place of the official academic transcript (for first-year students only);
  • Photocopy of the first page of your international passport or ID card.

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