Global Gateway
The UW Global Gateway Initiative makes study abroad accessible to students with demonstrated financial need through two different avenues: Summer programs and Fellowships. All students participate in pre- and post-program engagements and onsite activities to integrate their time abroad with academics and professional development.
UW Global Gateway Summer Programs and Fellowships are provided in partnership with the Office of Student Financial Aid and the Institute for Regional and International Studies.
UW Global Gateway Summer Programs
The UW Global Gateway Summer Programs are highly-structured, thematic short term programs designed to introduce first and second-year students from diverse backgrounds and academic fields to international and global issues. Each program provides a full scholarship, including airfare, for a cohort of students with demonstrated financial need (preference given to students with a Student Aid Index (SAI) of $8,000 or less or who are part of Bucky’s Pell Pathway program for the past or current academic year) to study in the program locations identified.
On these programs, a UW–Madison faculty member introduces students to issues of global importance and prepares students for success in an increasingly interconnected world. These experiential programs use the host country as a classroom to support students earning 3 in-residence credits upon completion of the program.
These programs are funded in partnership with the Office of Student Financial Aid. The Office of Experiential Learning, through the generous donations of their donors, provides funding for additional spaces for students in SESP and HIPs programs to participate in Summer 2026.
Summer 2026
Chile
Explore how climate change affects Chile and the Southern Cone of South America, and how different groups are developing justice initiatives and resilient solutions to combat the effects of these changes.
Estonia
Discover Estonia, a small country in northern Europe, and explore how it has developed from a post-Soviet country to a highly advanced digital society that values close connection to nature and environmental sustainability.
Ghana
Investigate how indigenous culture, colonial legacies, natural resources, and international pressures shape ‘development’ strategies in Ghana.
South Korea
Understand the forces that divided the Korean peninsula and created the two radically different Korean states we know today as we trace Korea’s history with the United States, its neighbors, and between North and South Korea.
Washington, DC
Examine your assumptions about political life as we explore the psychology of political polarization in Washington, DC.
UW Global Gateway Fellowships
The UW Global Gateway Fellowships are designed to provide students the access to the UW–Madison approved semester or year-long study abroad program of their choice, as well as the semester-long domestic study away program, UW Wisconsin in Washington, DC Internship Program, which best meets their academic and professional goals. Each participant receives a $10,000 fellowship towards their program costs.
Fall 2026 Fellows
Nathaniel Breault
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Peotone, IL
Program: Hamburg University of Applied Sciences GE3 Exchange, Germany
Receiving the Global Gateway Fellowship has made my lifelong dream of living abroad a possibility. As someone trying to pay his own way through college, I was not sure that any study abroad program would be a viable option for me, so I am immeasurably grateful to Global Gateway for opening that door.
Through the Hamburg Exchange program, I hope to develop a more complex understanding of German culture. More specifically, I would like to understand the techniques and thought processes that make German engineering so globally renowned.
I am looking forward to exploring Hamburg’s canals, parks, and nature reserves. Madison’s abundance of green spaces is one of my favorite parts about this city, and they also comprise some of my favorite places to study. Hamburg is known for being one of the greenest cities in Europe, so I imagine its green spaces will help me to fall in love with the city just as I have with Madison.
Blog posts
Coming soon!
Ramon Guarnero
Major: Information Systems and Operations and Technology Management
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
Program: Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Being a recipient of the Global Gateway Fellowship allows me to expand my studies through a global lens. It also gives me the opportunity to pay this experience forward and share my experiences abroad with prospective study-abroad participants at UW Madison.
During my program, I hope to learn more about how information systems are applied in European and Nordic contexts and how those applications differ from those in the United States. I also hope to apply these insights to the other business-related coursework I will be taking abroad.
I am excited to observe and experience the Danish culture and way of life! I want to learn more about the people and form meaningful connections with the locals and other international students I meet in Copenhagen.
Blog posts
James Pease
Major: Personal Finance, Economics & Certificate in History
Hometown: Chagrin Falls, OH
Program: IES Milan Business Studies, Italy
Being a recipient of the Global Gateway Fellowship is an honor and a blessing, and it helps remove a barrier that makes a once-in-a-lifetime experience come true. Beyond funding, receiving this fellowship also represents the hard work behind my academic work and gives me a platform to share my experiences.
One key goal I have during my time in Milan is to step outside of my comfort zone as much as possible. I can do so through courses and a part-time internship to gain insight into a more global perspective. Additionally, I hope to build relationships with peers and professionals internationally to expand my knowledge and hear new perspectives.
I am most looking forward to learning about the lifestyle and work culture in Milan, and more broadly, Italy and Europe. During my studies, I look forward to understanding how the city operates and what a day, week, and month look like as a student, professional, and person in Italy.
Blog posts
Emily Sulka
Major: Psychology & Polish
Hometown: Franklin Park, IL
Program: Saint Louis University-Madrid, Spain
Being a recipient of the Global Gateway Fellowship means that something I have hoped to do for a long time is finally becoming real. Growing up in a Polish speaking household taught me how much culture and language shape the way people see the world, and this fellowship is giving me the opportunity to continue exploring that on a global level. It also means a lot to know that others believe in my potential to learn from this experience and bring those perspectives back to school and my community.
