U.S. Embassy & Consulate
in the Republic of Korea

RECRUITMENT ANNOUNCEMENT:
Call for Nominations for 2022-2023 Global Undergraduate Scholarship Program (UGRAD)
U.S. Embassy Seoul

U.S. Embassy Seoul is pleased to announce the 2022-2023 Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD). We encourage qualified students to apply for this unique opportunity to study in the United States.

What is the Global UGRAD Program?

The Global UGRAD Program was developed to meet the U.S. government’s ongoing commitment to provide a diverse group of student leaders with an in-depth exposure to US society, culture, and academic institutions by engaging in substantive academic exchanges at colleges and universities across the United States. The Global UGRAD Program provides semester scholarships to outstanding undergraduate students for non-degree undergraduate study at accredited US two and four year institutions. 

Program Description

The Global UGRAD Program provides one semester of non-degree undergraduate study at accredited US two and four year institutions to outstanding undergraduate students from less privileged and under-represented sectors of society.

The Global UGRAD program aims to support study in the U.S. for under-represented ethnic, racial, and socio-economic groups. Funding for the program provides a limited number of students from the East Asia and Pacific regions with up to 3 months of intensive English Language Training in the United States, as necessary, prior to the start of the academic residency portion of the program. Students finally selected will travel to the United States in fall 2022 (August) or winter 2023 (January).

Students who need pre-program English Language Training will need to arrive in the United States earlier in order to meet host institution language requirements. Students will not be able to choose their host institution; however, based on academic interests the program will attempt to place students at the most appropriate participating host institution.  This is a non-degree program, and it will be the students’ responsibility to check with their home institutions whether any credits accumulated during the exchange can be transferred.

All Global UGRAD Program participants will be enrolled full time in undergraduate course work chosen from the host institutions’ existing curriculum to allow students ample opportunity for substantive interaction with U.S. faculty and student peers, and for exposure to U.S. academic and classroom culture.  To ensure that students succeed in their new academic environments, host institutions will offer instruction on topics including academic research and writing, critical thinking, time management, note-taking, and studying for and taking tests.  Participants will live on-campus with U.S. peers.

Students will be required to participate in a minimum of ten hours of community service activities during semester.  Students will also be required to enroll in at least one course in a U.S. Studies field, such as U.S. History, Literature, Art, or Government.

Participants must remain in good academic standing with a minimum 2.0 GPA.

The Global UGRAD Program will fund all program-related costs including tuition, program administration, international flight, housing and meal arrangement, health benefit and monthly allowances.

Eligibility

Scholarships will be granted to Korean students who currently are enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in Korea (Applicant must be studying in the country in which they apply for the program), and who will have completed their first year of undergraduate study prior to starting their UGRAD Program. In addition, selected participants must be at least 18 years of age when they begin their UGRAD Program in the United States.  They must also have at least one semester or an equivalent term to complete at their home institutions upon completion of the UGRAD Program.  The UGRAD semester cannot be the last academic term of a student’s undergraduate study. Priority will be given to students from less privileged or under-represented sectors of society.

All candidates should be proficient in English so that they can be active participants in the academic program.

Candidates should ideally have little or no prior experience living or studying in the United States.

Candidates should be highly motivated, less-privileged undergraduate students from colleges, universities who demonstrate leadership through academic work, community involvement, and extracurricular activities.

Fields of study will vary but the fields of medicine, nursing, veterinary medicine, pharmacology or other clinical fields of study, that direct patient care, including animal care, are not permitted.

Selection Process

1. Deadline for online application is by January 06, 2022
2. Selected candidates for interviews will be contacted by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. (February 2022)
3. The final selection of candidates will be determined by the Department of State’s Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) office.
4. The selected participants will be notified by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul. (May 2022)

* Please understand that this selection process might be re-scheduled due to the COVID 19.
* The U.S. Department of State is committed to fair and equitable treatment for all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, age, disability or sexual orientation.

How to Apply

Interested students for this program must submit the application and supporting documents online before January 06, 2022.  Please read the instructions carefully and verify that the information is complete and correct before submitting the application.  Please complete the application form and answer all questions in English.

Required documents:

1. Completed, signed Global Undergraduate Exchange Program online application form https://webportalapp.com/sp/ugrad_student_application_2022
2. Personal statement in English (online form)
3. A copy of the data/photo page of your passport (For dual citizens, a passport or ID from all countries of citizenship is required. U.S. citizens are not eligible to apply.)
4. Official transcripts for years of university study with English translations (If your transcript doesn’t show your grade, please submit the certificate of enrollment.)
5. Two letters of recommendation with English translations

For inquiries, please email to the Global UGRAD program team at UGRADkorea@state.gov