Study Abroad

For many students, a passport is more than a travel document; it’s a ticket to global study, research, and career opportunities. Recognizing this, Rutgers Global–Study Abroad launched the Passport to the World initiative in 2022, designed to increase the number of matriculated Rutgers students with U.S. passports across all campuses: Newark, Camden, Rutgers Health, and New Brunswick. 

One of those students is Le’Nahjaa Bailey (Rutgers-New Brunswick, Class of 2026), who received her first passport through the program and spent the summer studying at Ewha University in Seoul, South Korea. Bailey, also a Gilman Scholar, described the experience as transformative.

When Rutgers students imagine life after graduation, they might picture graduate school, a new job, or maybe even a gap year abroad. But for some, the path leads to something bigger: two years of service overseas with the Peace Corps. We sat down with Connor Cullinane, a Rutgers alumnus from the class of 2023,  who served in Morocco from 2023 to 2025, to hear what the experience was really like.

Rutgers students had the opportunity to explore the world this fall as Rutgers Global hosted its annual Study Abroad Fall Fair on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at the Livingston Student Center. The event, ran from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and showcased the wide range of international programs available to both undergraduate and graduate students. There seems to be a strong renewed interest in global education following the pandemic-era slowdown. In 2024–25, more than 1,000 Rutgers students studied abroad, the highest participation in recent years, reflecting a growing enthusiasm for international experiences. This year's fair drew in more than 900 students. Here are photos from the event.

This September, Freie Universität Berlin will mark a major milestone: the 20th anniversary of its renowned FU-BEST (Freie Universität Berlin European Studies) program. Over the past two decades, FU-BEST has grown into one of Europe’s most respected English-language study abroad programs, offering students from across the globe—including many from Rutgers University—a life-changing academic and cultural experience in the heart of Berlin. Rutgers Global Study Abroad has proudly partnered with FU-BEST for over a decade, sending students to Berlin in the fall and spring since at least 2008. The program remains a student favorite, drawing those interested in European studies, language immersion, and cultural exploration.

Students, faculty, and staff from the Rutgers School of Public Health recently returned from a deeply enriching study abroad experience in Manizales, Colombia. The experience provided students with an immersive opportunity to directly engage with community-based organizations, public health agencies, researchers, educators, and community leaders dedicated to addressing health inequities in Latin American communities. Led by Rafael E. Pérez-Figueroa, Associate Dean for Community Engagement, Population Health, and Public Health Service and associate professor in Rutgers School of Public Health’s Department of Urban-Global Public Health, the study abroad course was hosted in collaboration with the Universidad Autónoma de Manizales (UAM).

A record 20 students across Rutgers University have been awarded the prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, which empowers students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, fostering mutual understanding between the United States and other countries. 

This milestone highlights Rutgers’ growing commitment to global education and access for all students, especially those traditionally underrepresented in study abroad programs.