Program Development Grants
Introduction
The University of Illinois at Chicago’s (UIC) Office of Global Engagement (OGE) and Study Abroad Office (SAO) are committed to increasing access to education abroad opportunities for UIC’s diverse student body. Faculty-directed programs represent a model of education abroad programming that has been proven to provide access to students who are typically underrepresented in education abroad. To assist in the development of these programs, we are pleased to provide program development grants for UIC faculty and staff members interested in proposing a new faculty-directed program.
The Spring 2026 application cycle is now open! Please see below for application details. The deadline is February 15th, 2026.
Apply for the Grant
Award Details
OGE will award up to two study abroad program development grants each year, budget permitting. The grants will support faculty and staff members in their development of a new faculty-directed program and should cover expenses associated with:
- Travel to the proposed host country for a site visit (transportation and on-site expenses)
- Professional development opportunities such as attending an education abroad conference
The total amount of grant will not exceed $6,000.
Special consideration will be given to proposals featuring the following:
- Proposals for programs based in Africa, Central/South America, or Asia
- Proposals for programs that include an internship/field placement, research, or service-learning component
- Proposals supporting the development of interdisciplinary programs involving faculty, staff, and students from more than one academic unit
- Proposals from academic units that will provide additional funds to increase the impact of the grant
- Proposals for the development of programs for academic areas/units that do not currently have a faculty-directed program
(OGE also welcomes proposals that do not feature these elements)
Eligibility
Current UIC faculty or staff members who have an idea for a new faculty-directed study abroad program are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to applicants who:
- Are not currently leading a faculty-directed program
- Have not previously been awarded a program development grant
Applicants will need to include a letter of support from their department head detailing:
- support for offering the program and classes within the timeframe below
- how the proposed program aligns with academic unit goals
If the department is able to offer additional funding support, the letter should include a short statement confirming this. Ideas include allocating funds for student scholarships, subsidizing the overall program cost for students, and/or covering faculty travel expenses, thereby reducing the overall cost to students.
Applications submitted by faculty or staff from more than one unit must include a letter of support from each department head. Recipients will need to propose the program for a term within two academic years of receiving the grant. Recipients who leave UIC before their grant is disbursed will not be funded.
Application Process
Application Process
Submit the application via the Study Abroad Office’s online application portal. Applications will include the following:
- Applicant and Sponsoring Unit Information
- First & Last Name, Title/Rank, and Home Department of applicant
- Information about any other UIC faculty/staff to be involved
- All campus units to be involved with the program
- Overview of the Faculty-Directed Program (500-1000 words)
The overview should include:- An explanation of the link between the proposed program host location and the academic focus of the program
- The course prefix and number, title, and number of credits to be offered and an explanation of why this will be an attractive offering for students (ex: does the course satisfy major, general education, or other requirements?)
- The students for whom the program will be ideal and your ideas for recruitment. Proposals that make clear and specific reference to an ability to partner with stakeholders across campus will be considered more favorably
- How the proposed program fits within the sponsoring academic unit’s curriculum or broader strategic goals
- Early ideas for learning activities and field excursions that will provide opportunities for experiential learning and rich cultural interaction
- Any potential on-site partners you might already have (applicants are not required to already have on-site partners identified)
- Sustainability Plan (up 500 words)
- How is the program positioned to increase the likelihood that it will be offered on a consistent basis? Consider staffing/involving multiple faculty/staff members, the frequency with which you intend to offer the program, recruitment strategies for future years, and opportunities for funding support beyond this one-time grant.
- Budget and Budget Narrative (up to 1000 words)
- Provide a detailed budget with specific line items that demonstrate how the $6000 grant funds would be used (either for a site visit or to attend an education abroad conference). This is not a budget for the study abroad program but a budget explaining how you plan to use the grant funds.
- Provide a budget narrative explaining why the grant will be instrumental in helping you develop the program and how the funds will be used.
- Grant funds are not eligible to be used to pay stipends, salary, or other compensation for individual faculty, staff, or students and should not be used to pay for items prohibited by UIC’s Office of Business and Financial Services.
- Timeline of Events (250-500 words)
- Please include a timeline of when your grant activity will take place. The timeline is referring to the grant activity, such as the site visit or conference attendance, and not the timeframe of the actual study abroad program to be proposed.
- Letter of Support from Department Head(s)
- Please provide a letter from the head of each academic unit involved with the submission. The letter should indicate that the faculty member(s) or staff involved in this submission will be afforded sufficient time in their workload to successfully develop and offer the program. The letter should also explain how the proposed program fits within the sponsoring academic unit’s curriculum or broader strategic goals and include a statement about whether the academic unit will provide contributing funds. Matching funds are not required, however, proposals from academic units that include financial support will be stronger. Ideas for financial support include, but are not limited to:
- Funds for student scholarships
- Funds to cover upfront costs for students (ex: passports, airfare scholarships)
- Covering the faculty member’s stipend (summer programs only) and/or travel expenses to lower the overall cost for students
- If an academic unit cannot contribute funds at this time, a brief statement about why this is not possible is appreciated.
- Please provide a letter from the head of each academic unit involved with the submission. The letter should indicate that the faculty member(s) or staff involved in this submission will be afforded sufficient time in their workload to successfully develop and offer the program. The letter should also explain how the proposed program fits within the sponsoring academic unit’s curriculum or broader strategic goals and include a statement about whether the academic unit will provide contributing funds. Matching funds are not required, however, proposals from academic units that include financial support will be stronger. Ideas for financial support include, but are not limited to:
Selection Committee
Representatives of the International Advisory Council will serve as the selection committee.
Application Deadline
Please note that there are two deadlines. The first deadline is for the grant application:
- Grant application deadline: February 15th
- Recipients notified by early March
- Recipients must carry out grant activities before the end of Fiscal Year in which the grant is awarded. and propose a program according to the below deadlines within the current academic year for programs to occur in either of the two subsequent academic years.
The grant application is separate from the program proposal deadline, which falls the year prior to when you intend to offer the program:
Summer/Fall Programs: program proposal due June 1st
Winter Break Programs: program proposal due October 31st
Spring/Spring Break Programs: program proposal due March 1st
For more information on the program proposal process, please visit this section of our website.