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Education & Exchanges
Overview
Education
Exchanges
Alumni
Local Programs
Entrepreneurship Programs

Overview

Learn, exchange, grow, and serve. The U.S. Department of State offers many programs for non-U.S. citizens wishing to come to the U.S. for cultural, educational, or professional exchange. These programs are augmented by local opportunities in countries around that world that allow non-U.S. citizens to explore U.S. culture and the English language.

More than 500,000 international students from around the world are furthering their education in the United States. Learn why:
Quality: U.S. colleges are known worldwide for the quality of their facilities, resources, and faculty. Accreditation systems ensure that institutions continue to maintain these standards.
Choice: The U.S. education system features many types of institutions, academic and social environments, entry requirements, degree programs, and subjects in which you can specialize.
Value: As an investment in your future, a U.S. degree offers excellent value for the money. A wide range of tuition fees and living costs, plus some financial help from colleges, make study in the United States affordable for thousands of international students each year.
Flexibility: U.S. universities and colleges offer flexibility in choice of courses within a college or university, but more importantly there is also the option for students to move from one institution to another. Completing the first two years of a degree at one institution, usually a community college, and then moving to another, is very common.

EducationUSA

More than 430 international student advising centers in more than 175 countries and territories that offer information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States.

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Learn more about EducationUSA

American English

American English is a resource center for teaching and learning about American English language and culture.

Visit the American English Site

Bi-National Centers

The bi-national centers (BNCs) in Colombia are autonomous, non-profit cultural and educational institutions created during the Second World War to contribute to good relations between Colombia and the United States. Several BNCs were founded in 1942. Each month these Centers collectively host 32,500 students of English. In addition, they maintain a slate of cultural activities, a library and US educational advising programs. The BNCs liaison with the Embassy, under the auspices of the Public Affairs Section, in a wide array of mutually beneficial projects, but they do not depend economically on the U.S. government.

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100K Strong in the Americas

100,000 Strong in the Americas, the White House’s premiere education initiative for the Western Hemisphere, was launched in May 2011. The initiative increases educational mobility, providing students with critical skills and cross-cultural experiences to compete in the global workforce.

The innovation fund drives this vision forward

The central mechanism for implementing the White House’s vision is the 100,000 Strong in the Americas Innovation Fund, a collaboration between the U.S. Department of State, Partners of the Americas, and NAFSA: Association of International Educators. The Fund is scaled through strategic private sector and governments partnerships across the region.

The Innovation Fund addresses the workforce competitiveness challenge by awarding grants to higher education institutions that partner together to foster greater education cooperation and provide students with unique training and exchange opportunities.

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English Language Programs

Welcome to our section designed especially for English language teachers and learners. Look to our Resources box to find additional English tools and games.

Since 2007, in support of the Ministry of Education’s bilingual education program, the Embassy of the United States has provided financing and language expertise to programs that have benefited over 10,000 public school teachers and more than 45,000 students.

In addition, the Embassy has promoted economic and social empowerment to underserved communities by providing more than 1,500 scholarships to students within these backgrounds.

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Fulbright Program

The Fulbright program is the official student exchange program sponsored by the Information and Cultural Section of the U.S. Embassy. It includes the following:

a) Fulbright/LASPAU

b) Fulbright/IIE, and

c) Humphrey.

Applications for the Fulbright IIE and LASPAU programs are considered in the American Embassy in March of each year.

The first two grants are designed for graduate level students wanting to obtain a Masters in the United States in the areas of humanities, social science, economics, business management, and education. The study of health sciences is not covered by these grants. The duration of the grant is two years, excluding pre-academic and intensive English course work.

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Youth Ambassadors Program

The Youth Ambassadors Program (YAP) brings together high school students and adult mentors from countries across the Western Hemisphere to promote mutual understanding, increase leadership skills, and prepare youth to make a difference in their communities. YAP provides full scholarships for participants to engage in cultural and educational programming focused on leadership, diplomacy, and community service.

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Community College Initiative (CCI)

The Community College Initiative (CCI) Program seeks to foster mutual understanding between the citizens of the United States and the citizens of participating CCI countries. The CCI Program encourages a holistic learning and exchange experience and focuses on five program pillars: academics, cultural exchange, service learning, internships, and leadership and action planning. All pillars of the CCI Program are of equal importance. The CCI Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State.

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Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI)

The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) is a Program that empowers entrepreneurs and innovative civil society leaders to strengthen capacity and advance their entrepreneurial ideas to contribute to social and economic development in their communities and region. Since the initiative’s launch in 2015, more than 1,000 YLAI Fellows from Canada, Latin America, and the Caribbean have expanded their leadership and entrepreneurial experience through fellowships at businesses and organizations across the United States. Through the YLAI Entrepreneurship Institute and the individualized Fellowships, YLAI Fellows have accelerated their commercial and social ventures’ success and developed specific action plans to carry out upon return to their home countries. YLAI Fellows built networks, linkages, and lasting partnerships to attract investments and support for their entrepreneurial ventures.

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Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE)

The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs is an initiative funded by the U.S. government to support and empower women entrepreneurs around the world. AWE gives enterprising women the knowledge, networks and access they need to launch and scale successful businesses. By promoting women’s economic opportunities and ensuring that women have the capabilities and resources needed to participate in the economy, AWE directly supports the U.S. National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality. In Colombia, AWE is implemented by the Sergio Arboleda University Entrepreneurship Center. Along with the university curriculum, the program includes access to the DreamBuilder platform, a friendly and easy-to-use online course that reinforces the entrepreneurial spirit, they participate in directed lessons related to administration. In addition, AWE women have the possibility to connect with networks of companies, entrepreneurs and mentors who share the same perspective in their own regions and in the U.S.

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Cultural and Professional Exchanges Programs

Exchanges that engage professionals in the government, non-profit, and private sectors; high school students; representatives from the cultural and sports communities; and disenfranchised and underserved audiences.

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Bridge USA

Brings emerging leaders and professionals to the United States on 13 different cultural exchange programs focused on education, research and skills development. The program allows participants to hone their skills, immerse themselves in American society and culture, connect with Americans, and share their culture with their American host communities.

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Learn More About BridgeUSA

Academic Exchanges

Opportunities for international study and research from the undergraduate through postdoctoral and professional levels.

Read More About Academic Exchanges

Exchange Program Alumni – Resources & Opportunities

Diverse group of students

Join the Exchange Alumni community at https://alumni.state.gov, and open the door to a world of support, resources, and funding opportunities to help you continue your exchange experience and build on the skills you gained during your program. Through your account at https://alumni.state.gov
        • Candidates will have access to various grant opportunities through Foundation Directory Online (FDO) and Grants to Individuals (GTI).
        • You can read journals, academic journals, and articles through Gale and EBSCO’s first academic database.
        • You will meet former participants to connect to the network locally and globally.
        • You can find up-to-date information on live events, such as #MentorTalks, as well as pre-participant updates.
        • You can access US Government Entrepreneurship Resources to take your business thinking to the next level.
There are resources that can be accessed without logging in, such as the Enabling Entrepreneurs page. In addition, through our LinkedIn page, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, you can connect with us and other former participants of the exchange program and get the latest news about the former participant.

MISSION'S PUBLIC AFFAIRS SECTION SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM

Funding availability to promote mutual understanding between the U.S. and Colombia.

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