Grant to support study-abroad access for underrepresented students
Hanover College has been selected by the Institute of International Education (IIE) to receive an American Passport Project grant. The financial award will enable 25 qualified students to obtain their first U.S. passport and will open the pathway to study abroad.
The IIE American Passport Project creates greater access to international education opportunities by removing a financial barrier for many students and increases the diversity of students studying abroad. Since its inception in 2021, passport grants have been awarded to institutions that focus on students with demonstrated financial need, first-generation college students, racial/ethnic minorities and students who have never traveled abroad.
“This grant provides an early removal of a hurdle or perceived barrier for many students,” said Uschi Appelt, director of Hanover’s study-abroad program. “These students will be poised to participate in an off-campus course or a long-term semester.”
To date, American Passport Project grants have been issued to 176 higher education institutions in 41 states. This year, grants were provided to 51 institutions, marking IIE’s largest cohort. The organization aims to provide 10,000 students with U.S. passports by the end of the decade.
Hanover’s current first-year students and incoming Pell-eligible students are qualified to apply for the passport grant, which is managed and administered by the College’s Office of Study Abroad. By making funding available to first-year students, ample time is allowed for completion of the passport application and study-abroad planning processes.
“Having the passport in the first year allows students to plan more intentionally,” noted Appelt. “While students do not have to study abroad during their first year, they can already start integrating their plans for an international education into their Hanover careers.”
IIE’s funding will continue to boost Hanover’s successful study-abroad program. Nearly 60 percent of the College’s student body travels off-campus with a course or experiences a semester abroad at some point during their collegiate career.
Currently, Hanover’s study abroad program offers semester-long opportunities in Australia, Belgium, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Sweden, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Thailand and Turkey. Students also have opportunities to study on-location with a single course during spring term. This May, a wide range of courses are being taught in Belize, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Spain, as well as locations across the U.S.
About the Institute of International Education
The Institute of International Education (IIE) designs and implements international education strategies and program services. Through its work with governments, policymakers, educators and employers, IIE helps prepare students and professionals for the global workforce and the challenges in an interconnected world. IIE administers such programs as The Fulbright Program, Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program and International Visitor Leadership Program and, through the U.S. Department of Defense, The Language Flagship and Boren Awards.
