Global UGRAD

The International Student Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) is a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Programs of the United States Department of State for full-time students of higher education institutions in Kazakhstan, provided that at the end of participation in the Global UGRAD program, students have at least one semester of study before receiving a diploma of higher education. The program is open to students of all Kazakhstan universities and all specialties. All participants are selected on the basis of an open competition.

The Global UGRAD program provides an opportunity for students to:

* study for 1 academic semester without obtaining a degree from a US university or college;

* Get a cultural and educational experience in the United States;

* Expand your knowledge and skills, and get to know American culture and values better.

TOEFL Testing

 Участники Participants who qualify for the second round will take the official TOEFL exam. All expenses related to testing are covered by the US Embassy in Astana.

Student responsibilities

Candidates must be highly motivated and demonstrate leadership skills through academic work, community service, and extracurricular activities.

This program does not award an academic degree at the end of their studies, so students are solely responsible for the issue of crediting credits earned during their studies under the Global UGRAD program.

Students will be required to devote 20 or more hours of community service during the course of the program. Program finalists will also be required to register for at least one course in American Studies, such as U.S. history, U.S. literature, art, or American Government.

Non-compliance with the academic requirements of the host university and the Global UGRAD program (failure to perform, failure to submit completed tasks and non-attendance of classes) may lead to expulsion from the Global UGRAD program. Participants must maintain good academic performance with a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Application package for participation in the program

Completed online application form;

Motivational and thematic essay. (the essay questions are listed in the questionnaire);

Copy of your passport;

Academic transcripts for years of study at the university with translation into English (the student can attach a self-translated transcript) ;

Two letters of recommendation (with English translation).

To review the application, applicants must:

- accurately and completely answer each question of the questionnaire and essay, adhering to the specified word count limits;

- upload two letters of recommendation with a certified English translation, if necessary. One of the recommendations must be completed by the student's teacher or academic mentor at the university of study;

- the second recommendation may be from another teacher, employer, coach, coordinator from a previous exchange program, or host family. The applicant's family members and friends cannot provide letters of recommendation;

- Download the official academic transcripts for the entire duration of the Bachelor's degree program with a certified English translation. Grades must be printed on the official letterhead of the university, signed by the Dean or equivalent official of the university, and certified with the university's official seal, if possible.;

- upload an official confirmation that the applicant is a university student in the current academic year (if it is not written in the transcript). This document does not need an official translation into English;

— When your application is fully completed and the supporting documents are uploaded, click "Submit". After sending it, you can not change the information that you filled out on the application forms.

- The content of the transcripts and recommendations will be re-checked with the relevant educational institutions and teachers.

The applicant's application form must show the individual work of the participant. Plagiarism that presents the language, thoughts, expressions, and ideas of another author as your own work, without proper permission, is unacceptable. Any kind of plagiarism in a student's questionnaire or essay is grounds for immediate disqualification from the program.

Selection procedure

All participants are selected on the basis of an open competition. Admissions committees will review all relevant applications. The semi-finalists will be invited for an interview.

The final selection will be made by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Programs of the US Department of State in Washington, DC.

All finalists of the program will have to undergo a medical examination and receive the necessary vaccinations before participating in the Global UGRAD program.

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