UGRAD Global Exchange Program (Mongolia)

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.

Components

• Students selected for the Global UGRAD program cannot choose their host institution and will be placed at the most appropriate host institution based on their academic interests. The program has two cohorts, fall cohort taking place between September and December and spring cohort between January and May. Exact program dates vary depending on the academic schedule of the assigned U.S. host university.
• All participants will be enrolled for one semester in full-time 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.
• All academic fields of study are eligible. Per J-1 visa regulations, interested applicants in Medicine, Nursing, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacology or other clinical fields of study should note 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.
• Failure to meet the academic requirements of the university and Global UGRAD program (poor grades, failure to submit assignments or attend class) may result in dismissal from Global UGRAD. Participants must remain in good academic standing with a minimum 2.0 GPA.
• One-semester English language training can be provided prior to the start of the academic studies for a limited number of students whose English ability is lower (be able to score TOEFL IBT 48-60) but otherwise qualified. These students are often from rural provinces, disabled or have other strong extenuating circumstances. English training takes place in fall semesters. For these students who are required to take English training, they would leave Mongolia in the fall semester and would start their academic studies in the spring semester. Their time in the U.S. would therefore be one academic year.
• This is a non-degree program, so it is the students’ responsibility to check with their home institutions whether any credits accumulated during the Global UGRAD program will be transferable to their universities in Mongolia.

Cost Covered

• The U.S. government-funded scholarship covers:
  • All Transportation Costs: International airfare and domestic travel (including in-country visa-related travels if the candidate resides outside Ulaanbaatar)
  • Living and Meals Accommodations: Participants are placed in university housing and are provided with modest meals and incidental expenses allowance
  • Health Insurance: Participants are provided with accident and sickness benefit for the duration of their program
  • Visa Costs: Visa payment is waived for all U.S. Government sponsored scholarship participants
  • Travel Allowance: Participants are provided with small allowance for luggage and other travel-related expenses.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be eligible, applicants must:
  • Be a Mongolian citizen currently living in Mongolia
  • Be a full-time undergraduate student in good academic standing at an accredited university in Mongolia
  • Have completed a minimum of one semester of study by January 2025
  • Have at least one year remaining in their undergraduate studies at their home institutions upon completion of the Global UGRAD Program
  • Be between the ages of 18-24 at the time of the program’s start
  • Be proficient in English (be able to score a minimum of TOEFL IBT 48 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)
  • Be committed to service in your community.
  • Preference will be given to those who have had little or no experience in the United States or outside of their home countries. Mongolians holding U.S. green card are not eligible to apply.
  • Applicants are required to return directly to their home country after the completion of the program.

Selection Criteria

• Following are the main steps for selection for Global UGRAD:
  • Technical Screening: This is the initial review to verify the completeness of the applications. During technical screening, two main things are reviewed:
    • If applications and any required supplemental documents are complete
    • If applicants meet all the eligibility requirements.

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