During International Education Week 2025, the University of Michigan was once again recognized for its leadership in global engagement—ranked the No. 1 public institution in the nation for education abroad participation, and No. 2 overall among all U.S. universities, for the second consecutive year. Although these national rankings reflect earlier participation data, the results presented in this report demonstrate that our momentum has only continued to build. In the 2024–2025 academic year, 5,903 U-M Ann Arbor students engaged in international experiences, completing 6,266 trips across 126 countries. The data represents an 8% increase from the previous year and marks the highest numbers of both students and trips in our history—surpassing pre-pandemic levels and exceeding our previous high in 2018–2019.
This year also marked continued progress in the implementation of our five-year Global Engagement Strategic Plan. The plan continues to guide our efforts to broaden early exposure to opportunities, diversify participation and program types, and strengthen pre-departure preparation and post- experience reflection. The outcomes from 2024–2025 illustrate the impact of this university-wide commitment.
Finally, we made significant gains in ensuring that international experiences are accessible to all U-M students, having our highest percentage of Pell Grant recipients, underrepresented minority students, and first-generation students to date. Pell Grant recipients made up 26% of participants, up 2 percentage points from last year. Underrepresented minority students constituted nearly 23% of participants, up 4 percentage points from last year. And first-generation students made up nearly 16% of participants, up more than 3 percentage points from last year. These gains reflect the dedication of our education abroad community, who works tirelessly to make global learning experiences accessible, meaningful, and transformative.
We invite you to explore this report and join us in celebrating the achievements of our students and the collective efforts that continue to strengthen U-M’s global engagement mission.
Sincerely,
Laurie McCauley
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Valeria Bertacco
Vice Provost of Engaged Learning
“The combination of cultural immersion and autonomy naturally demanded quick growth in my ability to communicate, in ways that neither cultural immersion nor autonomy have previously done for me before. This newfound confidence and assertiveness in unfamiliar situations continues to be an asset long after my study abroad program.”
“My international education taught me to dwell in in- between spaces with humility, curiosity, and care. It helped me see that learning happens as much in translation and misunderstanding as in shared language. These experiences shaped how I approach community, research, and creativity: as acts of connection across borders, rather than separation.”
“Seeing the melting ice sheets and economic issues facing Greenland was an eye-opening experience that highlighted the effects of global development on an isolated community.”
“The most valuable lesson I learned during my international education experience was keeping an open mind. Each person in each place I met had a different story; I loved to expand my experiences through others.”
| SCHOOL | UNDERGRADUATE | GRADUATE | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture & Urban Planning | 27 | 117 | 144 |
| Art & Design | 142 | 9 | 151 |
| Business | 443 | 401 | 844 |
| Dentistry | 1 | 64 | 65 |
| Education | 17 | 28 | 45 |
| Engineering | 767 | 329 | 1,096 |
| Environment and Sustainability | 0 | 43 | 43 |
| Information | 107 | 102 | 209 |
| Information & Public Health* | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Kinesiology | 180 | 5 | 185 |
| Law | 0 | 40 | 40 |
| Literature, Science, and the Arts | 1,909 | 483 | 2,392 |
| Medicine | 0 | 104 | 104 |
| Music, Theatre & Dance | 139 | 95 | 234 |
| Nursing | 59 | 24 | 83 |
| Pharmacy | 8 | 10 | 18 |
| Public Health | 15 | 61 | 76 |
| Public Policy | 56 | 51 | 107 |
| Rackham School of Graduate Studies | 0 | 26 | 26 |
| Social Work | 0 | 37 | 37 |
| Experience Type | Description | Credit | Co-Curricular | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study | Credit-bearing academic programs, credit-bearing classes, and other course-related travel. | 3,744 | 117 | 3,861 |
| Internship | Field placements, clinical placements, or other work experience. Paid or unpaid. | 197 | 97 | 294 |
| Research | Research-related laboratory or fieldwork. | 401 | 844 | 1,245 |
| Volunteer | Service learning, volunteer experiences, or community-based projects. | 64 | 65 | 129 |
| Other | Competitions, performances, conferences, and other travel experiences. | 28 | 45 | 73 |
| Total | All Categories Combined | 4,434 | 1,168 | 5,602 |
| Albania Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bosnia and Herzegovina Brazil British Virgin Islands Bulgaria Burkina Faso Cambodia Cameroon |
Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Chile China Colombia Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Czechia Denmark Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Estonia Ethiopia Finland France Georgia |
Germany Ghana Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guatemala Guyana Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya |
Kosovo Kuwait Latvia Lebanon Liberia Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritius Mexico Morocco Namibia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua |
Nigeria Norway Oman Pakistan Palestinian Territory Panama Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Qatar Reunion Romania Rwanda Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Singapore Slovakia Slovenia South Africa |
South Korea South Sudan Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Tanzania Thailand Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turks and Caicos Islands Uganda United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan Vietnam Zambia |
Education abroad participation at the University of Michigan has reached record levels, with student count, trip count, and participation among first-generation students, Pell Grant recipients, and underrepresented minority students all achieving all-time highs for the institution. These increases reflect sustained growth in overall engagement and expanded access to global learning opportunities. U-M’s leadership in this area has also been recognized nationally: the university was named the #1 public institution for education abroad participation and #2 in the country by the Institute for International Education’s Open Doors report in both 2024 and 2025, affirming our strong commitment to inclusive international education.
| Metric (as a percentage of education abroad participants) | Baseline (2022-2023) |
Year 1 (2023-2024) |
Year 2 (2024-2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| First-generation students | 11.15% | 12.23% | 15.82% |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.2% | 24.0% | 26.0% |
| Underrepresented minority students |
18.03% | 18.79% | 23.52% |
The Global Engagement Strategic Plan, launched in Autumn 2023 by the Vice Provost for Engaged Learning, aims to increase access to international experiences and opportunities across the globe, with the following five-year goals:
| 5 Year-Goals | Baseline (2022-2023) |
Year 1 (2023-2024) |
Year 2 (2024-2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60% of bachelors and doctoral graduating class have at least one international experience |
19.38% | 27.35% | 30.67% |
| At least 12.5% of students going abroad are first-generation students |
11.15% | 12.23% | 15.82% |
Year 2 of the five-year plan saw significant growth in many of the programs piloted in the first year, as well as the launch of several additional initiatives.
