Register for a Fulbright U.S. Student Program information session.
Tuesday, April 8, 7:00 pm - online. Registration required at this link.
Thursday, April 10, 4:00 pm - UC 201B. Registration required at this link.
Wednesday, April 16, 5:30 pm - UC 201B Registration required at this link.
Advising for Spring 2026 and Winter 2026 programs will be available starting the week of April 7! Be sure to attend a Study Abroad 101 session before scheduling an appointment at educationabroad@umbc.edu. You can sign up for a Study Abroad 101 session through our website.
Dr. Souders is available to review all scholarship applications before submission. Contact him by emailing souders@umbc.edu
April 1st: Freeman Awards for Study in Asia Application Due!
Are you planning to study in South Korea, Japan, China, or elsewhere in East or Southeast Asia? If so, apply for theFreeman Awards for Study in Asia!! Freeman-ASIA provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures.
April 30th: DAAD’s Young Ambassadors Application Due!
Young Ambassadors are undergraduate students who recently studied abroad in Germany (including this coming summer) and promote study in Germany at their home colleges/universities with help from DAAD. Only one student may be nominated per college/university.
Applications for the 2026-27 competition cycle for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program open on Monday, March 31, 2025. This award supports U.S. citizens interested in conducting research, earning a master’s degree, or teaching English in up to 140 countries throughout the world. UMBC’s Fulbright Program Advisor, Dr. Brian Souders is holding multiple information sessions after Spring Break; they will be posted to the Education Abroad’s MyUMBC page.
Dr. Filomeno in the Global Studies Department is looking for students interested in developing intercultural communication skills and learning about climate policy in a 4-week collaborative online international program with Brazilian students from the Federal University of Santa Catarina. The program consists of 4 online meetings conducted in English through Webex on Wednesday April 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th between 3:30 pm and 5:00 pm. All majors are welcome! Interested students should email Dr. Filomeno at filomeno@umbc.edu or fill out the interest form.
Make sure you check out the Abroad Blogs from our students studying abroad this semester!
]]>Professor Katie Birger will be taking her Faculty-led Study Abroad International Health Policy course to Switzerland next week! You can follow along with our Abroad Ambassador Sara Hawley, who will be going on the program and doing a takeover from Switzerland on the UMBCLife Instagram on Tuesday, March 18! You can also find her Pre-Departure Blog Post on our website!
Dr. Souders is available to review all scholarship applications before submission. Contact him by emailing souders@umbc.edu
The EA Office is excited for Spring Break! While some of our students are traveling abroad, here’s what our staff members are looking forward to!
Dr. Souders is available to review all scholarship applications before submission. You can contact him by emailing souders@umbc.edu
March 10th: Non-Faculty-Led Summer 2025, Fall 2025, and Academic Year 2025-2026 Program Application: View program options and begin an application through our website!
March 15th: Bridging Scholarship
Are you studying in Japan during the Fall 2025 semester, 2025-26 academic year or Spring 2026 and receiving federal financial aid? If so, consider the Bridging Scholarship for study in Japan. UMBC students of any major can apply for this award to assist with additional costs associated with study in Japan.
April 3rd: Freeman Awards for Study in Asia
Are you planning to study in South Korea, Japan, China, or elsewhere in East or Southeast Asia? If so, apply for the Freeman Awards for Study in Asia!! Freeman-ASIA provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures.
Applications for the 2026-27 competition cycle for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program open on March 30, 2025. This award supports U.S. citizens who will graduate in May 2025, December 2025 or May 2025 planning to conduct research, earn a master’s degree, or teach English in up to 140 countries throughout the world. UMBC’s Fulbright Program Advisor, Dr. Brian Souders, is holding multiple information sessions after Spring Break; they will be posted to the Education Abroad’s MyUMBC page.
Our Spring Break Faculty-led Study Abroad Program to Switzerland is getting ready to go on its in-country portion of the class! Next week, our Abroad Ambassador Sara will be sharing her Pre-Departure blog post, telling us more about the class and what she is looking forward to on the trip! Make sure to check it out on our website!
UMBC’s Center for Global Engagement wishes to remind all international employees and visiting scholars planning international travel during Spring Break to review their travel documents ahead of their departure.
