Study Abroad
ISEN is committed to empowering future global leaders in sustainability and energy. To accomplish this goal, ISEN is pleased to offer a range of study abroad opportunities in collaboration with interdisciplinary partners from across Northwestern.
- Taiwan – Global Engineering Trek (GET): Innovation and Hi-Tech
- Israel – Global Engineering Trek (GET): Water
- Germany – Global Engineering Trek (GET): Sustainability
- China – Energy Technology and Policy: Wanxiang Fellows Program
Taiwan – Global Engineering Trek (GET): Innovation and Hi-Tech
For Sophomores and Juniors
GET Info Session Recordings:
Innovation and entrepreneurship are essential ingredients to modern progress in high tech fields like computers and electronics. With this in mind, the Office of the Vice President for International Relations is partnering with the McCormick School of Engineering Global Initiatives Office to create an innovation technology immersion program for sophomores and juniors based in Taipei, Taiwan.
On this trek, students will travel to world-leading companies and research institutes in Taiwan. In addition to touring innovation incubators, global corporations, and meeting peer students at National Taiwan University, participants will gain exposure to global internship and job opportunities including those related to computer science, manufacturing, app development, electronic devices, and sustainable supply chain management.
This Taiwan - GET Innovation and Hi-Tech program is open to sophomores and juniors only from ALL undergraduate majors with an interest in innovation and technology. Cross-school participation is encouraged. It is important to note that participants do not receive academic credit for this program.
Program Details
- Program dates: June 11 – June 22, 2022
(*NOTE: The Taiwan Trek is pending the lifting of COVID-19 quarantine restriction on travelers to Taiwan). - Application deadline for students: February 15, 2022 (11:59 PM, CST)
- Deadline for submission of letters of recommendation: February 22, 2022 (11:59 PM, CST)
- Who should apply? Sophomores and junior students in all fields of study who have an interest in innovation and high tech are encouraged to apply. An interest in technology is required, but a technical major is *not* required. Journalists, sociologists, musicians, and any other major interested in learning more about entrepreneurship and technical fields like computer science, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, and supply chain management are welcome to apply.
- Academic credit: This study abroad experience carries no academic credit.
- Financial assistance and cost: Some need-based financial aid may be available, proportional to the applicant’s current level of university financial aid. Cost to participants without financial aid is approximately $1,000. All airfare, in-country travel related to the program, lodging, and meals will be covered by the program.
- Language: No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required.
- Taiwan Trek Contact: Jennifer Gerrard, International Relations (jennifer.gerrard@northwestern.edu)
Program costs associated with the Global Engineering Trek to Taiwan are highly subsidized through generous support of the Ministry of Education in Taiwan, through the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office of Chicago, with support from the Friends of Taiwan Foundation. Northwestern University, National Taiwan University, the Ministry of Education of Taiwan, the Friends of Taiwan Foundation, the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern, and the McCormick School of Engineering.
Israel – Global Engineering Trek (GET): Water
GET Info Session Recordings:
Water management is a highly interdisciplinary field, and all majors, particularly in engineering, science, and social policy, will contribute to addressing critical water needs in the 21st century. Based on the successful GET Sustainability program model in Germany, the GET Water program will enable Northwestern freshmen and sophomores to see Israel’s critical water infrastructure, experience its culture of innovation, and tour diverse historical and archaeological sites. GET Water will feature an immersion program in three regions in Israel: the populous and vibrant Tel Aviv / Dan region, the temperate and historical region around Haifa and the Northeast, and the Negev Desert in the south.
On this trek, students will travel to Israel to explore transboundary water issues, ancient infrastructure, and modern emerging solutions through discussions with diverse water experts, explorations of technological innovation, and visits to major water utilities, infrastructure facilities, and research centers. In addition to visiting companies and research universities, participants will gain exposure to global internship, research, and job opportunities including those related to startups, water desalination, water reuse, and hyper-efficient precision agriculture systems.
This GET Water program is open to freshmen and sophomores from ALL undergraduate majors. Cross-school participation is encouraged. It is important to note that participants do not receive academic credit for this program.
Program Details
- Program dates: Spring break 2022 (March). Exact dates of Trek TBA.
- Application deadline for students: December 15, 2021 (11:59 PM, CST)
- Deadline for submission of letters of recommendation: December 22, 2021 (11:59 PM, CST)
- Who should apply? The spring 2022 program is open to Northwestern sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The program is designed for undergraduate students in any major who have an interest in sustainable technology. This program will also run in September 2022 for freshmen and sophomores. Applications for the September 2022 program will open in early 2022. Complete the interest form for updates.
- Academic credit: This study abroad experience carries no academic credit.