These efforts begin by promoting early awareness of education abroad opportunities to students at the start of their academic journey. To support this, the university is working to diversify the offerings of international programs across the institution by expanding both the geographic locations and the program formats available. Simultaneously, the plan focuses on launching accessible and equitable programming specifically designed to ensure access to international experiences for all students. Finally, the plan seeks to develop and enhance pre-departure orientation and post-experience reflections to ensure students are prepared for and able to learn from their global engagements.
The following sections provide a detailed look at the progress and specific outcomes achieved for each of these initiatives during Year 2 of the plan.
International Opportunities Fair Disseminate information on education abroad opportunities, programs, and scholarships at FestiFall
Go Blue, Go Abroad Workshop Series and Scholarships Offer three first-year preparation workshops, featuring a $1,000 scholarship towards a future U-M education abroad program
Outreach to Incoming Class Share education abroad information at Campus Days, Spring Welcome Day, Student Orientations, and State Receptions
Academic Advisor Engagements Host international education workshops for academic advisors, in partnership with the Advising Council at U-M
Study Abroad Media Campaign Produce student education abroad videos distributed across university-wide channels, in partnership with U-M Social
Faculty Leader Workshops Host workshops that focus on providing program leaders the tools to successfully develop and manage faculty-led programs and support the safety, health, and wellbeing of students abroad
Grant Program for New Experiences in Less-Traveled Destinations Provide grants for faculty who created new faculty-led education abroad programs in less-traveled destinations, diversifying the range of opportunities for U-M students around the globe
Passport Days Provide students in need with their first passport through grants to cover the cost and on-site support to complete the application requirements, removing a barrier in their pursuit of international experiences
Support/Promotion of Faculty-Led Short-Term Experiences Provide grants for faculty who created new faculty-led education abroad programs in nearby international locations, increasing accessibility and affordability of education abroad
Scholarships for First-Generation Participants Provide critical funding and scholarships for first-generation students to increase access to education abroad programs
Training for education abroad staff to promote access and opportunity Provide workshops and/or support for
staff participation in professional development opportunities related to promoting access and opportunity in education abroad
Faculty Trainings for Emergency Management Offer CPR/AED First Aid and Wilderness First Aid training for faculty and staff who lead groups of students abroad on UMRT or conduct work in a remote field site abroad
Enhanced Pre-Departure Preparation Enhanced the content and accessibility of Resilient Traveler training for education abroad participants; will be available on Global Michigan website
Post-Experience Reflection Support the development of resources to help students reflect on their experiences abroad through Education Abroad Resource grants, workshops, and professional development opportunities
The First-Generation Education Abroad Scholarship Program at U-M significantly expanded its support for underrepresented students pursuing global experiences during the second year of the Global Engagement Strategic Plan. For summer 2025, the program awarded 100 scholarships to first-generation undergraduate students—reducing financial barriers and increasing access to study abroad. Building on 2023’s successful pilot, this expanded initiative aims to address pandemic-related declines in first-gen study abroad participation and foster a sense of belonging for recipients.
Emel Mousa | Cuernavaca, Mexico
Senior, Education, Elementary Education
“My biggest takeaway from this experience has been enjoying every moment as it comes. I have learned skills that help me enjoy each new experience, while upholding my educational commitments.”
Andy Tang | Shanghai, China
Junior, LSA, Computer Science
“I realized how capable I am of adapting to new places. Through every city in China, I was able to adjust quickly to the culture, language, and transportation… Academically, this program showed me that I could push myself in a tough class while experiencing a new environment. It made me more disciplined about time management and balancing school with traveling.”
Ashley Gray | Rome & Florence, Italy
Senior, Kinesiology, Movement Science
“…This experience enhanced my life personally, professionally, and academically by growing a holistic perspective of our world, and attaining the skills and values to connect with people on a greater level.”
2024-2025 marked the university’s theme year, the Year of Global Engagement, during which the international education community reflected on the ways education, innovation, and collaboration connect us across borders. Through numerous programs spearheaded by the Vice Provost for Engaged Learning team, events across the campus and activities around the world were supported to promote the development of engaged global citizens, including:
The Global Professional Development Grant funds short-term international experiences for U-M students to build career skills. In its first year, the program supported six students at major global conferences—including NAFSA and EPSA—connecting them with industry leaders to cultivate a global perspective.
The Global Engagement Event Grant funds new, internationally focused activities like symposia and festivals. This year, the program supported six events, ranging from a global pathology symposium to an African women’s film festival, to foster international dialogue and global learning across the U-M community.
The President’s Awards for Leadership in International Education (PALIE) celebrate U-M faculty and staff excellence. This year, the program expanded to include a Rising Professionals category alongside Distinguished Service, honoring early- to mid-career leaders who demonstrate exceptional potential in the field.