Individuals holding J-1 Exchange Visitor status (including J-1 Professors, Research Scholars, and Short-Term Scholars) must check the validity of the travel validation (signature) on the front of their Form DS-2019. Travel validations remain valid for one year for most J-1 categories, but are only valid for six months for Short-Term Scholars. Additionally, travelers must ensure that their J-1 visa remains valid through the date that they plan to return to the U.S. and passports should be valid for at least six months after the date of reentry.
Employees holding H-1B status must confirm that their H-1B visa will be valid on the date of their planned reentry into the U.S. If employees obtained H-1B status by changing from another nonimmigrant status from within the U.S., then it is important to remember that an H-1B visa is required for reentry to the U.S. after international travel. Additionally, travelers must ensure that their passports are valid for at least six months after the date of reentry.
As we have shared on our Immigration Policy Updates page, the U.S. Department of State recently made changes to its in-person interview policy. The Department's new policy makes the requirement for an in-person interview a discretionary decision by consular officers; travelers should not assume that their in-person interview will be waived.The in-person interview may add to the time to process a visa renewal. Additionally, visa appointment wait times can fluctuate drastically without warning.
For these reasons, anyone whose visa has expired should carefully consider these factors in planning any potential international travel. Before departing the U.S., travelers without valid visas should work with the U.S. embassy or consulate in their travel destination to determine if they are required to appear for an in-person interview. If an in-person interview is required, travelers should secure an appointment before departing the U.S. We strongly recommend that travelers seek an appointment during the early part of their trip, since there can be unexpected delays in the visa renewal process. Anyone who departs the U.S. with an expired visa will not be able to return until they are issued a new visa.
International employees and scholars should monitor their UMBC email account closely for important messages from the Center for Global Engagement as this is how we will send alerts of any changes in U.S. immigration policy.
Anyone who has questions about their individual travel plans should contact me prior to travel. We wish a safe journey to those choosing to travel during Spring Break, and we hope that all members of our community enjoy the break and come back refreshed and ready to finish out the semester.
Diane Zeenny Ghorayeb
International Scholar Coordinator
Center for Global Engagement
UMBC’s Center for Global Engagement wishes to remind all international students planning international travel during Spring Break to review the travel reminders that apply to their specific immigration status.
Please see the travel reminders that apply to enrolled F-1 students and to students pursuing post-graduation OPT or STEM OPT. Specifically, students should check that they have a travel endorsement on Page 2 of their Form I-20 that will still be valid on the date they will return to the U.S. Students should also check the expiration date of their F-1 visa to be sure it will be valid on the date they plan to return to the U.S. Passports should be valid for at least six months after the date of reentry.
Students in J-1 status should make sure there is a valid travel endorsement on page 1 of their Form DS-2019. J-1 students should also check the expiration date of their J-1 visa to be sure it will be valid on the date they plan to return. Passports should be valid for at least six months after the date of reentry.
As we have shared on our Immigration Policy Updates page, the U.S. Department of State recently made changes to its in-person interview policy. The Department's new policy makes the requirement for an in-person interview a discretionary decision by consular officers, and students should not assume that their in-person interview will be waived. The in-person interview may add to the time required to process a visa renewal. Additionally, visa appointment wait times can fluctuate drastically without warning.
For these reasons, anyone whose visa has expired should carefully consider these factors when planning international travel. Before departing the U.S., travelers without valid visas should work with the U.S. embassy or consulate at their travel destination to determine if they are required to appear for an in-person interview. If an in-person interview is required, travelers should secure an appointment before departing the U.S. We strongly recommend that travelers seek an appointment during the early part of their trip, since there can be unexpected delays in the visa renewal process. Anyone who departs the U.S. with an expired visa will not be able to re-enter the country until they are issued a new visa.
Students should monitor their UMBC email account closely for important messages from the Center for Global Engagement, as this is how we send alerts of any changes in U.S. immigration policy.
Students who have questions about their individual travel plans should contact our advising staff prior to travel.
We wish a safe journey to those choosing to travel during Spring Break, and we hope that all members of our community enjoy the break and come back refreshed and ready to finish out the semester.
Dave Anguish
Director, Office of International Students and Scholars
Center for Global Engagement
Are you interested in a Faculty-Led Study Abroad Program for this Summer and have last-minute questions? Stop by our Virtual Drop-In Advising Hours from 12pm-2pm on February 28th! Pop in, chat with us, and get your questions answered!
