In collaboration with IU academic departments and IU Education Abroad, OVPDEI has created programs tailored to meet the academic interests of students and fulfill the mission of the office.
Topics of these programs may include diversity, issues of social justice and responsibility, multiculturalism, globalization, cross-cultural understanding, race, human rights, the African diaspora, and the history of slavery.
OVPDEI custom programs are highly competitive. Program application will be available early January. Pre-travel class start during the second eight-week of Spring semester. Students travel abroad for two weeks in May and earn 3 summer credits.
Students earn IU credits.
Scholarships are automatically given to selected students to cover expenses.
Participants receive hands-on support throughout the process.
You must be at least 18 years old, an undergraduate student with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7, enrolled full-time in a degree-seeking program on the IU Bloomington campus, and in at least one of the following OVPDEI programs or center:
21st Century Scholars Program
Groups Scholars Program
Hudson and Holland Scholars Program
Academic Support Center (OVPDEI-funded tutors only)
Faculty and Staff for Student Excellence (FASE tutors only)
OVPDEI currently offers six custom study abroad programs, which rotate each year, and is working to develop more.
The purpose of the Brazil Study Abroad Program introduces students to historical, sociological and multifaceted dimensions of race and racial identity in Latin America, with particular emphases on African Diaspora in Brazil.
Student will explore wide range of topics that comprise current Brazilian society, from the legacy of slavery, social justice issues, economic disparity, and cultural manifestations.
Please check back in January 2024 for program information.
Developed by OVPDEI in 2016, this study abroad program provides students the opportunity to learn about race and racial identity in the Caribbean, particularly the African diaspora in the Dominican Republic. Participants earn three World Language and Culture credits.
In addition, students will receive interdisciplinary foundational knowledge of history, culture, politics, education, society, and current events in the Dominican Republic. This information will be supplemented by travel to local businesses and communities, academic and government institutions, non-governmental organizations, and cultural sites in the Dominican Republic.
Please note that the travel component can be physically demanding. Participants should be prepared for long days in a hot climate.
Please check back in January 2024 for program information.
Site Visits: Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast
Information Session: January 12, 2024, 1 pm. https://go.iu.edu/4RCg Application Deadline: February 9, 2024 Campus Classes: March 22 - April 26, 2024 Travel Dates: May 10-24, 2024 Cost: $1,800 (tentative)
Initially a non-credit cultural experience under the Hudson and Holland Scholars Program, this study abroad program has successfully sent more than 200 students to Ghana since 2002. Participants earn three CASE Social and Historical credits.
Students will learn about Ghanaian history; the impact of the transatlantic slave trade; Ghanaian cultural values and norms; contemporary social challenges; current economic, education, and healthcare systems; and the globalization and urbanization of the country. Please note that the travel component can be physically demanding. Participants should be prepared for long days in a hot climate.
The Study Abroad Program to India will allow students to gain an in-depth and experiential knowledge of Indian history, social and cultural norms, social justice and corporate social responsibility issues across India, and urbanization and globalization in India. It will include visits to historical and cultural sites, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and businesses.
Students will focus on causes and effects of social issues and their impact on the cultures of India, the diversity of Indian cultures, and historical and contemporary Indian ways of life.
Please note that the travel component can be physically demanding. Participants should be prepared for long days in a hot climate.
Please check back in January 2024 for program information.
Photo book about the 2022 Mexico program will be available in August 2022.
Site Visits: Mexico City and Puebla
Students will learn about a wide range of topics including the history and diversity of Mexican communities and the complex relationship that they historically had/have, race politics and debates over national belonging, and concert of cultural heritage. They will also explore the benefits and challenges associated with the recent promotion of cultural heritage and diversity by NGOs, grassroots organizations, the government, and international cultural policy entities as a potential engine for economic development. The trip includes visits to historical and cultural sites, academic institutions, NGOs, and interactions with local musicians, dancers, artisans, and craftspeople. Students will focus on the causes and effects of cultural policies and their role in simultaneously contesting and reinforcing social perceptions and attitudes regarding race, social class, and gender in Mexico.
Please check back in January 2025 for program information.
Site Visits: Lima, El Carmen, Vilca and Cantagallo
Students will learn about a wide range of topics including the history of race politics and debates over national belonging in Peru. They will also explore the benefits and challenges associated with the recent promotion of cultural heritage and diversity by NGOs, grassroots organizations, the government, and international cultural policy entities as a potential engine for economic development. The trip includes visits to historical and cultural sites, academic institutions, NGOs, and interactions with local musicians, dancers, artisans, and craftspeople. Students will focus on the causes and effects of cultural policies and their role in simultaneously contesting and reinforcing social perceptions and attitudes regarding race, social class, and gender in Peru.
Please check back in January 2024 for program information.
OVPDEI Overseas Studies & Scholarship Program resources and social media channels
