It’s been a busy year at CGIS, marked by both increased student participation and some key staffing changes.
Earlier this year, Michael Jordan retired, and Pardip Bolina has since stepped into the role of Director. Pardip previously served as CGIS Associate Director for 15 years, and we’re excited to welcome Brian Wahl as our new Associate Director starting in mid-September. Brian brings a wealth of experience to the team, having spent 10 years working in education abroad offices at MIT and Hawaii Pacific University. He has also lived abroad in Thailand, Nepal, Myanmar, and Egypt. Please be sure to stop by the Study Abroad Fair (details below) and say hello to Brian!
In addition to our 14 full-time staff, we also have 5 student Peer Advisors working with CGIS this term. We look forward to working with all of you this year! Meet our team →
CGIS by the numbers
CGIS offers 120+ programs across 40+ countries around the world. Learn more about some of our newest additions at the bottom of this article.
Last year, a record 1,427 students studied abroad through CGIS, including 75 students on international internship programs over the summer, the newest addition to the CGIS portfolio. Internship placements ranged from a UX/UI internship in Berlin to a Social Justice internship at a human rights organization in Nepal. For summer 2026, CGIS is excited to be offering new internship locations in 12 new locations, including Argentina, Estonia, Mexico, Morocco, and Taiwan.
Of the 1,427 students, 47% studied for a semester or longer. Top majors included: Economics, Psychology, Communication and Media, and International Studies. Overall, Spain remained the top destination, followed by the UK and France for CGIS students. Outside of Western Europe, the most popular locations included Australia, Japan, South Korea, and South Africa. 87% of students were enrolled in LSA, with 5% from Ross and 2% from Public Policy.
In addition to supporting these outgoing students, we also hosted 32 international exchange students in ‘24-25. The countries that we received the highest number of exchange students from in ‘24-25 were France, the UK, Germany, and Singapore.
LSA Scholarships awarded 500 students a total of $2M for CGIS Study Abroad and International Internship programs in ‘24-25.
- Average Awards of $4,000 for Study Abroad and $6,000 for International Internships
- 165% increase in study abroad scholarship applications since ‘22-23
- Total amount of scholarship dollars awarded has doubled over two academic years
- 75% of last year's scholarship applicants were In-State and 40% were First-Gen
- 50% of all Study Abroad and International Internship Scholarships were awarded for Spring/Summer CGIS programming
Website updates
This summer we updated our website to improve navigation and organization: Our previous Undergraduate Students section is now split into Explore & Apply and Student Resources. Our CGIS Advising page can be found within Student Resources and our By Major/Minor pages are located under Explore & Apply. If you have any CGIS links bookmarked or shared on your site, please note our links will redirect through January.
Finally, we would like to request your assistance in promoting the CGIS Study Abroad Fair among your network! Your support helps us connect our students to global opportunities.
Event Promo - please share widely!
Save the Date: CGIS Study Abroad Fair
Thursday, Oct 9, 2025 | Drop In 12-4pm | Michigan Union Ballroom
Our fair is open to all U-M Ann Arbor undergrads. Come learn about study abroad!
Event Details | Add to Calendar
Curious about studying abroad as an undergrad at U-M? Come explore everything CGIS has to offer and find the best program for you! No matter who you are, where you come from, or what you’re studying, a study abroad experience is available to you during your time at Michigan.
Get your questions answered! Come chat with:
- CGIS Program Advisors
- Recent U-M study abroad students
- Financial Aid and the LSA Scholarships Office
- Newnan Academic Advisors
- Other on-campus offices
Find other digital promo materials →
If your team would like to recieve physical postcards to help promote this event, please reach out to corrinl@umich.edu.
CGIS Program Updates
GCC: Global Course Connections
Application for our Summer 2026 GCCs are due December 10th:
- GCC in Sao Paulo, Brazil - Global Blackness
- GCC in Beijing, China - Language, Tradition, and Modernity
- GCC in Copenhagen, Denmark - Reproductive Health
- GCC in Paris, France - Paris on Film
- GCC in Tokyo, Japan - Anime to Zen
- GCC in Lisbon, Portugal - Travel Writing
- GCC in Cape Town, South Africa - Leadership and Technology
- GCC in London, United Kingdom - UK Healthcare Perspectives
GIEU: Global Intercultural Experience for Undergraduates
Our GIEU program site for Spring 2026 will be Brazil.
NEW - Application Deadline: December 10th
Funding is available! Explore GIEU details →
New International Internship Locations
Our summer internships support 30+ disciplines in 25+ countries!
The International Internship program involves an 8+ week placement and an in-residence internship seminar that is taken concurrently. Students have the choice of selecting the 3- or 6- credit seminar.
Application Deadline: February 1st
University Study in Poland—University of Warsaw
Available: Winter term
Language: No language prerequisite, but a wide variety of Central/Eastern European languages are available for study.
Highlights: U-W is a highly regarded research university and the largest university in Poland. This program is a great option for biology students! It has very affordable tuition rates, opportunities for research, and a wide range of English-taught coursework.
Application Deadline: September 15th
Learn more
We invite you to check out the Faculty & Staff section of our website.
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