February 28th (TOMORROW!): The Class of 1970 Access Fund for Study Abroad
Established in 2020 to commemorate the commencement of the Class of 1970, the first class to graduate from UMBC, this fund provides scholarship support for degree-seeking students participating in approved study abroad programs. The application is housed in UMBC’s Scholarship Retriever.
March 2nd: Select faculty-led study abroad programs:
Climate Change in Context: Experiences of Resilience and Migration in/through Oaxaca, Mexico
The Practice of Management: Global Perspectives in London and Paris
Global Community Engagement and Social Change in South Africa
March 10th: Non-Faculty-Led Summer 2025, Fall 2025, and Academic Year 2025-2026 Program Applications
View program options and begin an application through our website!
March 6th: Gilman Scholarship
Up to $8000 for Pell Grant Recipients for any study abroad program! Start your application today at <https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/>. Attend a Drop-in Advising Workshops to help you with your application! These will be on
Sunday, March 2nd from 1pm to 4 pm on Commons Main Street
Tuesday, March 4th from 1pm to 4 pm in University Center 203
Wednesday, March 5th from 6pm to 9 pm on Commons Main Street.
There is also a Blackboard organization to guide you through the application writing process. Email <souders@umbc.edu> to be added to the site.
March 15th: Bridging Scholarship
Are you studying in Japan during the Fall 2025 semester, 2025-26 academic year or Spring 2026 and receiving federal financial aid? If so, consider the Bridging Scholarship for study in Japan. UMBC students of any major can apply for this award to assist with additional costs associated with study in Japan.
April 3rd: Freeman Awards for Study in Asia
Are you planning to study in South Korea, Japan, China, or elsewhere in East or Southeast Asia? If so, apply for theFreeman Awards for Study in Asia!! Freeman-ASIA provides scholarships for U.S. undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need to study abroad in East or Southeast Asia. The program’s goal is to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to and understanding of Asia and its peoples and cultures.
Dr. Souders is available to review all scholarship applications before submission. You can contact him by emailing souders@umbc.edu
Decoding the Basques: Myths, Language and Culture – led by USAC Bilbao Professor Estela Rey
In honor of USAC’s roots, explore highlights of the mysterious and beautiful Basque country and culture. This session is available to staff and students. Friday, February 28th 1-2PM. Meeting Link (no registration required)
National Fulbright Office Information Session
Fulbright U.S. Student Program for the 2026-27 academic year. Are you graduating in May 2025, December 2025 or May 2026? If so, learn if the fully funded Fulbright Student Program to conduct research, teach English as a foreign language or earn a Master’s degree in one of 140 countries throughout the world is for you. Our next information session is on March 6, 4 to 5 pm online. This virtual session is hosted by the national Fulbright office, with a breakout session for UMBC students, hosted by Dr. Souders. Pre-registration is required: <https://apply.iie.org/register/3.06.2025-Spring-GPS-1>. Learn more at <us.fulbrightonline.org>.
On February 18, 2025, the U.S. Department of State issued updated guidance regarding which applicants for U.S. visas may qualify for a waiver of the in-person interview requirement. This update supersedes previous guidance issued in December 2023. The update lists particular visa types that are eligible for waiver of the in-person interview, including A, G, NATO and TECRO visas.
Relevant to international students and scholars, “applicants who previously held a visa in the same category that expired less than 12 months prior to the new application” are also eligible for an interview waiver. Additionally, such applicants must: be applying for the visa renewal in their country of nationality or residence (home country), never have been refused a visa in the past, and have no apparent or potential ineligibility issues.
Crucially, this policy update establishes that consular officers have the authority and discretion to waive the in-person interview requirement, but they “may still require in-person interviews on a case-by-case basis or because of local conditions.” The update recommends that visa applicants “check embassy and consulate websites for more detailed information about visa application requirements and procedures, and to learn more about the embassy or consulate’s operating status and services.”
Our advice continues to be that students and scholars should plan ahead as much as possible for any necessary visa renewals. Because the U.S. Department of State now makes the requirement for an in-person interview a discretionary decision by consular officers, applicants should not assume that their in-person interview will be waived. Moreover, visa appointment wait times can fluctuate drastically without warning.
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