Chapman University has been selected by the Institute of International Education (IIE) as one of 40 institutions to receive an IIE American Passport Project grant that will enable up to 25 first-year or first-transfer year Chapman students to obtain a U.S. passport at no cost to the student and support their study abroad journeys. 

The IIE American Passport Project provides one critical piece of the multi-faceted effort needed to reach students who are traditionally underrepresented in study abroad: a passport. Any incoming first-year students or new transfer students who receive a Pell Grant and want to be considered for one of the 25 passport recipients can complete the Chapman Passport Grant Nomination form to determine eligibility.  

All recipients will be selected by October 2022.  After selection, the Center for Global Education will help students obtain their passport, pay the passport fees, and guide them in their path to study abroad. The Center for Global Education will provide passport photos, programming, engagement efforts, advising, and support for the students selected and ultimately help them achieve their goal studying abroad during their college experience.    

Students jumping in a plaza in Madrid, SpainIt has long been part of IIE’s mission to increase participation and diversity in study abroad, so that all students can gain the academic and career benefits of an international experience. The IIE American Passport Project grant is intended to promote diversity, inclusion, access, and equity in study abroad and to support the IIENetwork in their efforts to encourage students to go abroad who would otherwise not participate in an international experience as part of their college education. For students of limited means, studying abroad can require long-term planning and involve financial hurdles, like the cost of a passport, which could bar them from moving forward. The IIE grant will help 1,000 Pell-eligible students in the U.S. to obtain their U.S. passports and start their study abroad journey. 

 

For questions, please contact Jodi Hicks at the Center for Global Education – jebner@chapman.edu.