Study abroad
TRANSFORM YOURSELF AND YOUR FUTURETime abroad is more than just travel. Experiencing a new culture first-hand will expand and deepen how you think about the world, and yourself.
By participating in CEHD study abroad programs, students will experience:
Cultural immersion
Studying abroad gives students the opportunity to immerse themselves in a new culture and gain a deeper understanding of different customs, traditions, and perspectives. This cultural immersion can broaden their horizons and foster a greater appreciation for diversity.
Personal growth
Studying abroad often involves stepping out of one's comfort zone and facing new challenges. This experience can help students develop independence, adaptability, resilience, and problem-solving skills. It can also enhance self-confidence and self-awareness.
Career opportunities
Studying abroad can enhance your resume and make you stand out to potential employers. The international experience, intercultural competence, and language skills gained through studying abroad are highly valued in today's global job market.
UMN sponsored programs
There are many U of M-sponsored or affiliated programs, which have been vetted and approved by the Learning Abroad Center or another unit on campus. U of M offers students the opportunity to learn abroad through a wide variety of culturally immersive academic programs and to prepare them for an increasingly interconnected world.
Scholarship opportunities
CEHD has study abroad scholarships for undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in a CEHD degree-seeking program and participating in an approved University of Minnesota study-abroad program. Students may also receive scholarships from the University Learning Abroad Center and are encouraged to apply for both.
Plan early and check the scholarship deadlines in advance. Also, it is important to meet with a Learning Abroad advisor and a CEHD learning abroad specialist to discuss in advance to learn more about requirements.
CEHD International Initiatives is providing additional scholarship support for new programs, such as France and Puerto Rico. Reach out to learn more!
For more information
Lamia Shapiro, CEHD Education Abroad Coordinator
lshapiro@umn.edu
CEHD sponsored programs
These programs are facilitated by CEHD faculty, giving students access to top researchers in their fields. Programs are designed to align with CEHD majors and research interests and affirm the college’s mission to contribute to a just and sustainable future through engagement with local and global communities.
Paris, France
Application deadline: November 24, 2025
Travel dates: May 18 - May 30, 2026
Politics of Schooling in France
Set against the backdrop of Paris, explore cultural sites, visit schools to meet educators, and learn and discuss how schools are part of society. This program is designed to investigate several important social and political questions of our time: What does it mean to belong to a place? Who can belong? How do we reconcile the inclusive promises of citizenship, with realities of racialized exclusion and resentment? Examine the relationship between migration, schooling, and forms of racialization, and how educational institutions can be understood to operate in these relationships.
Email lshapiro@umn.edu for more details
Prague & Brno, Czech Republic
Application Deadline: January 1, 2026
Travel Dates: May 18 - May 30, 2026
Education and Social Policy in the Czech Republic
Travel to Prague and Brno in the Czech Republic to examine education, foster care, and employment services for vulnerable populations, including individuals with disabilities, the Roma community, and orphaned or migrant youth. Explore the historical and political influences-- such as Austro-Hungarian and Soviet-era policies-- on current practices, and study how schools, support centers, and social service agencies address the needs of these communities within the broader context of Eastern and Central Europe.
Email lshapiro@umn.edu for more details
Seoul, South Korea
Travel Dates: Summer 2026
Taste of South Korea: Culture, Language & Education
You know all the K-Pop and K-drama stars. Now come experience South Korea’s rich culture, heritage, and history! Engage with local faculty and educators in South Korea to explore key topics in education, including teacher preparation, special and multicultural education, and the differences between U.S. and Korean educational systems. Examine Korean teaching philosophies, current issues, and future challenges in the field. Experience Korean society through traditional celebrations, music, food, and cultural practices such as Taekwondo and K-POP.
Email lshapiro@umn.edu for more details
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Application Deadline: December 15, 2025
Travel Dates: May 15 - 29, 2026
Exploring Cambodia's Present Through Its Past
Travel to the Kingdom of Cambodia and visit powerful public monuments and memorials that bring history to life. Critically examine how these sites commemorate the past, reflect national identity, and shape collective memory. Gain insight into how empires, victors, and communities use monuments to shape narratives that determine the way history is understood and remembered today.
Email lshapiro@umn.edu for more details
CEHD undergraduate study abroad scholarships
Deadlines and general information
Deadlines
- Apply online for Fall 2025 or academic year 2025-26 trips - due April 23, 2025
- Winter Break, Spring Semester, Spring Break, or Calendar Year 2025 trips - Deadline Passed
- May Term and Summer Term 2025 trips - Deadline Passed
Note: These deadlines coincide with the Learning Abroad Center scholarship deadlines, and you are encouraged to apply for both.
Essay
Put your name and student ID in the upper right-hand corner. Address the following questions:
- What motivated you to select your particular study abroad program? Address any academic, career, and/or personal goals that were part of your decision, and expand on one or more of them. (350 words maximum, double-spaced)
* Note that “academic” goals do not need to be related to your major; we are looking for you to describe how the program coursework and/or components are relevant to your goals. Regardless of what type of goal(s) you are focusing on, explain how your goal(s) enhances intellectual learning. Applications will be evaluated based on how thoroughly you answer the specific essay question, and how well your essay is written, in terms of grammar, punctuation and organization.
Criteria
Open to CEHD undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in a CEHD degree-seeking program and participating in an approved University of Minnesota study-abroad program.
Scholarships are awarded during several terms throughout the academic year. Apply for the deadline that corresponds with the term you will be abroad. For programs with an on-campus component, the term you are registered for may be different than the term you will be abroad. For example, if you are going on a fall two-eight week program that has classes on campus fall semester in addition to the study abroad portion over winter break, apply for the winter break deadline instead of fall.
Low-income and first-generation students are eligible for the CEHD Next Generation Global Engagement or Discovery awards as well as our general CEHD Study Abroad awards. To apply for these awards, complete the online application. You will be asked to submit an additional essay, which is described in the application.
Students may also receive scholarships from the University Learning Abroad Center, and you are encouraged to apply for both. The essay instructions below for the CEHD Study Abroad scholarship are substantially the same as the essay instructions for the Learning Abroad Center scholarships, which have the same deadline. More information on Learning Abroad Center scholarships.
Did you know |
Your financial aid may transfer to a study abroad program!
Over 250 scholarships are available, ranging from $750 to over $10,000.
Opportunities by Major Area
Research abroad
Our departments maintain partnerships with organizations and institutions abroad, and many of our faculty are active in international research.
Many undergraduate study abroad programs include research opportunities and are eligible for the Learning Abroad Center's research scholarship.
Quote from Chloe Villegas
Before leaving for Puerto Rico, our instructor encouraged building community among each other in the group and I am glad we did because that is the way of the island. Despite the socioeconomic reality for many of the communities we visited, there were always people outside, sharing a meal, enjoying the beach, and just having a strong gratitude for living life surrounded by loved ones.