One personal goal I have for my program is to become more comfortable navigating unfamiliar environments and communicating across cultures. As a Psychology and Polish major, I am really interested in how language, identity, and relationships connect, and I hope that studying psychology abroad while taking a Spanish language course will challenge me to grow both academically and personally.
I am most excited to learn about the everyday life and culture of Madrid beyond what tourists usually see. I want to experience the small things, hearing different languages throughout the city, learning local routines, spending time in cafés, and understanding how people connect with family and community.
Blog Posts
Lucy Wyse
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Hometown: Middleton, WI
Program: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
The Global Gateway Fellowship represents an opportunity to experience, learn, and make lifelong memories in a new, culturally diverse environment. It will broaden my perspective and allow me to create more inclusive engineering designs for my future projects.
Through this program, I would like to greatly improve both my comprehension and conversational skills in Mandarin. By actively practicing with friends, in class, and at Hawker Centres, I hope that this will better facilitate my learning.
I am most looking forward to learning about the pillars behind Singaporean culture. More specifically, how Singapore’s emphasis on multiculturalism impacts Singaporean society and policy.
Blog Posts
Spring 2026 Fellows
Emmalyn Bergman
Major: International Studies & Political Science
Hometown: Oconomowoc, WI
Program: SIT Refugees, Health, and Humanitarian Action in Amman, Jordan
The Global Gateway Fellowship represents a meaningful opportunity to learn from an international experience and broaden my understanding of the world. It encourages me to grow as a student and leader while using this knowledge to make a lasting impact in my future career.
Academically, I am aiming to increase my knowledge and understanding of international politics, specifically in the context of addressing refugee crises and the issues affecting displaced populations. I hope to be able to apply this knowledge in my future career, hopefully as a lawyer.
I am very excited to try the cuisine! I love to try new foods, so I am very excited to explore Amman to find local restaurants and cafes.
Blog posts
Christopher (Chris) Bottari-Tower
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Hometown: Park Ridge, IL
Program: Saint Louis University-Madrid, Spain
It is such a blessing to be a recipient of the Global Gateway Fellowship. This scholarship is a gateway to explore the world through the program I have chosen to study abroad in, in Madrid. I recognize the necessity to hold myself to a higher standard while in Madrid, being a fellow and representing the university as well.
One personal goal that I have while studying in Madrid is to become fluent in Spanish. I have spoken Spanish since I was very young with my family, but was never able to fully immerse myself into fully speaking the language on a daily basis. I will be given the opportunity, by living with a host family, to truly experience the Spanish culture of Madrid.
The most exciting skill I hope to gain during my time in Madrid is an appreciation for the way of life in Spain. I would like to form meaningful connections with native Spaniards and learn their customs. After my program is over in Madrid I would like to bring the new appreciation for life back home with me to be grateful for all the small things I have been given at home.
Blog posts
Skye Dickson
Major: Biochemistry & Spanish
Hometown: Monroe, WI
Program: SIT Public Health, Traditional Medicine, and Community Empowerment in Santiago, Chile
Being a recipient of the Global Gateway Fellowship means the possibility for me to expand my horizons by being immersed in a new environment. By studying abroad, I am able to take on a new challenge of developing relationships in a new environment.
Through this program, my goal is to become a proficient Spanish Speaker. I would like to be able to improve my conversational Spanish skills especially by using all interactions with Chilean Spanish speakers as practice.
I am looking forward to learning about how the Chilean health system compares to the United States system. I also want to learn more about how the practices of indigenous communities influence the health system of Chile as well.
Blog Posts
Zelin Shen
Major: Entomology & Statistics
Hometown: Dalian, China
Program: SFS Biodiversity & Development in the Andes-Amazon, Peru
This scholarship allows me the ability to put my focus on developing my skills as an entomologist and a photographer, providing me the financial freedom that I had not been able to have in the past. Thank you for your generosity and believing in students like me. Your support has truly made a difference in my future, and I hope to pass your kindness forward.
I hope to enhance my skills in field work in the tropical area, practice my skills in both artistic/documentational field photography, challenge myself outside of my comfort zone, and explore the possibility of pursuing a future research career in the tropics.
I most look forward to experiencing the diversity in the Peruvian Amazon, as it is one if not the most biodiverse ecosystem on the planet. I’m also looking forward to connecting with locals, meeting researchers, and building an understanding on the country as a whole.
Blog Posts
Keileen Weberpal
Major: International Studies & Political Sciences
Hometown: Delavan, WI
Program: CET Brazil: Direct-Enroll at Universidade de São Paulo
Being a recipient of the Global Gateway Fellowship has truly made my pursuit of studying abroad a reality, and for that, I am extremely grateful for having the support to allow myself to take part in a world outside the United States. This Fellowship will serve as more than a personal experience; I hope for this endeavor to be an opportunity to convey across campus to engage in the international world but also inspire others to have similar experiences.
I knew I wanted to go to a country that is culturally dynamic from the United States; Brazil will be a place in which I would be challenged to grow as an individual, while also being a potential pathway for my future career goals of international law and human rights. I know that by being able to study abroad in Brazil, this will provide me an opportunity of a lifetime to learn hands-on about the culture, the political atmosphere, and to be immersed in the Portuguese language. I feel that everything has been leading me to study abroad in Brazil and by immersing myself in it, it will provide invaluable memories and growth in all facets of my life.