Undergraduate Opportunities

One of the categories of ‘fellowship’ is focused upon experiences for undergraduate students *while they are undergraduates* - most of these occur in the summer, but you will see that there are several competitive national scholarships available for undergraduates, as well. You will see some of these opportunities listed below, with links to the actual funding organization. Note that there are many more opportunities available than are highlighted here.

Selective internships in government, NGOS and policy organizations

Summer experiences (prestigious seminars and workshops)

  • INTERNATIONAL
  • American Councils Overseas Professional Intercultural Training (OPIT) Program (summer program for students committed to international careers - through OPIT's eight-week, English-language internships, students gain the substantive overseas professional experience and intercultural communication skills demanded by today’s global market. Participants can choose a placement in a variety of fields, including business, democracy building, human rights, education, gender equality, journalism, public health, environmental protection, and social services in 19 countries throughout Southeast Europe, Eurasia, the Baltics, and East Asia)
  • Full Academic Year Experience - Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange for Young Professionals - Cultural Vistas (an academic year in Germany, primarily for recent graduates - but current undergraduates are also eligible)
  • Boren Scholarships -- Regional Flagship Language Program (for undergraduates:  intensive summer language study in the U.S. plus associated immersive language study in the fall semester at a specific Boren location for students committed to careers in the intelligence and security sectors of federal service; you'll also want to work with PIC to receive approval for study abroad, but these particular Flagship language programs are not administered by GVSU)
  • Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program (summer on-site or virtual immersive and intensive language study of a critical need language - i.e., Arabic, Russian, Bangla, Tewa, Mandarin, Hindi, Farsi or other)
  • US-UK Fulbright Summer Institute (summer academic program at a participating British university for students who are underrepresented in study abroad / without study-abroad experience / with a GPA of 3.7 or higher)
  • Cultural Vistas Scholarships and Programs (including CBYX, but with MANY MORE State-Department sponsored programs for undergraduates and alumni - Cultural Vistas internship and work-abroad programs allow students and professionals to develop the expanding set of competencies demanded in today’s global economy through sustained immersion in a foreign country – language learninginterdisciplinary problem solvingempathy, and respect for cultural attitudes and ideas, to name a few)
  • Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship (summer leadership seminar in Ireland for underrepresented students in study abroad)
  • USINDO Summer Studies Program: Study Abroad in Indonesia
  • Big Brainstorm - Our Future Agenda (United Nations) (The Big Brainstorm is an opportunity for young thinkers and activists from around the world to come together to embark on a two week virtual design sprint to explore, prototype, and launch initiatives to tackle some of humanity’s greatest challenges.)
  • Global Sustainability Scholars (gsscholar.org)

Summer research opportunities in STEM

Nationally competitive scholarships (tuition assistance)

For more possibilities for service experiences (for alumni, graduate students and undergraduates, see Roadmap to Fellowships.

Micah Fernando, DAAD RiSE in Germany



Page last modified September 14, 2023