U.S. Students in China: Meeting the Goals of the 100,000 Strong Initiative, a new report from IIE’s Center for Academic Mobility Research with support from the Ford Foundation, presents findings from a pilot study to capture the full breadth of U.S. student participation in education abroad activities in China. 

The study finds that American students are going to China for a wide range of education activities, and based on the number of students pursuing expanded non-credit educational opportunities in China, the U.S. Department of State’s goal of sending 100,000 Americans to study in China by 2014 will likely be met. The report also addresses the challenges and opportunities for sending more Americans to China and the need for a better system of tracking student activity abroad at the institutional level. 

Key findings: 

• There were at least 26,686 Americans participating in a wide range of educational activities in China in 2011, with more than 58 percent participating in programs for academic credit and 42 percent participating in non-credit activities and degree study. 
• While about 76 percent of all U.S. students in China pursuing for-credit and not-for-credit education abroad were undergraduates, the number of students pursuing full degrees in China is on the rise: 2,184 Americans were enrolled in Chinese higher education institutions in 2011, a 23 percent increase over the previous year.

Read and download the executive summary and the full report here.

Global E³, the Global Engineering Education Exchange, is a program for engineering students that allows students to study abroad while continuing to pay tuition at home. With member universities in 20 countries, students at nearly 60 universities have the opportunity to study abroad. 

Through participation in the program, Global E3 graduates gain the necessary foreign language ability, cross-cultural skills, and professional experience to excel in the multinational/multicultural business environment of the 21st century. 

The importance of this unique program has been recognized by the National Science Foundation, AT&T Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education, all of which provided the start-up funds for the program. The program is sustained with membership fees from participating universities and from corporations.

Click here for more information and application. Or email Sabeen Altaf at saltaf@iie.org.

The Whitaker International Undergraduate Scholarship Program provides funding to increase the number of undergraduates in biomedical engineering who go abroad. The program provides the opportunity for these students to see biomedical engineering from an international perspective early in their educations and prepares them to become future leaders in the field. 

Eligibility

Undergraduate grantees must meet the basic eligibility requirements and must

• Be currently enrolled as a second, third or senior year undergraduate Biomedical or Bioengineering student from a U.S. institution at the time of the scholarship, with at least one semester remaining at their home institution upon completion of the award.
• Have the consent of the home institution to participate in the selected study abroad program.
• Demonstrate a need for financial support to participate in a study abroad program. Note: applicants do not need to be receiving financial aid to be eligible; however, any funding received toward study abroad program costs any amount of financial aid received towards the program, must be reported.

Applicants to the program can take BME coursework, intern, conduct research, or directly enroll at an international institution that offers outstanding academic training in biomedical engineering. 

For more information and to apply, visit the website. 

The Russell Berrie Fellowship in Interreligious Studies offers priests and members of the laity an opportunity to study at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), in Rome, to obtain a Certificate in Interreligious Studies. The Certificate allows those who are not qualified for entrance into the Licence program at the Angelicum the opportunity to explore various aspects of interreligious issues at a Pontifical University.

The award provides one year of financial support for Russell Berrie Fellows, covering tuition, a modest living stipend and book allowance, examination fees, and travel to and from the recipient’s home country.

The aim of the Fellowship Program is to build bridges between Christian, Jewish, and other religious traditions by providing the next generation of religious leaders with a comprehensive understanding of and dedication to interfaith issues. Further information, including the application form, can be found at www.iie.eu/berrie.

The Chinese Government Scholarship Program was established by the Ministry of Education of China to provide scholarships to international students and scholars. 

Scholarships for this program fall into two categories: full scholarships and partial scholarships. Scholarships at the undergraduate and graduate level to students enrolled at a U.S. college or university, in all programs. Applicants must be non-Chinese citizens in good health who are enrolled full-time as undergraduate or graduate students at an accredited U.S. college or university.

The China Scholarship Council (CSC) scholarships cover different durations of study at a hosting institution according to the student’s application.  Applicants for the CSC shall choose their host institutions from the Chinese Higher Education Institutions listed in the Directory of Chinese Institutions.  For further information about host institutions, applicants should visit the Web site.

The CSC Online Application System for Study in China is available here. For more information, email the Chinese Embassy Education Office or zhangjin@sino-education.org.