- Financial assistance and cost: Some need-based financial aid may be available, proportional to the applicant’s current level of university financial aid. Cost to participants without financial aid is approximately $1,000. All airfare, in-country travel related to the program, lodging, and meals will be covered by the program.
- Language: No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required.
- Israel Trek Contact: Krystle Felcaro, Crown Center (krystle.felcaro@northwestern.edu)
Program costs associated with the Global Engineering Trek to Israel are highly subsidized through generous support of the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN), Walter P. Murphy Society, McCormick School of Engineering, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern Center for Water Research, and the Crown Family Center for Jewish and Israel Studies.
Germany – Global Engineering Trek (GET): Sustainability
GET Info Session Recordings:
Sustainability is a highly interdisciplinary field, and all majors, particularly in engineering and science, will contribute to creating a more sustainable tomorrow. With this in mind, ISEN is partnering with the McCormick School of Engineering Global Initiatives Office to create a cleantech immersion program for freshmen based in Heidelberg, Germany.
On this trek, students will travel to world-leading companies and research institutes in the Hamburg and Heidelberg regions. In addition to touring cleantech startups and global corporations, participants will gain exposure to global internship and job opportunities including those related to biotech, organic photovoltaics, sustainable materials, big data/smart cities, renewable energy, and sustainable production chains.
This GET Sustainability program is open to freshmen only from ALL undergraduate majors, with an emphasis on students such as engineers and scientists with an interest in technology. Cross-school participation is encouraged. It is important to note that participants do not receive academic credit for this program.
Program Details
- Program dates: Spring break 2022 (March). Exact dates of Trek TBA.
- Application deadline for students: December 15, 2021 (11:59 PM, CST)
- Deadline for submission of letters of recommendation: December 22, 2021 (11:59 PM, CST)
- Who should apply? The spring 2022 program is open to Northwestern sophomores, juniors, and seniors. The program is designed for undergraduate students in any major who have an interest in sustainable technology. This program will also run in September 2022 for freshmen and sophomores. Applications for the September 2022 program will open in early 2022. Complete the interest form for updates.
- Academic credit: This study abroad experience carries no academic credit.
- Financial assistance and cost: Some need-based financial aid may be available, proportional to the applicant’s current level of university financial aid. Cost to participants without financial aid is approximately $1,000. All airfare, in-country travel related to the program, lodging, and meals will be covered by the program.
- Language: No prior knowledge of a foreign language is required.
- Germany Trek Contact: Mike McMahon, ISEN (mike.mcmahon@northwestern.edu)
Program costs associated with the Global Engineering Trek to Germany are highly subsidized through generous support of the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN), Walter P. Murphy Society, and McCormick School of Engineering.
China – Energy Technology and Policy: Wanxiang Fellows Program
Originally part of President Barack Obama’s “100,000 Strong” initiative, the Wanxiang Fellows Program sends 12-20 Northwestern students to China to work on one of the world’s most important challenges: the development of sustainable green energy technologies. This competitive fellows program takes place during the Summer Quarter and consists of three phases.
First, in the Spring Quarter prior to travel, students will be introduced to environmental and sustainability studies and will visit the Wanxiang America Corporation headquarters in Elgin, Illinois.
The second phase takes place abroad where Wanxiang Fellows will spend one month completing two full-credit courses with other Northwestern students at Peking University in Beijing. Students then participate in a two-week intensive program at Hangzhou Wanxiang Polytechnic, where they explore issues of energy technology and application through lectures by Wanxiang researchers and practitioners, as well as site visits.
Along with language study, students will learn about clean energy science from researchers at Wanxiang Corporation, and will go on various experiential field trips (i.e. solar manufacturing plant, electric vehicle battery factory, and energy storage stations) for a full two weeks. Upon returning to Northwestern University, the third phase, the students will report on their experience.
Program Details
- Program dates: TBA
- Application deadline: Applications are not yet open.
- Who should apply? Open to Northwestern students from all majors meeting Northwestern's minimum application requirements.
- Academic credit: Courses taken through this program are eligible for academic credit.
- Cost: Summer program costs vary, but summer study abroad tends to be much less expensive overall than a regular quarter at Northwestern. Cost to participants is approximately $4,100.
- Scholarship: Applicants are eligible for GLO study abroad scholarships and may be eligible for external funding opportunities. Northwestern students receiving financial aid during the academic year may be eligible to apply for summer aid for this program. Visit the summer aid and scholarships page for additional information.
- Language: Language of instruction is English, though students will gain exposure to Chinese language and culture.
Contact:
Global Learning Office
(847) 467-6400, global@northwestern.edu