UTD Selected to Receive the IIE American Passport Project Grant to Support Underrepresented Students to Study Abroad

UTD has been selected by the Institute of International Education (IIE) to receive an IIE American Passport Project grant that will enable up to 25 UTD students to obtain their first U.S. passport and open the pathway to study abroad. In its fourth year, IIE awarded 51 institutions in the IIENetwork membership for this opportunity, the largest cohort to date. A key program under the IIE Center for Access and Equity, the IIE American Passport Project represents IIE’s commitment to creating access to international education opportunities and enabling equity by removing a financial barrier, thereby increasing the diversity and inclusion of students studying abroad. The program prioritizes students early in their higher education experience to allow them ample time to go through the passport application and study abroad planning process with advising and support from the awarded institutions. Through the IIE American Passport Project, IIE aims to grant 10,000 U.S. students their passports by the end of this decade.

The IIE American Passport Project seeks to reach diverse student populations and institutions that serve students who identify within demographics underrepresented in U.S. study abroad or those who often do not obtain a U.S. passport. To date, the program has supported 176 higher education institutions in 41 states since its inception in 2021. In this fourth cohort, 41% of the institutions represent racial/ethnic minority-serving populations – HBCUs, HSIs, AANAPISIs, and MSIs –or are community colleges. The majority of the awarded institutions are focusing on these priority demographics for their respective campuses: first-generation college students, racial/ethnic minorities, students with demonstrated financial need, and students who have never traveled abroad.

One of the pillars of The University of Texas at Dallas’s strategic plan is to “engage globally”. The UTD International Center supports the UTD strategic plan of global engagement by preparing students to lead in this globally interconnected and diverse world. With the support of this award, we can help support traditionally underrepresented students by providing them the gift of travel with their very own U.S. passport. Our Passport Acceptance Facility is also ready to help these students apply for their passport, and our Office of International Education is eager to provide them with various education abroad opportunities. The UTD International Center will begin to nominate students for this award throughout the next Fall semester, Fall 2024. Applications are not yet made available. Stay tuned for further updates!

About IIE: The Institute of International Education (IIE) is the leader in designing and implementing international education strategies and program services. We work with governments, policymakers, educators, and employers across the globe to prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and equip them to solve the increasingly complex challenges facing our interconnected world. With support from donors, we also create initiatives that assist students, scholars, and artists whose lives and work are threatened; expand teaching and learning across cultures; and provide opportunities to underserved populations. A not-for-profit organization founded in 1919, IIE has a network of 16 offices and affiliates worldwide and over 1,600 higher education partners.

In its work around the world, IIE’s global offices and experienced staff have developed significant expertise, capabilities and best practices in a set of core areas. Our cutting-edge approaches developed in these fields are formalized in a set of Centers of Excellence: IIE’s Center for International Partnerships and IIE’s Center for Access and Equity. IIE’s Center for Access and Equity aims to advance accessible programming and equitable practices in community building that enrich and expand international education, exchange, and opportunity for all.

The IIENetwork is IIE’s global membership association supporting the strategic advancement of international education. Through the IIENetwork, IIE shares decades of experience and expertise, generates resources, and leverages knowledge and practices with members who are working to strategize and actualize international education efforts, including building international and academic partnerships, recruiting international students, and advocating for study abroad and student mobility.